Source: NAFSA
The global competency of U.S. college graduates is vital to U.S. competitiveness, yet a mere 10 percent study abroad before they graduate
Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2023 in the U.S. Senate and Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-P.A.) introduced similar legislation in the U.S. House.
Designed to remove institutional, cultural, and curricular barriers that prevent students from studying abroad, the bill would establish a competitive grant program for U.S. higher education institutions to help them fund programs that make it easier for a wider and more diverse community of students to benefit from a study abroad experience.
The legislation leverages and codifies an existing federal grant program, the U.S. State Department’s Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) program and renames it in honor of the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon of Illinois. In a change from the 2022 bill, it provides priority to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, institutions that qualify for the Strengthening Institutions Program, and study abroad programs with a world language learning component. Grant funds can also be used to offset individual student costs related to study abroad, which can be a significant barrier to participation.