Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 Global Thought Scholars Program.
To apply, you must:
-Be a current sophomore or junior at Columbia College, General Studies, SEAS, or Barnard College
-Complete the application and upload a resume and transcript (unofficial is fine)
Apply here by Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Note that you will need to be logged into LionMail or a personal Google account to launch the application. Finalists will be invited to an interview, tentatively scheduled to take place in late October/early November.
Learn more at an online information session on October 8 at 2:00 PM.
Urgent challenges confronting our world today require new and cross-cutting ways of thinking and acting. Global Thought Scholars are trained to think globally about issues of importance to them and to develop their own research projects in collaboration with classmates of diverse majors and disciplinary approaches.
The program welcomes sophomores and juniors of all majors from Columbia College, General Studies, SEAS, and Barnard College. Scholars will be chosen for their academic record, commitment to new ways of learning, and diversity of backgrounds and disciplines.
Join us on October 2 for the 2026 Global Thought Scholars Research Symposium. Students will present key findings of their summer research projects and discuss their experiences as Global Thought Scholars. Register here.
Program Structure
- First Fall: Sophomores and juniors apply for the program and Global Thought Scholars are selected and announced.
- Spring: Global Thought Scholars enroll in CGTH 3600: Approaches to Global Thought to investigate transdisciplinary approaches to contemporary questions and develop collaborative research projects.
- Summer: Global Thought Scholars receive stipends to conduct research with their project teams.
- Second Fall: Global Thought Scholars participate in a Symposium where they will present their completed projects.
- Throughout their time, Global Thought Scholars will benefit from close faculty mentoring and activities with their cohort in Global New York.
Benefits
- Membership in a diverse cohort of globally-minded students
- Mentorship from Global Thought faculty
- Training in transdisciplinary thinking and teamwork with the aim of developing a broader horizon of understanding and engagement than a conventional major alone can provide
- Opportunity to engage in collaborative work on projects that aim to have an impact beyond the university
- Activities in Global New York City
- Summer research stipends
"Being a Global Thought Scholar has encouraged me to continue developing as a transdisciplinary thinker whose understanding of the world neither recognizes nor is confined by rigid boundaries."
Questions
Please email Assistant Director of Academic Programs Farryl Last at [email protected] with questions.