Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill creates a new program in the State Department to help more college students study in other countries. The goal is to have 1 million students participating in these programs every year within the next decade.
• The government would give grants to colleges and universities to help them expand their international programs. Schools that serve minority students or focus on teaching foreign languages will be given priority for this money.
• The policy aims to make study abroad more diverse. It focuses on helping low-income students, students of color, and community college students get the same chances to travel and learn as others.
• Students would be encouraged to study in developing countries and other places that are not usually popular for travel. This is intended to help American workers better understand the global economy.
• To get the funding, schools must show they have strong safety and health rules for their students. They must follow travel advice from the State Department and health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.