Rice International Experience
Resource Guide
Going Global
Leveraging strategic partnerships across the university and around the world, Rice University promotes learner mobility and fosters global learning and intercultural exchange, with a focus on global impact. Please explore this website to learn more about the different programs and resources available for undergraduate students to engage in an opportunity abroad while studying at Rice.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Get Started
Take your education beyond Rice Campus - not just outside Houston, but overseas!
Funding Resources
Explore funding opportunities to support your global experience
Find a Program
Explore international opportunities available to Rice undergraduates
Travel Resources
Learn about travel logistics and resources
Upcoming Info Sessions
Opening Reception: Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship Recipients Exhibit
Friday October 17, 5:00pm, Moody Center for the Arts 2nd Floor - Lovett Lounge
The exhibit will remain open throughout the Fall semester.
Loewenstern Fellowship Info Session & Events
Info Session & Alumni Panel | Friday October 17, 5:30-6:30pm, Herring 129
Boba with Alumni | Friday October 24, 3:00-4:30pm, Ray's Courtyard
Drop-in Advising | Tuesday October 28, 4:00-5:00pm, CCL Conference Room and Zoom
Moody Global Fellows Info Session
Wednesday November 5, 12:30-1:30pm, Miner Lounge
Rice Global Paris Summer Program 2026 Info Session
Tuesday November 18, 12:00-12:45pm, Welcome Center Presentation Room
Rice Program Type Comparison
Program Type/ Name | Description | Duration | Cost | Credits | Rice Department Administering the Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exchange | Enroll directly in an official partner university abroad | Semester, Academic year | Rice tuition paid to Rice, all other expenses paid to exchange partner. Rice financial aid applies. | Full time enrollment (equivalent of 12 Rice credits / semester) is required. Typical credit load is 12-15/16 credits. | |
Direct Enrollment | Enroll directly in a foreign university as a visiting student | Summer, Semester, Academic Year | Tuition and related fees paid directly to the host university; cost varies. For semester programs, Rice financial aid applies. | Full time enrollment (equivalent of 12 Rice credits / semester) is required. Typical credit load is 12-15/16 credits. | |
Provider Programs | Enroll through a third-party provider either at their center or a foreign university. Additional features may include field studies, research, intensive language study, and more | Summer, Semester, Academic Year | All-inclusive fee paid directly to the program; cost varies. For semester programs, Rice financial aid applies. | Summer typically 6 credits, Semester typically 15-16 credits. (Credits vary by program) | |
Rice in Country (Intensive Language Study) | Study a foreign language with a Rice professor while living in a country where the language is spoken | Summer (6-8 weeks) | Rice tuition paid to Rice. Cost equivalent to summer tuition. Limited Rice financial aid applies. | 6 Rice credits | |
Rice Global Paris Center | Take Rice classes taught by Rice professors at the Rice Global Paris Center (courses offered across various disciplines) | Fall: full semester. Summer: 3-week intensives. | Rice tuition paid to Rice. Semester: Rice financial aid applies. Summer: limited Rice financial aid applies. | Fall: 12-15 Rice credits. Summer: 3 Rice credits. | |
iSEED (International Summer Experience in Engineering Design) | Take a Rice Engineering class abroad taught by a Rice professor | Summer (4 to 5 weeks) | Rice tuition paid to Rice. Cost equivalent to summer tuition. Limited Rice financial aid applies. | 6-9 Rice credits depending on location | |
Faculty-Led Courses Abroad | Rice professors teach students abroad as part of their course curriculum | Concurrent with Rice terms or breaks | Cost varies by program. Could include tuition and/or other fees. | 1-15 Rice credits; exact credits vary by program | Various Departments |
Fellowships | Engage globally while maintaining Rice student status | Short-term, Semester, Academic Year | Cost varies by program. | 0 credit option or for-credit option | |
Global Health Technologies (GLHT) Internship | Participate in international, project-based internships designed to deepen cultural understanding and foster innovation in resource-limited communities. | Summer (8 weeks) | Rice360 covers international travel costs and provides a living stipend. | Not-for-credit |
Student Testimonials
from Rice undergrads who participated in a global experience!
Rice Global Paris Summer Program
"I had one of the best educational experiences of my life with the Rice Global Paris Center. From learning about French thinkers in The Pantheon, to discussing revolution at Versailles, to navigating the streets and metro of Paris on my own, to forming a tight bond with my class and professor, I learned so much more in 3 weeks than I would have in a classroom back in the States. I especially appreciated that even in my time away from homework and class, my experiences were all very educational."
Center for Civic Leadership: Moody Global Fellows (Costa Rica)
"I always dreamed of leaving the confines of my small town and seeing what the world had to offer; however, the reality for me as a first-generation, low-income student was that global travel was always just a distant dream. The Moody Global Fellows program changed that reality for me. Throughout the program, I worked closely with my cohort of fellows the semester before we traveled to Costa Rica, and we got to design our travel itinerary and add in personal excursions where we could develop our own professional, academic and personal goals.”
OEDK iSEED (Kenya)
"One of the most unexpected highlights of the prototyping phase was our visit to Gikomba Market—a place that pulses with raw skill, sweat, sparks, and sawdust. We wandered through the woodwork and metalwork sections, squeezing between stalls where fundis (artisans) welded, hammered, sawed, and shaped materials into beds, jikos, gates, stools—you name it. It was loud. It was messy. It was real. Watching people create with little more than fire, metal, and memory reminded me: engineering doesn’t always begin with a 3D printer or CAD model. Sometimes, it begins with instinct and inherited craft."
Center for Civic Leadership: Wagoner Fellowship (India)
"I wanted to understand how people viewed malnutrition in rural communities—not just the numbers but the lived experiences and families as well. .... At Rice, I’ve had incredible opportunities to connect with mentors who care deeply about my growth. This project showed me that research can go beyond data—it can empower communities and change lives. That’s the kind of medicine I want to practice."
Office of Study Abroad: SIT Study Abroad Vietnam
"Easily one of the most meaningful takeaways from my semester was getting to learn firsthand about the diverse ethnic cultures that make up Vietnam. While the Kinh people form the majority of Vietnam's population, the country is home to dozens of other ethnic groups, each with their own rich traditions and perspectives that deserve to be heard. Our program gave us opportunities to learn directly from members of various local communities."
Rice in Country (Rice in Japan)
"This experience abroad was one of the main highlights of my Rice education, if not the main one. After spending a long time with the United States as my reference for an 'international country,' it was extremely freeing getting to experience a different society and interact with people outside my normal environment. This experience has equipped with powerful people skills and a good adaptability to a broad range of situations."
OEDK iSEED (Netherlands)
"My favorite part of Amsterdam was making it ours. Every time I found myself surrounded by the other 8 students while we were walking to dinner or randomly singing in Centraal, it felt like we had truly made ourselves at home. While I do not consider myself an Amsterdam expert, let alone local, I feel like I became very familiar with our home bases of Amstel and Waterlooplein and I will always be nostalgic to metro back there."
Rice in Country (Rice in Jordan)
"7,358 miles from Houston sits the most amazing classroom I have ever known: Jordan. Blending historic sites like the Dead Sea, Petra, and the Jordan River with rapidly modernizing cities, Jordan is home to adventure. From the unpredictable taxi conversations to each delectable shawarma consumed, learning Arabic language and culture in this country felt like a true immersion. What is taught in the classroom cannot replicate the sounds and sights of an experience that challenges to rethink how you see the world. Jordan is authentic and traditional, innovative and bustling - a true opportunity to discover a world beyond our hedges."