Global Scholars offers immersive experience volunteering, interning, and/or researching in a public service capacity in a developing country. Working for a minimum of 2 months, students will address direct human needs through roles in education, youth development, social care, healthcare, or other related projects. We’re looking for students who embrace challenge, who are open to new experiences and personal growth, who want to get out and explore a different culture and way of life, and who are eager to work to help others.

Pursuing an Independent Project Through Global Scholars

Working with faculty members or our partner volunteer sending organizations (currently Omprakash and ProWorld), students may elect to craft their own Global Scholars project.  These independent projects must have a partner community organization (e.g., an non-profit) in a developing country and can last from 2-12 months. This option allows students to tailor their projects to specific goals and community partner needs that may be especially meaningful to students. 

Although students may find their own partner non-profit organization, we encourage students to use one of our volunteer sending organizations. Independent projects arranged through Omprakash, for instance, are less expensive and may have greater flexibility than projects with ProWorld. With a network of non-profits around the world, Omprakash can help you find a project that matches your interests.  Many of these partners have agreed to provide a volunteer housing and food for a small cost for up to a year.  See the FAQ's page for details about academic credit and university regulations.

Omprakash: Go to Omprakash.org to explore their resources and opportunities within the ProWorld network.  Click here to view a promotional video for Omprakash.

ProWorld: Contact Mike Brennan, with questions about individual projects within the ProWorld network.

Notes:

*Students who wish to conduct Independent Projects through Volunteer Sending Organizations that we partner with on Global Scholars group programs may not apply to conduct independent work at the group project location. Students are welcome to explore working with the same organizations at other sites.

Students who desire to collaborate with peers on the same independent project must submit separate applications.

Students may earn academic credit in the form of internship or directed independent study. Per university policy, students must register through FSU International Program’s Independent Internship office. See http://international.fsu.edu/Types/Internships/Others/Independent.aspx for the forms. Students may earn 6 hours of internship credit per semester through the international relations (INR) department. See http://www.coss.fsu.edu/inaprog/students/internships.html for more information. Students may also earn credit through other departments (e.g., modern languages), but student should arrange that independently. Students should work with individual faculty members to arrange for DIS credit.

**All students participating in a Global Scholars project (and who are not earning academic credit as part of their experience) must complete—before departure—a Student International Experience Plan (SIEP) found here (http://global.fsu.edu/policy/index.htm)

Research projects that involve human subjects (either through intervention or interaction with the subject, or by gathering identifiable private information about the subject) require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. It is not necessary, however, for you to seek IRB approval before applying to Global Scholars. Office of Undergraduate Research staff will evaluate all accepted applications to determine which students need to complete the IRB review process and will contact those students directly. For more information about the IRB review process, click here