First-Year Abroad for Davis UWC Scholars

College of the Atlantic is pleased to announce a new First-Year Abroad Program for university-bound UWC graduates who are currently unable to enter the United States due to US travel restrictions. 

This program allows selected students to matriculate directly into COA, complete their full first year of undergraduate study abroad, and join the COA campus community in Maine as soon as US entry becomes possible.

Program overview

Students begin their College of the Atlantic BA degree with a full year of COA academic study abroad, earning complete first-year credit while studying at two international partner sites. The program reflects COA’s interdisciplinary academic approach, grounded in human ecology, experiential learning, and community engagement. Participants are fully enrolled COA degree students from day one and remain part of a small, closely supported cohort throughout the year.

Program structure & locations

Fall Term: Kino Bay Center — Sonora, Mexico

In partnership with Prescott College (a COA EcoLeague Consortium partner institution), students will spend the fall term at the Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies on the Gulf of California. Instruction is in English.

Academic focus areas include:

• Cultural geography and history of coastal Sonora
• Community-based conservation practices
• Ecology and natural history of desert and marine systems

Courses emphasize fieldwork, place-based learning, and engagement with local communities. Spanish language learning will be integrated into daily life and coursework.

Winter Break: Mexico

• Spanish language study and cultural immersion

During the winter break, students will remain in Mexico and participate in a Spanish language homestay program, living with local host families and continuing cultural immersion. The program will provide housing, advising, and student support throughout the break.

Spring Term: Mpala Research Centre — Kenya (planned)

For the spring term, we are planning for students to study at the Mpala Research Centre in Kenya, one of East Africa’s leading ecological and conservation research sites.

Possible courses:

• Ecology and animal behavior
• Literature, writing, and creative expression
• Ethnomusicology/sound studies
• Conservation and community-based natural resource management
• Seminar in human ecology

Courses will be taught by COA faculty, with contributions from partner-site educators and local experts. Learning will be interdisciplinary and field-based, with regular excursions and community engagement.

Academic credit & curriculum

• Students earn one full year of COA academic credit
• COA’s first-year requirements are integrated into the abroad curriculum
• All courses are taught in English
• Faculty include Prescott College instructors, COA faculty, partner-site educators, and field specialists
• This program begins in fall 2026 and follows a September-May two-semester model, rather than COA’s standard three-trimester academic calendar.

Eligibility

This program is designed for UWC graduates who qualify for the Davis UWC Scholars Program and who are currently unable to enter the United States due to US travel restrictions affecting their country of citizenship. The cohort will include 8-12 students.

Countries Affected by US Travel Restrictions

As of the time of this announcement, students with citizenship in the following countries are eligible to be considered for this program due to full or partial US entry restrictions:

Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, The Gambia, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Authority Travel Documents, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Because US travel policies may change, this list will be updated regularly. (last update 17-March, 2026)

Learn more