Global Tech Experience Basics

• Is this a Study Abroad program?

  Global Tech Experiences are a new type of Study Abroad program, in the format of a specialized, customized course and experience where you can learn trends and foundational skills in a specific emerging technology area, and experience how another city or country is developing that technology.

• How do I register?

  Registration has two parts - registering for the program, and then registering for the class. Program registration will be available on our website, and each GTE has a special course that will allow you to earn UW graduate credit. The course will be available for registration once we provide the add code after Summer Registration begins.

• How much does it cost?

  The course fees may vary by program, but an average GTE course will cost $4,730. Please check the specific program you are interested in for a detailed breakdown.

  The course fees will also cover several other expenses as well, in additional to instructional costs. For example, most courses will include housing for the duration of the program, and some may also include some meals and local transportation costs.

• Is this experience only open to UW Graduate Students?

  At this time, Global Tech Experiences are only available for University of Washington Graduate Students, and Graduate Alumni.

  Undergraduate students are not able to register for these courses.

• Do I need prerequisite coursework to participate in a Global Tech Experience?

  Global Tech Experiences are designed to appeal to Graduate Students from any program or department, so no background knowledge or prerequisite coursework is required.

  Each program is interdisciplinary in focus, combining Engineering/Technology with Business and Design so that anyone can gain an understanding of the 'big picture' of an emerging technology.

• Is Financial Aid available?

  At this time, the program may not qualify for Federal Financial Aid and loans.

  In the spirit of encouraging equity of opportunity, we will be offering full or partial scholarships for some programs to promote diversity and inclusion - details will be available soon!

• What is a 'Center of Excellence' and how are locations chosen?

  We define a 'Center of Excellence' as a region in the world that tends to have an industry focus on a particular type of emerging technology, like Silicon Valley is to software companies, or Japan is known for expertise in robotics.

  We choose course locations based on places that have rapid growth or exploration in an emerging technology area so that students can learn from the latest trends in technology development.

Course Structure Information

• How many hours a day will the program be?

  Each program is designed as a fairly intensive educational experience, and will typically have at least 6 hours a day each weekday of planned activities, which may include seminars, local company visits, or project work.

  We try to limit the amount of work required outside of classes to a reasonable amount.

  Weekends are free to enjoy yourself in exploring a new location!

• Will the classes only be students from UW?

  Depending on the program, students from the university partner, or other universities may be participating in the program alongside UW students.

• Are classes taught by UW instructors?

  Depending on the program, both UW and partner university faculty may be teaching the courses. UW Faculty and Staff will be supporting each class in-person.

• What are the final deliverables or learning expectations?

  Most programs are designed to be as hands-on and interactive as possible, and many courses have a small team-based project that will be completed as part of the final deliverables, utilizing the skills of everyone the team.