At Princeton, research and teaching—and the community of scholars who engage in them—reflect and embrace the diversity of today’s world in a way that is consistent with the University’s scholarly vigor and its commitment to serve the nation and humanity.

In their time at Princeton, every undergraduate has a multitude of options for stepping beyond the University’s borders for meaningful interactions with the broader world. Even before starting on campus, admitted first-year students can participate in the Novogratz Bridge Year Program, by living and volunteering in one of several medium- and low-income countries. Once matriculated, opportunities for international engagement include study abroad, international work and volunteer opportunities, and self-designed independent research. Recent alumni may participate in University-affiliated international fellowship programs, often connecting onward to careers abroad in government, the nonprofit sector and the private sector.

International engagement is also critical for Princeton graduate students, who are encouraged and supported to follow their research almost anywhere in the world it might take them. Beyond travel for field and lab work, human-subject studies and archival pursuits, opportunities for international exchange programs, internships, practicums, conferences and collaborations with scholars worldwide abound for master’s and Ph.D. candidates.

Like knowledge itself, Princeton’s faculty members know no borders as they engage in curiosity-driven engagements and partnerships around the globe. Whether through formal research and teaching collaborations with peers abroad or informal exchanges of ideas at international conferences and scholarly events, Princeton faculty are important contributors to global scholarship and bring the very best of it to their classrooms and laboratories.

Of course, the world also comes through Princeton’s gates every day in the form of our vibrant and diverse community of students, faculty, researchers and staff from around the globe. One in five Princeton students are international, and they hail from almost 100 countries and territories. Roughly half of Princeton faculty members grew up overseas or have spent significant time abroad. International faculty and scholars, on short- and long-term visits, add to Princeton’s truly global campus conversation. Every Princeton classroom, residential college and student group is a microcosm of the world’s rich tapestry of cultures.

The Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs champions and enables key facets of Princeton’s interactions with the world, while also exploring new ways to advance the international scope of Princeton’s mission and the enhancement of the University’s global connections. The Vice Provost facilitates international engagement for faculty and students, including partnerships and collaborations with foreign institutions; safer and smarter travel support for thousands of travelers each year; and comprehensive risk mitigation for mobility, global operations and immigration. 

The Office also supports Princeton’s 3,300 international students and scholars through the administrative and programmatic efforts of the Davis International Center and broader education and advocacy across campus. In addition, the Vice Provost manages the University’s global footprint, including the 48,000-acre Mpala campus in Kenya, the Princeton China Center in Beijing, and the Princeton Athens Center managed by the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies.

Beyond the Provost’s Office, international research and teaching are supported through numerous academic and administrative units across the University. The Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS) is an umbrella for smaller regional studies programs and promotes advanced research and scholarship into global issues through support to graduate students and faculty working on these questions, as well as sponsorship of undergraduate summer seminars overseas.

The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) provides extensive curricular offerings and research opportunities on international policy topics; hosts numerous international scholars and practitioners; and creates a forum for public engagement on critical, global issues. 

The Dean of the College’s Office of International Programs sponsors many of Princeton’s undergraduate international programs, coordinating across academic departments and providing advising and support to students interested in international experiences.  

Numerous other departments, institutes, and programs engage in world-class research and policy work, sending Princetonians out into the world and welcoming the world’s preeminent voices to our campus.