The Summer 2027 program in Estonia is funded in partnership with the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid.
The Office of Experiential Learning, through the generous donations of their donors, provides funding for additional spaces for students in SESP and HIPs programs to participate in Summer 2026.
Talk to a representative for this program at the Study Abroad Fair.
Estonia, Tallinn
Limited Capacity Program: This program can accept a limited number of students each term. In the past we have received more qualified applications than available spots. Review of applicants is based on these criteria. You may only have one application per term, however, please have an alternate program in mind in the event that you are not accepted to this program.
Join a small group cohort of Badgers on this fully-funded summer program to Estonia! Led by UW Program Leaders Kelly Nyhoff and Jeff Nyhoff, Global Gateway is a unique, engaging experience designed specially for first- and second-year UW students.
Through classroom learning, guided visits in Tallinn, activities and excursions, students will discover Estonia's innovation ecosystem, learning AI, entrepreneurship, and sustainability from experiential and hands-on learning, company visits, expert speakers, and a comparative visit to Helsinki, Finland. There is no language pre-requisite for this program.
Each student selected for the program will receive a Global Gateway scholarship covering the program fee, including airfare!
Select applicants will be invited for an interview before final decisions are made. Accepted students will demonstrate a strong commitment to the program and its learning objectives, be an active participant while on the program, and help promote international education upon their return to UW-Madison. Both need and merit-based criteria will be taken into consideration.
This program is offered by UW-Madison in cooperation with CIEE and is funded in partnership with the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid.
Global Gateway Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
Academic
Learn about, with, and from the communities in which they live and study
Ask culturally relevant questions
Make connections between academic content learned on campus and ideas generated on program
Engage with the course content and explore connections to their major
Professional
Explore career interests or goals for future planning
Develop and strengthen adaptability and flexibility
Expand worldview to engage in a globalized, interconnected world
Articulate how the soft skills they developed on their program experience helps shape future goals
Personal
Cultivate empathy and cultural humility
Understand and navigate cultural and geographical differences
Reflect on personal values and assumptions
Build community with others
Explore additional UW Global Gateway Initiatives
Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.
Sustainability
We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.
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Eligibility
After applications have been reviewed, selected applicants will be asked to complete a virtual interview. Both application materials and interviews will be considered in acceptance decisions.
Must have a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. The Office of Student Financial Aid has information on how to complete your FAFSA.Preference will be given to students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $8,000 or less or being part of Bucky’s Pell Pathway program for the past or current academic year.
Preference given to students who have not previously participated on a UW Study Abroad program.
Students who have previously participated on a UW Global Gateway Program or received a UW Global Gateway Fellowship are not eligible to receive a second UW Global Gateway award.- Academic standing eligibility requirements are based on year in school (first or second year) and not on academic credits. Transfer students’ years of study are calculated by adding the years of study at previous institutions and total years at UW-Madison.
- 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Freshman, Sophomore
- Open to UW-Madison degree-seeking students only
- Good academic and disciplinary standing
- At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution
Advising Location
Program Structure
UW Signature
Subjects
Information Science, International Studies
Classroom Language
English
Housing
Hotels
Program Duration
Summer 2027: Mid May - Early JuneApplication Deadline(s)
| Summer 2026 | 1/23/2026 | Cost Details |
Future durations will be posted at a later date.
APPLY NOW
You will take one course while on the UW Global Gateway Program in Estonia.
From Tallinn to Tomorrow: Learning from Estonia, the World's Most Digital Society, and Its Leap Into AI, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability (3 credits)
This course will be taught by Kelly Nyhoff and Jeff Nyhoff.
Estonia has done what most countries are still debating: it has built a fully digital society from the ground up, with national AI in education, paperless government, and one of Europe's most dynamic startup ecosystems. This course puts students inside that experiment. Over three weeks in Tallinn, with a comparative field visit to Helsinki, Finland, students explore how AI, entrepreneurship, and sustainability intersect in the world's most digital society: visiting companies and innovation hubs, engaging with entrepreneurs and policymakers, and developing the critical analytical tools to evaluate what Estonia got right, what it got wrong, and what the rest of the world might learn from it. No prior background in computing or business required, only curiosity about the forces shaping the future and a willingness to encounter them firsthand.
** Participants should be able to connect their experiences on program with RISE-AI activities and events upon their return to campus.
Course Equivalents
Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents
Program Leader
Kelly Nyhoff and Jeff Nyhoff
Senior Lecturer, Teaching Faculty , Management and Human Resources, Information Science