FY 2026 John McCain Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on the Rule of Law and Public Service

The Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA, invites proposal submissions for the design and implementation of the John McCain Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on the Rule of Law and Public Service (McCain SUSI). The SUSI will take place over five weeks in summer 2027. See details in section C. Program Description. The McCain SUSI is an intensive academic exchange program that provides a group of approximately 20 foreign undergraduate students and recent graduates from military and law enforcement colleges and universities with a deeper understanding of American leadership and how it has shaped global stability and security.

The McCain SUSI will include an approximately four-week academic residency at a U.S. educational institution and an approximately one-week integrated academic field experience that will bring participants to a U.S. region distinct from their residency location. The program should include opportunities for continued follow-on engagement once participants return home. The award recipient will be responsible for planning, overseeing, and implementing the program.

Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.