Novogratz Bridge Year Program

The Novogratz Bridge Year Program is a nine-month, tuition-free program that allows newly admitted undergraduates the opportunity to begin their Princeton experience with a year of public service abroad.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Novogratz Bridge Year Program plans to offer a modified program structure during the 2021-22 academic year.

In the year ahead, Bridge Year begins with a focus on local service learning opportunities, as students connect remotely with fellow participants and engage with concerns facing their community at home.  During the spring semester, the program plans to take on a more global perspective, as students learn and collaborate with Bridge Year community partners while living abroad.

Visit the Novogratz Bridge Year Program website for more details about the 2021-22 program plans.

Bridge Year participants study the local language, live with carefully selected families, volunteer in organizations serving the needs of local communities, and engage in a variety of cultural enrichment activities.

Application to the Novogratz Bridge Year Program is open to students who have accepted Princeton's offer of admission and have formally indicated their intention of enrolling at Princeton University. Applicants who are chosen for the program are placed with a host family and are assigned a volunteer position; placement areas include health, education, environment and economic development.