Maryland-led Programs

Maryland-led programs are 1-8 week faculty-led study abroad experiences during winter, spring break, or summer. Students typically earn 3-6 credits while completing rigorous coursework in a global setting. As students are sometimes deterred from studying abroad for an entire semester, Maryland-led programs provide greater access to opportunities for experiential learning in another country. Explore the current Maryland-led programs to see the variety of disciplines and program structures integrated into these international experiences. 

Since 2011:

Education Abroad runs study abroad programs during every academic term that are led by Maryland faculty, who play a crucial role in these programs’ design and delivery. As a faculty director of a Maryland study abroad program, you work with EA staff to develop and lead a program that provides students with international experiences that will help them to explore their interests, expand their cultural comfort zones, and develop both academically and professionally.

Developing and Proposing a Maryland Program Abroad

Education Abroad has released our Call for Proposals for Winter, Spring Break, and Summer programs for 2027. Read the full text here. 

To begin the process, please fill out this form to request a consultation with our EA Program Managers. Please submit form requests early to allow time for a consultation and proposal preparation (approximately 3 weeks - 1 month) before the proposal period ends on January 30th. Consultations with our office are required to submit a proposal. To support your preparation of a program or proposal, please refer to these resources or recommendations: 

• Developing a Maryland-Led Program Abroad Guide with tips for developing and leading a new Maryland-Led Program
• Syllabus Development Guide for Maryland-led Study Abroad Programs with information to help build an academically rigorous, inclusive, and meaningful short-term study abroad courses that meet UMD academic standards while leveraging the local context for high-impact experiential learning.
• 2026 Maryland-Led Program Development and Implementation Timeline as a reference for the steps included from start to finish for awareness. Note that dates and deadlines will shift for 2027 programs and a new timeline will be shared with approved programs.
• Reach out to your College/School or Department Leadership. Education Abroad supports Maryland-led programs in collaboration with academic departments and colleges, so we encourage interested faculty to discuss ideas and feasibility with unit and departmental leadership first. 

Join us to learn more about this Call at our Maryland-Led 2027 Program Forum on Nov 3rd, 2025 2:30-4:00pm. RSVP and more Information here.

To be added to our monthly Maryland-Led Program Leader newsletter fill out the newsletter signup form anytime! For general inquiries please email us at educationabroad@umd.edu.

Work with us:

Maryland-In Programs

Maryland-in programs are semester or year-long study abroad experiences designed by our office in collaboration with UMD academic units and/or partners abroad. These programs can led by UMD faculty or a UMD-affiliated resident director to combine the benefits of an immersion experience with added on-site support. Learn more about current Maryland-in programs to see the variety of disciplines and locations for these international experiences.