Short-Term Global Learning Experiences Designed for Access
Study Abroad with UAP offers short-term, cohort-based international experiences designed to make global learning accessible for first-generation and historically underrepresented students. These experiences allow students to explore the world, deepen cultural understanding, and connect learning beyond the classroom, without the financial or time barriers of traditional study abroad programs.
UAP study abroad programs are typically one week in length, making them an ideal option for students balancing academics, work, family responsibilities, or those traveling internationally for the first time.
UAP study abroad experiences are intentionally designed with access in mind.
- Short-term travel (typically one week)
- Cohort-based experience with fellow UAP students
- Structured itinerary focused on learning history, culture, art, service
- Reduced financial barriers compared to traditional study abroad
Cost & Financial Accessibility
To reduce financial barriers, UAP covers most program costs, including airfare, lodging, and most planned activities. Students are typically responsible for a small program fee and are encouraged to budget additional spending money for personal expenses, such as meals, activities outside the itinerary, or souvenirs.
These opportunities are made possible by dedicated funding that supports UAP students' access to high-impact learning experiences.
Study Abroad opportunities with UAP are available to currently enrolled UAP students who have earned at least 30 credits and a cumulative GPA of 2.75. Programs are offered annually and may vary from year to year based on destination, funding, and student interest.
These experiences are well-suited for students who:
- Are traveling internationally for the first time
- Want a short, structured global experience
- Are balancing academics, work, or family responsibilities
- Are interested in cultural exchange and global learning
Participation requires an application and selection process.
Service is an intentional and meaningful component of each international experience. These service days ground global travel in responsibility, reciprocity, and connection, allowing students to engage with local communities in ways that deepen learning beyond the classroom.
In 2018, students in Bermuda partnered with Meals on Wheels to support seniors across the island. This experience helped students understand community care, aging, and service through a global lens while building empathy and respect for local needs.
During the 2023 trip to Puerto Rico, students responded to the ongoing impact of a major hurricane by assembling emergency supply kits and creating handmade blankets for senior citizens. This day highlighted resilience, recovery, and solidarity within a community still rebuilding.
In 2024, students who traveled to Barbados collected and donated educational supplies to children living in a home for foster youth. The experience reinforced the importance of access, advocacy, and stability for young people navigating complex systems, regardless of geography.
Most recently, in 2025, students in Grenada worked alongside a local nonprofit and spent the day providing swim lessons to children on the island. This service experience combines safety, skill-sharing, and joy, allowing students to use their own strengths to make a tangible impact.
Across each destination, service is not an add-on, but a core element of the learning experience, helping students connect global awareness with civic responsibility, compassion, and action. Top of Form
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Saint Kitts and Nevis (2026)
In March 2026, University Access Programs (UAP) students embarked on a transformative study abroad experience in St. Kitts and Nevis that challenged them to step beyond their comfort zones and embrace their roles as global citizens. Throughout the week, students explored the islands’ rich history, vibrant culture, and natural beauty while engaging in meaningful service through a beach cleanup initiative focused on environmental sustainability and on protecting sea turtle habitats.
Students also had the unique opportunity to meet with government and educational leaders, including the President of Nevis, the Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Ambassador for Education, and other distinguished officials. Through cultural immersion, community engagement, reflection, and shared learning experiences, students deepened their understanding of diverse perspectives, strengthened their leadership skills, and returned to 91¹û¶³´«Ã½ with a broader appreciation of their place in an increasingly interconnected world.
This experience reflects UAP’s commitment to expanding access, fostering belonging, developing leadership, and creating transformative opportunities that prepare students for success both on campus and beyond.
Grenada (2025)
The Grenada experience was intentionally designed to immerse students in the island’s history, natural environment, and community life. Students explored Grenada’s cultural roots through an Isle of Spice history and culture tour, hiked and chased waterfalls through the island’s lush interior, and engaged directly with the surrounding waters through snorkeling and river tubing experiences. These activities allowed students to understand Grenada not just as a destination, but as a living ecosystem shaped by history, land, and people.
Barbados (2024)
The Barbados experience was intentionally designed to deepen students’ understanding of the island’s history, culture, and educational systems while allowing space for reflection and exploration. Students engaged with Barbados through historical and island tours, including learning from local scholars, exploring key cultural sites, and experiencing the island’s natural landscape through activities such as e-bike tours, cave hiking, and coastal excursions. These experiences helped students connect Barbados’s past and present while appreciating the relationship between land, movement, and community life.
The trip also emphasized education, service, and cultural exchange. Students spent a full day at the University of the West Indies, participating in lectures, tours, and conversations that highlighted higher education in a global context. A dedicated service day at a children’s home allowed students to give back to the local community in a meaningful way, reinforcing values of care, responsibility, and connection. Shared meals, including traditional experiences such as the Oistins Fish Fry and local dining, created opportunities for relationship-building and cultural immersion throughout the trip.
San Juan, Puerto Rico (2023)
The Puerto Rico experience was intentionally designed to immerse students in the island’s culture, history, and contemporary realities. Students engaged with Puerto Rico’s higher education landscape through a university visit. They spent dedicated time in a traditional culinary cooking workshop, learning how food, history, and cultural identity are deeply intertwined. Cultural tours, including visits to the urban art district and historic Old San Juan, provided important context for understanding the island’s colonial past, artistic expression, and evolving identity.
The trip also emphasized community engagement and critical reflection. Students participated in service and site visits, explored social and environmental issues facing Puerto Rico through facilitated workshops, and connected these themes to lived experiences across the island. Time spent in natural spaces, including coastal areas and El Yunque National Rainforest, reinforced the relationship between land, resilience, and community, creating a holistic learning experience grounded in culture, service, and global awareness.
Bermuda (2018)
UAP’s inaugural international experience in Bermuda allowed students to explore the intersection of environmental sustainability, tourism, and global economics. Students examined public health systems, food insecurity, and the realities of island infrastructure while learning how small nations navigate global systems.