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Global Perspective

Don’t be misled by Colgate’s rural location in upstate New York. It’s more than a beautiful campus; it’s a launch pad to the world. We are consistently recognized for our robust study abroad programs that have long been a university priority and important tradition. 

Ret. Gen. Colin Powell visits campus for the global leaders series.

Worldly Faculty and Curriculum

Colgate places a high value on global knowledge and understanding among our faculty. Recently, a full 10 percent of the faculty journeyed together on a university-supported 12-day trek across India to gain a deeper understanding of its culture to better inform their teaching of courses in the core curriculum.

For students, the opportunities are wide and deep, and include prestigious programs like Benton Scholars, a program designed specifically to turn top students into global citizens.

We offer a wide array of endowed grants and fellowships that provide for internships, summer programs, and graduate school experiences in the United States and abroad. And year after year, Colgate ranks among the top baccalaureate institutions for the number of students who study abroad.

Faculty members travel in India.
Students in Manchester, England.

Students as Global Citizens

Annually, hundreds of Colgate students participate in semester-long study groups for credit, short-term extended study and language programs, faculty-led research trips, alternative breaks, volunteer and humanitarian missions, and athletic competitions that take them all over the world.  

In fact, we created the first college off-campus study program, established in Washington, D.C.

A recently enacted portable aid policy allows students to use their financial aid for non-Colgate study abroad programs that have been screened and approved by Colgate, a critical step in providing even more opportunities for students.

Our alumni say taking advantage of off-campus opportunities provided some of the most memorable experiences of their university careers, and often shaped their post-Colgate plans.