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Global Student Haven Initiative

students in classroom

Our Vision

Launched in response to the war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the Global Student Haven Initiative will provide a pathway for students affected by worldwide crises to apply to U.S.-based colleges and universities -- and access support when they arrive.

Participating institutions commit to providing financial aid for all first-year, undergraduate students with demonstrated need, and access to campus services ranging from housing assistance to mental health support depending on individual needs. Undergraduate transfer applicants may also be eligible for financial aid on an institution-specific basis.

Bowdoin College, Caltech, Dartmouth College, New York University, Pomona College, Smith College, Trinity College and Williams College comprise the initial membership of the consortium, and higher education institutions across the U.S. are invited to join and commit to this effort in the months ahead.

The aim of the initiative is to help clear the path to U.S. institutions for qualified students who are displaced, are refugees or are otherwise impacted by war, natural disasters and other global crises. The initiative seeks to help students overcome barriers to carry on their education and prepare for eventual return to their home nation.

“This is about opening doors and helping people through them,” said Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr. “The global disruptions of recent years have tested American higher education’s long commitment to reaching out to the world. We seek to reaffirm our global ties, starting with the urgent needs of students facing the devastation of war.”

How to Take the Next Step

Most U.S. institutions share similar regular application processes, and admissions link for each institution are found in the list below. Application deadlines are typically in January, admissions decisions are released in April, and students enroll the following September. We acknowledge that this timeline may not work for crisis-affected global students admitted to our institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, each of our institutions is committed to meeting the financial need of the first-year, undergraduate students we admit. The GSHI allows us to identify and connect with refugee and displaced students directly to ensure we’re supporting them through all steps of the admission and enrollment processes.

Financial aid for undergraduate transfer applicants is available on an institution-specific basis. You should contact the institutions in which you’re interested directly. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide aid or admissions assistance for graduate students.

Each institution has a contact person in their admissions office who is partnering with this initiative. Please use the school links below to visit a specific school's admissions site for contact information.

For general questions about the Global Student Haven program, please email Joel Hart.

Participating Institutions

  • Bowdoin College
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Dartmouth College
  • New York University
  • Pomona College
  • Smith College
  • Trinity College
  • Williams College