H.R. 8834 — Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2026

This section states congressional findings that only 10 percent of United States college students study abroad before graduation, leaving 90 percent without global skills, with minority, first-generation, community college, and disabled students significantly underrepresented. It notes that participation fell 91 percent in 2020–2021 and remains 14 percent below pre-pandemic levels, and highlights the 2004 Lincoln Commission report recommending expanded study abroad in developing nations.

This section establishes the purposes of the Act to expand access to quality study abroad opportunities for low-income students and students of color, align the diversity of participants with that of U.S. students and institutions, increase the share of programs in nontraditional destinations especially developing countries, and encourage greater commitment by U.S. higher education institutions to expand such opportunities.

This section renames the IDEAS Program as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program and directs the Secretary of State to enhance it to achieve, within 10 years, annual study abroad participation by 1,000,000 US undergraduates whose demographics match the undergraduate population and with increased shares in nontraditional destinations, especially developing countries. It authorizes competitive grants to institutions of higher education or consortia, with priority for minority-serving institutions and those offering world language components, requires annual reports to the congressional foreign affairs committees, and authorizes such sums as necessary for FY2027 and each subsequent year.