Islamabad- Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs for the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Ethan Rosenzweig congratulated Pakistani
students traveling to the United States for the Global Undergraduate Semester Exchange (Global
UGRAD) Program. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the program provides participants the
opportunity to enrich their education and experience full-time academic study.
Prior to their departure from Pakistan, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan
(USEFP) welcomed the students to a two-day pre-departure orientation in Islamabad to learn about
campus life, American culture, and visa and travel requirements.
“We are eager to welcome these outstanding student leaders on our university campuses, where they
will share their culture and perspectives with their American peers, helping to connect the Pakistani
and American people,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Rosenzweig.
During their stay in the U.S., the students will attend undergraduate classes at 47 colleges and
universities and participate in community projects to strengthen their leadership and academic skills.
The students come from all regions of Pakistan and represent 30 public and private universities.
Since the Global UGRAD Program launched in 2010, approximately 2,442 Pakistani students have
previously received this prestigious one-semester scholarship to study in the United States.
USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar encouraged the students to take full advantage of the
academic, extracurricular, and community service activities available in the United States. “This year,
we received a record number of applications from all over Pakistan. We’ve tried to prioritize
students who have not had travel experience and who come from under-represented communities,
in addition to all of them having excellent academic records. This group represents the rich diversity
of Pakistan, and their American classmates will learn a lot from them. The opportunity to experience
higher education in the United States is life-changing and lays the foundation for new friendships
and mutual understanding between the people of both countries.”
USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of the United States and
Pakistan. Since its inception, more than 9,300 Pakistanis and over 935 Americans have participated
in USEFP-managed exchange programs. Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between
the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States through educational and cultural
exchange programs. For more information,
