GLOBAL EXCHANGE PLUS
UC San Diego continues to expand our global network to provide undergraduate and graduate students with unique, high-impact international experiences. In addition to academic year exchanges, students can take advantage of research internships and short-term programs abroad to gain real-world experience in their fields of study. You can find more information on each program in the drawers below.
Ecole Polytechnique Internship Program for International Talents
The application for Summer 2024 closed on January 8. Students interested in 2025 should revisit this page in late Fall 2024 for information on the next application cycle.
France's Ecole Polytechnique, one of Europe's premier universities for science and technology, offers a prestigious internship program to students from select partner universities. UC San Diego students are eligible to complete a 3 to 6 month research internship at one of École Polytechnique's world-renowned research facilities. Visit the Program Overview page to learn about the internship, including the research labs that are accepting students for the 2024 cycle.
Eligibility:
UC San Diego will nominate graduate and undergraduate students in the following order of priority:
- Graduate students
- Fourth year undergraduates
- Third year undergraduates
Please note that French language skills are not required to participate in the program.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) Excellence Research Internship Program
APPLICATION CYCLE FOR 2025 IS OPEN OCTOBER 1- NOVEMBER 30!
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) Excellence Research Internship Program is open to undergraduate and graduate students; undergraduates must have completed at least two (2) years of their undergraduate program before the internship start date. It is possible to participate in the internship while studying abroad at EPFL through our Global Exchange Program. Accepted students will receive a scholarship of excellence covering main costs of living!
In order to participate, you must first be nominated by UC San Diego to apply for the program. Contact Alisha Harris, Program Coordinator for UC San Diego, if you wish to apply for this opportunity.
Program Details:
What is offered:
- 3 months research internships: possible extension under certain conditions, dates can be flexible usually between February and August. For candidates with excellent academic records. Selected students will receive a Scholarship of Excellence (CHF 1’600 per month);
- A practical, innovative and formative program – hands-on research in a lab, pioneer projects, intensive academic and professional experience gain;
- Immersion in an international and groundbreaking environment –130 nationalities, cutting-edge projects (e.g. Gold medal award in education in the IGem 2023 Competition, ranked 2 in the 2022 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Championship race, ranked 2 in the 2022 European Rover Challenge and 2021 European Rocketry Champion), trans-disciplinary research and tech transfer (Innovation Park);
- Excellent supervision by top international professors – passion, rigor, mentorship and guidance;
- First-rate labs – over 500 laboratories and research groups, sophisticated equipment, strong team-spirit;
- A life experience in a vibrant campus with excellent infrastructures in a beautiful spot by Lake Geneva – over 13’500 students, community spirit, cultural, sports and fun activities, center of Europe;
- Possibility to combine the research internship with an exchange program.
Who is eligible:
These internships are reserved to highly motivated top undergraduate and graduate students. Students should be enrolled as regular students in your institution when they complete the EPFL internship. Participation in these programs is subject to a selection process and depends on availability of laboratories of interest to students.
More information:
For more information, visit the Research internship program and testimonials websites.
TU Munich Practical Research Experience Program (TUM PREP)
The TUM PREP opportunity is open to undergraduate and graduate students- undergraduates must have completed at least two (2) years of their undergraduate program before the start date of their program period in Munich.
For any students interested in the program, you must first complete an application in UC San Diego's Study Abroad Portal TritonsAbroad. To do this, go to studyabroad.ucsd.edu, click on "Tritons Abroad" in the top left corner, and log in using your student Single Sign On to access the application.
In the framework of the Practical Research Experience Program (TUM PREP), TUM invites each summer excellent students to spend an at an approximately 9-week long research stay at TUM. Participating students gain valuable insights into the research work at Germany’s top-ranked technical university and enhance their technical and methodological qualifications.
The program is free and students are responsible for costs of living and transportation.
In most cases, an extension of the project duration (later project end, latest until end of September) is possible in consultation with the TUM PREP supervisor. Please note that an earlier start of the program is not possible.
UNIBE Clinical Rotation and Field Research
The clinical rotation and field research opportunity is through the Universidad de Iberoamérica (UNIBE) in Costa Rica. This is a unique experience for students to improve their Spanish language skills and obtain experience in practicing medicine in a nationalized healthcare system.
Eligibility:
This opportunity open to students in the following areas of campus:
- School of Medicine
- Skaggs (as part of the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience)
- Master's of Public Health
- Global Public Health
Program Details:
The program costs approximately $2,500 USD for a four-week period of stay. This cost includes:
- Meals
- Local transportation
- Homestay in private room with a Costa Rican family
- laundry
- Spanish classes
- Rotations in the three levels of the Costa Rican healthcare system
- Excursions
- Lectures