New Notre Dame Global summer 2026 programs expand opportunities for students
Notre Dame Global Summer Study Abroad offers immersive programs based at our global locations or led by Notre Dame faculty. Ranging from 3-8 weeks, these programs span the globe and cover a wide range of topics, and can satisfy many Core Curriculum requirements and/or major and minor requirements.
We are pleased to announce new summer study abroad programs for 2026—Istanbul Summer, Vietnam Summer, and Mexico City Summer. The addition of these programs to the already extensive summer study abroad catalogue represents Notre Dame Global’s dedication to offering programs that are focused on students’ academic and cultural development. Each program is curated by Notre Dame to build opportunities for students, allowing them to engage in a different part of the world and opening the door for new perspectives and transformative experiences.
The Istanbul Summer: From the Stone Age to Drone Age program will take students on a three-week cultural immersion trip through Türkiye (Turkey). Students will be led by Mahan Mirza, teaching professor and executive director of the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion. "Istanbul Summer brings you to a Muslim-majority country that bridges Europe and Asia, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, a land of ancient civilizations and global migrations,” Mirza shares. “If you want an adventurous and transdisciplinary learning experience that engages Islam, biblical history, mystical poetry, and geopolitics, then this course is for you!"
For students passionate about social impact, entrepreneurship, sustainability, or technology, the Vietnam Summer: Introduction to Design Thinking program provides an excellent opportunity to learn how design thinking drives real-world change. The three-week program—led by Professor Ann-Marie Conrado from the Department of Art, Art History, and Design—will be based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest metropolis and a food lover’s paradise.
During the Mexico City Summer: Mental Health & Public Psychology program, students will engage in four intensive weeks of learning about the intersection between mental health, culture, social determinants, and sustainable development—both in a classroom setting and through site visits and guest lectures. Taught by Department of Psychology Professor Laura Miller-Graff, this course dives into the landscape of mental health and public psychology in Mexico, covering topics such as the social determinants of health and cultural considerations in the implementation of mental health care.
In addition to these new programs, applications are open for Notre Dame Global’s other summer programs—including Germany Summer: Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Development, Kylemore Summer: Contemplative Ecology, Nepal Summer: Sustainability and Energy Systems, Panama Summer: Migration & Sustainability, Uganda Summer: Religion and Development, India Summer: History, Government, Economics, and Culture, Beijing Summer: Philosophy of Culture, Art and Science and over thirty more options spanning across the globe.
Most summer programs are open to students from all disciplines and grade levels, and all are open to non-Notre Dame students—including children of faculty and staff, alumni, or students from any other undergraduate university in the US. Funding and scholarship opportunities are available to support students interested in applying. Applications for all programs are due November 15. Learn more and apply on the study abroad website.
Originally published by at studyabroad.nd.edu on October 28, 2025.