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Gain lifelong skills through an immersive semester in South Africa while learning from experienced human rights advocates advancing social justice. 

Eligibility

Students worldwide post-high school, ages 17-21 at the start of the program.

 

We actively encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds including race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, economic status, and more to apply.

Upcoming Semesters

  • Spring 2024: February 5, 2024 - May 31, 2024
  • Fall 2024: August - December 2024 (*exact dates announced in September 2023)

Tuition

$21,000 USD in tuition. Financial aid and scholarships available.

Application Deadlines

Spring 2024

  • First Deadline: March 7, 2023

  • Priority Deadline: May 11, 2023

  • Regular Deadline: September 6, 2023

  • Final Deadline: October 11, 2023


Fall 2024:

  • First Deadline: September 6, 2023

  • Priority Deadline: October 11, 2023

  • Additional deadlines to be announced


Application Directions

Apply to Take Action Lab by completing the questions below. It might look like a lot, but don't be intimidated! You can save your work and return at any time by checking the box at the top of the page. Please make sure you have entered your Full Name, Email Address, and Program Term before saving your application. All responses should be in English.
Program Selection

Personal Information




Use your primary email (e.g. not an email associated with your school).
Birthdate







Select all that apply










Global Citizen Year Take Action Lab programming is taught in English. Therefore, participants will need a certain level of English proficiency to comfortably and effectively engage with the program.















When did you complete the program?








Real talk: Uploading a resume or list of activities is completely optional and can only enhance, not hurt, your application.
Contact Information





Education



What is your date or anticipated date of graduation?







United World Colleges (UWC) is an international network of schools and educational programmes with the shared aim of "making education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.”




Citizenship

This list is curated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Please pick the closest fit option.


This list is curated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Please pick the closest fit option.

Travel Information
Students will need a valid passport for the program. Students are responsible for obtaining their passports independently. If Accepted, we will ask you to provide either proof of your valid passport or proof of your application for a passport.


This list is curated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Please pick the closest fit option.

Passport Date of Issue





Passport Date of Expiration





Location
From where will you be attending the "Foundations: Thinking as a Global Citizen" virtual course prior to your travel to the Take Action Lab host country?

This list is curated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Please pick the closest fit option.




Your Mailing Address

This list is curated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Please pick the closest fit option.





Parent/Guardian Information
If you are accepted, Global Citizen Year will share the good news with your parent or guardian and ask them to sign your enrollment agreement. By sharing their email, you consent to us contacting them if you are accepted. At least one parent/guardian's information is required.
Parent/Guardian #1



Your Parent/Guardian's email must be different than your own email
Parent/Guardian #2 (optional)



Your Parent/Guardian's email must be different than your own email
Language Assessment
Applicants who are not native/fluent English speakers are asked to complete a 15-minute language assessment. This brief proficiency test will help us verify your readiness to engage with the Take Action Lab program in English.

After you've completed your Language Assessment be sure to take a screenshot of both your numeric scores on the right of the results as well as your overall score shown on the left side of your results because you will need to upload it below.

Click here to complete the Language Assessment





Technology Check
Take Action Lab requires that students have access to a laptop computer. Take Action Lab requires a laptop with a working webcam & keyboard, and stable internet with sufficient bandwidth (at least 4.0 Mbps upload & 4.0 Mbps download speeds) to successfully participate in synchronous sessions hosted on a web-conferencing platform (such as Zoom). Students must have access to the laptop during the Foundations virtual course, and must also be able to bring their laptop with them to the host country to support their work in apprenticeships.

Please complete the questions below and submit screenshots of your https://www.speedtest.net/results (see instructions below)





Instructions:                                                                                                                                                        1. Go to https://zoom.us/test  
2. Join a test meeting by clicking Join
3.Once you are in the Zoom test meeting complete the steps as instructed
4. Respond below with the results of your test call


Conduct a speedtest on your device.

1. Navigate to https://www.speedtest.net/
2. Click "go" to run a bandwidth/internet speed test
3. Wait for the test to run
4. Input your upload and download results below
5. Submit a screenshot of your results below




Share Your Story

Video (2-3 minutes)

We want to get to know you! Please take 2-3 minutes to share with us a bit about yourself and why you’re interested in joining Take Action Lab.

Please answer these questions in your video: 
  • What’s your name? 
  • Where do you call home? 
  • What are you passionate about/interested in? 
  • Why is Take Action Lab the program for you?
  • What else do you think is important for us to know about you?
You can speak directly to the camera or get as creative as you want. After we watch this video, we want to feel like we know you!


Here are some tips on making a great application video.


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You have 3 options for submitting your video:


1. Record your video directly below (*preferred option*)

2. Upload a video file that you have already recorded below (*recommended for applicants who have issues with internet speed*)

3. Submit a link to a video that has been uploaded elsewhere (*recommended only if the above 2 options do not work for you*). If you choose this option, you still need to record a 5 second blank video using option 1 or 2 in order to bypass the requirement. 

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Email admissions@globalcitizenyear.org if you have any questions - we can help you!


Psst… to start recording a video, click the “Record” button in the bottom right corner of the video screen. 
 
If you have recorded your video, be sure to select a thumbnail image at the end!

Essay (500 words)

For this next question, we’re going to ask you to use your creativity. Please note that there are no wrong answers! 

Imagine you are exploring space with a group of astronauts. Your spaceship is hovering above a new planet that the group has never seen nor explored. Some of your fellow astronauts want to land on the planet to explore and see what can be learned from the planet. However, some of the other astronauts warn the group that there could be unknown dangers on the planet and that you all should stay on the spaceship.
 
Your team needs to make a decision quickly. They ask your opinion on what they should do.
  • What would you consider in this situation? 
  • How would you feel about having to make a quick decision? 
  • What would influence your decision? 
  • What decision would you make? 
  • How would you consider (or not consider) the opinions of the other astronauts?
To make the text box larger, click and drag the bottom right corner to adjust the size.

Short Answer (250 words)

Tell us about a time when you experienced something new. This could be anything from learning to surf, to attending a new school, to trying a new food.
  • What was the experience like? How did you feel during this experience?
  • Did you have support from anyone else during the experience?
  • Would you do it again or do it differently?
To make the text box larger, click and drag the bottom right corner to adjust the size.

Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition for Global Citizen Year Take Action Lab is $21,000 USD. Students will also need to budget for airfare, travel medical insurance, and approximately $3,000 USD for living expenses in Cape Town. (Actual costs may vary according to each student’s unique situation.)

We are proud to award need-based financial aid to qualified applicants of all backgrounds who would not otherwise be able to afford the Take Action Lab. We also know that people from the global south and people who identify as BIPOC are disproportionately impacted by income inequality. Therefore, our financial aid targets individuals without the means to afford the Take Action Lab, with a need- and demographically-aware philosophy to ensure that we are giving access to traditionally underserved groups.

If you are accepted, you will be invited to complete a Financial Aid Application. Instructions will be emailed to accepted students and can also be found in the Frequently Asked Questions. Each semester, we carefully review all incoming financial aid applications, and regularly have more outstanding candidates than financial aid available.

Please read these final statements before you submit your application
The time commitment for the Take Action Lab is 4 months: February 5- May 31, 2024.

The first month of the program will be the Foundations virtual course (February 5 - March 1, 2024).
The following 3 months will be in Cape Town, South Africa (March 9 -  May 31, 2024).

Take Action Lab is a full time commitment exclusive to enrolling in college classes or other work. Students are expected to fully participate in Take Action Lab. Students should not enroll in any college courses or have other work obligations during the program.

The time commitment for the Take Action Lab is 4 months: August - December, 2024.

The first month of the program will be the Foundations virtual course (August - September 2024)
The following 3 months will be in Cape Town, South Africa (September - December 2024)

Take Action Lab is a full time commitment exclusive to enrolling in college classes or other work. Students are expected to fully participate in Take Action Lab. Students should not enroll in any college courses or have other work obligations during the program.

*Exact dates will be announced in September 2023

If accepted, your next step will be completing clearance forms including, but not limited to, a Financial Aid Application, Health History Forms, and Passport Upload.
 
After the clearance forms and requirements have been successfully completed and met, enrolling students will then need to complete a series of steps, such as paying a deposit and completing a Welcome Packet.
 
In order to enroll in the Take Action Lab students must complete and meet all required steps, documents, and forms in accordance with deadlines. 

Global Citizen Year’s confidentiality policy is designed to keep the applicant's personal and sensitive information confidential. Global Citizen Year may process and store the personal and sensitive information that the applicant and/or their parents/guardians have provided in the application process and during Program participation and may transmit such data to third parties for any purpose reasonably required for the administration, evaluation, organization and fulfillment of the Program and/or the safety and well-being of the applicant.

Please be sure to review your application before submitting. We expect students to produce their own work, be truthful in responses, and provide accurate information throughout the application process.

The basic and fundamental elements of participation can be found here: Essential Eligibility Criteria

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Validation Check
This section contains calculated fields to check if the applicant has entered a Last Name, Email, and Program Term. To save an application, the Conditions Met, Save Validation field will return a 3 and is referenced in the SKIPIF logic in our Save and Resume connector.




If conditions are met, this field returns a 3 and is OK to Save
Hidden UTM Fields
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