Undergraduate Study Abroad

Global Engineering Trek (GET):
Sustainability and Energy

Location: Germany
Trek Date: September 2025
Audience: Freshmen and Sophomores

Sustainability is a highly interdisciplinary field, and all majors, particularly in engineering and science, will contribute to creating a more sustainable tomorrow. With this in mind, the Trienens Institute has partnered with the McCormick School of Engineering Global Initiatives Office and created a cleantech immersion program for freshmen based in Hamburg and Münster, Germany.

On this trek, students will travel to world-leading companies and research institutes in the Hamburg and Münster regions. In addition to touring cleantech startups and global corporations, participants will gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to biotech, organic photovoltaics, sustainable materials, big data/smart cities, renewable energy, and sustainable production chains.

This GET Sustainability and Energy program is open to freshmen and sophomores from ALL undergraduate majors, with an emphasis on students such as engineers and scientists with an interest in technology. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.

The GET Germany 2023 program was financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Program Details

• Program dates:  September 2025
• Application deadline for students: March 2025
• Deadline for submission of letters of recommendation: March 2025
• Who should apply? The Global Engineering Trek to Germany is open to Northwestern studetns who are freshman or sophomores at the time of application. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interested in sustainable technology.
• University Partners in Germany: Universität Hamburg and Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
• Academic credit: This short-term experience abroad carries no academic credit.
• Financial assistance and cost: TBA
• Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
• Trek Contact: global.initiatives@northwestern.edu
  
  

Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Germany are highly subsidized through generous support of McCormick Global Initiatives (MGI), and with the organizational assistance of the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy. This program has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) at Northwestern University. For more information about global safety approvals, contact OGSS at globalsafety@northwestern.edu; 847-467-6400.

Global Engineering Trek (GET):
Innovation and Hi-Tech

Location: Taiwan
Trek Date: June 17 - June 27, 2025 (tentative)
Audience: Sophomores and Juniors

Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential ingredients to modern progress in high tech fields like computers and electronics. With this in mind, the Office of the Vice President for International Relations is partnering with the McCormick School of Engineering Global Initiatives Office to create an innovation technology immersion program for sophomores and juniors based in Taipei, Taiwan.

On this trek, students will travel to world-leading companies and research institutes in Taiwan. In addition to touring innovation incubators, global corporations, and meeting peer students at National Taiwan University, participants will gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to computer science, manufacturing, app development, electronic devices, and sustainable supply chain management.

This Taiwan - GET Innovation and Hi-Tech program is open to sophomores and juniors only from ALL undergraduate majors with an interest in innovation and technology. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.

Program Details

• Program dates: Tentative travel dates are June 17 – June 27, 2025
• Application deadline for students: February 2025
• Deadline for submission of letters of recommendation: February 2025
• Who should apply? This June Trek trek to Taiwan is open to Northwestern students who are sophomores or juniors at the time of application. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in innovation and hi-tech industries.
• Academic credit: This student travel experience carries no academic credit.
• Financial assistance and cost: The program is highly subsidized*, reducing cost to participants without financial aid to approximately $1,300. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program. Students with the highest levels of need-based financial aid from Northwestern are also eligible for additional financial aid directly from the Trek program.
• Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
• Trek Contact: Jennifer Gerrard, International Relations (jennifer.gerrard@northwestern.edu)

*Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Taiwan are highly subsidized through the generous support of the government of Taiwan, the Friends of Taiwan Foundation, Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University , and McCormick Global Initiatives (MGI). This program has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) at Northwestern University. For more information about global safety approvals, contact OGSS at globalsafety@northwestern.edu; 847-467-6400.

Global Engineering Trek (GET):
Energy Storage and Critical Minerals

Location: Indigenous North America (Minnesota and Alaska)
Trek Date: June 2025
Audience: Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

Gain exposure to minerals mining at the center of energy storage technologies, the environmental and social effects of mining, and research to develop improved mining and recycling technologies that can reduce them. This Trek program will travel to Indigenous communities and mining sites in Alaska and Minnesota, examining both historical impacts and ongoing debates relating to critical minerals extraction. Additional details forthcoming...

Program Details

• Program dates: June 2025
• Application deadline for students: February 2025
• Who should apply? The June 2025 trek is open to Northwestern students who are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors at the time of application. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in critical minerals and energy storage. 
• Academic credit: This short-term experience abroad carries no academic credit.
• Financial assistance and cost: The program is highly subsidized*, reducing cost to participants without financial aid to approximately $1,300. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program. Students with the highest levels of need-based financial aid from Northwestern are also eligible for additional financial aid directly from the Trek program.
• Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
• Trek Contact: Trek Contact: Stephen Pedersen, McCormick Global Initiatives (global.initiatives@northwestern.edu)

Global Engineering Trek (GET):
Water

Location: Israel
Trek Date: On hiatus for 2025. 
Audience: Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

Water management is a highly interdisciplinary field, and all majors, particularly in engineering, science, and social policy, will contribute to addressing critical water needs in the 21st century. Based on the successful GET Sustainability and Energy program model in Germany, the GET Water program will enable Northwestern freshmen and sophomores to see Israel’s critical water infrastructure, experience its culture of innovation, and tour diverse historical and archaeological sites. GET Water will feature an immersion program in three regions in Israel: the populous and vibrant Tel Aviv / Dan region, the temperate and historical region around Haifa and the Northeast, and the Negev Desert in the south.

On this trek, students will travel to Israel to explore transboundary water issues, ancient infrastructure, and modern emerging solutions through discussions with diverse water experts, explorations of technological innovation, and visits to major water utilities, infrastructure facilities, and research centers. In addition to visiting companies and research universities, participants will gain exposure to global internship, research, and job opportunities including those related to startups, water desalination, water reuse, and hyper-efficient precision agriculture systems.

This GET Water program is open to freshmen and sophomores from ALL undergraduate majors. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.

Program Details

• Program dates: The Israel Global Engineering Trek is on hiatus for 2025.
• Who should apply?  The Israel Global Engineering trek is open to Northwestern students who are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors at the time of application. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in sustainable technology.
  
• Academic credit: This student travel experience carries no academic credit.
• Financial assistance and cost:  The program is highly subsidized*, reducing cost to participants without financial aid to approximately $1,300. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program. Students with the highest levels of need-based financial aid from Northwestern are also eligible for additional financial aid directly from the Trek program.
• Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
• Trek Contact: Krystle Felcaro, Crown Center (krystle.felcaro@northwestern.edu)

*Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Israel are highly subsidized through the generous support of the Crown Family Fund (McCormick School of Engineering), Northwestern Israel Innovation Project, and Northwestern Center for Water Research. The program is also supported by the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University , and McCormick Global Initiatives (MGI). This program has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) at Northwestern University. The program is monitored regularly by OGSS, and the 2024 planned program will be updated as needed following OGSS guidance. For more information about global safety approvals, contact OGSS at globalsafety@northwestern.edu; 847-467-6400.

Global Engineering Trek (GET):
Energy Storage and Critical Minerals

Location: Chile
Date: On hiatus for 2025. 
Audience: Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors

Gain exposure to minerals mining at the center of energy storage technologies, the environmental and social effects of mining, and research to develop improved mining and recycling technologies that can reduce them. The Chile Trek is the newest GET program. Get a glimpse into the experience on the Global Engineering Trek to Chile from 2023 participants. Additional program details forthcoming...

Program Details

• Program dates: The Chile Global Engineering Trek is on hiatus for 2025
• Who should apply? The Chile Global Engineering Trek is open to Northwestern students who are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors at the time of application. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in sustainable technology.
• Academic credit: This short-term experience abroad carries no academic credit.
• Financial assistance and cost: The program is highly subsidized*, reducing cost to participants without financial aid to approximately $1,300. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program. Students with the highest levels of need-based financial aid from Northwestern are also eligible for additional financial aid directly from the Trek program.
• Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
• Trek Contact: Mike McMahon, Trienens Institute (mike.mcmahon@northwestern.edu)

*Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Chile are highly subsidized through generous support of NSF Grant 2330041 SuReMin, the Center for Engineering Sustainability and Resilience (CESR), Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University , and McCormick Global Initiatives (MGI). This program has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) at Northwestern University. For more information about global safety approvals, contact OGSS at globalsafety@northwestern.edu; 847-467-6400.