The Office for Global Engagement (OGE) and Learning Abroad are proud to announce that the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), one of the University of Utah’s vetted affiliate study abroad providers, will be bringing their Passport Caravan to the U on Jan. 16, 2020.

As part of CIEE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, they’ve pledged to provide 10,000 students across the country with passports by 2020. After an extensive 12-month long grant process, Learning Abroad has been accepted to host the Passport Caravan and will be partnering with CIEE to provide 100 passports to U students who will be first-time passport holders. To be considered for a free passport, review eligibility criteria and the application process at Learning Abroad’s scholarship page. The application deadline CIEE Passport Caravan Scholarship is Oct. 1, 2019.

Beyond providing students with free passports, the Caravan meets goals of both Learning Abroad and CIEE—supporting diverse students who are underrepresented in today’s study abroad population, increasing access to opportunities and resources on campus, and generating awareness of both CIEE’s programming and Learning Abroad’s opportunities. Fundamentally, a passport opens borders for students and supports learning across borders. It empowers students to pursue international academic, research, professional and personal experiences. Of course, with a passport, these students will be one step closer to participating in a Learning Abroad program.

The Passport Caravan won’t be Learning Abroad’s first soiree into this service. In 2018, Learning Abroad took steps to become a Passport Acceptance Agency, working to meet a specific need of the community. The service has been extremely successful, with Learning Abroad processing nearly 700 passports since January 2018, and specifically providing a passport photo and acceptance services for 482 U-affiliated students, faculty and staff. We’re excited to continue supporting the university and our community in their global endeavors and the Passport Caravan will add to this success.

For any questions related to the Passport Caravan, contact Learning Abroad at learningabroad@utah.edu or at 801-581-5849.