China Study Abroad
About
Drawing from Ambassador Max Baucus’s life and work experience building diplomatic bridges, including as the U.S. Ambassador to China, the Baucus Institute brings Montana students on immersive academic and cultural exchange programs in China and Ireland. For our China programs, the Institute is pleased to provide scholarships so that students who would not otherwise be able to travel internationally have the opportunity to participate.
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China has emerged as one of the world’s most powerful economic forces in today’s global economy. There is an increasing need for experts familiar with the ever-changing nature of the Chinese economy and Chinese political and legal systems to provide guidance to U.S. businesses and policymakers. The Institute recognizes these needs and offers Montana students the opportunity to experience China’s culture, language, policies, and people firsthand.
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2026 China Program 1: Social & Culture Practicum
In Spring of 2026, the Baucus Institute plans to bring up to 20 students from Montana-based colleges and universities to China for this 2-week academic exchange. This program will likely travel to Beijing, Xiamen, and Hong Kong. The program includes many seminars and visits to high-tech, cultural, and rural sites, providing opportunities for students to learn about Chinese culture, green technology, environment, rural development, and language—while developing intercultural communication skills in an immersive setting.
2026 Program dates are May 18 to May 31, 2026. The Baucus Institute is offering scholarships that will cover visas, flights between Seattle International Airport and China, international health insurance, and in-country program expenses such as lodging and meals. Deadline to apply is January 23, 2026.
2026 China Program 2: Environmental/Climate Emphasis
In 2026, the Baucus Institute will bring up to 20 students from Montana-based colleges and universities to China for this month-long program. Students will be hosted on Hangzhou Wanxiang Polytechnic’s campus in Hangzhou, bookended with trips to Beijing and Shanghai. This program has an emphasis on learning about China’s sustainability efforts, with lectures and site visits to power plants, EV battery manufacturers, and the Wanxiang Innova Smart City project. Students will also participate in several cultural courses, including tea ceremonies, martial arts, language classes, making incense art, and woodblock printing. Day trips usually include visits to a silk museum, the Xixi wetlands, a tea farm, and an evening canal cruise through Hangzhou. Lunches and dinners are group events, creating informal opportunities for American and Chinese students to learn about each other over shared meals.
2026 Program dates are likely June 29 to July 26, 2026. The Baucus Institute is offering scholarships for this program that cover nearly all expenses, including flights to/from China, international health insurance, visas, all in-country travel and lodging, and most meals. Applications are due January 23, 2026.
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Ireland Study Abroad
Since 2022, we have partnered with the Alexander Blewett III School of Law and University College Cork in Ireland to offer an Ireland Comparative Law Study Abroad program. Students in this program will work directly with law faculty and other students from both law schools to analyze current legal issues through a comparative lens. This program includes lectures, skills exercises, and enrichment activities, including observing Irish court proceedings.
In 2026, this program is designed as a 2-week, 2-credit comparative law and skills course focused on comparative constitutional law, specifically persuading agencies and challenging agency actions. This program is open to all students attending ABA-accredited law schools who are in good academic standing. Applications for 2026 are open and accepting on a rolling basis until the cap of 19 is reached, or December 1, whichever occurs first.
