Global Scholar Program

Students in the GSP are part of a distinctive academic program. They have opportunities for global learning, international travel, language proficiency, academic enrichment, and hands-on experiences. They learn skills to help them navigate unfamiliar environments, enhance their cross-cultural and diplomatic communication skills, and increase their opportunities for valuable networking and leadership roles. Participation in the GSP highlights each student’s global knowledge, initiative, commitment to personal growth and a willingness to embrace challenges.  

Before applying, it is important to consider the curricular and extracurricular commitments necessary to complete the program. Please review the information under the “Requirements” tab carefully.  

Application Criteria:  

1. Current grades 
   Students should showcase academic excellence. Most GSP students have an average grade of A- or higher. Students who do not meet this requirement due to extenuating circumstances should include a brief statement explaining how circumstances have affected academic performance, and why he/she will be a successful global scholar. 
    
2. Teacher & Advisor Evaluations 
   Current teachers and the advisor will evaluate a variety of criteria including:  
   • Motivation to learn about global issues and other cultures 
   • Responsibility 
   • Disciplined work habits 
   • Independence 
   • Organizational skills 
   • Academic curiosity 
   • Ability to work in a team  
      
3. The Student Online Application  
   We have established specific frameworks to guide the selection process. The GSP admission committee will review each application and make final decisions based upon the established framework. The GSP is a selective academic track, admitting only a select number of students each school year. In the previous academic year, our acceptance rate was around 33%. Consequently, applying does not guarantee acceptance.   
   
   ​​​​​​​Students should allocate sufficient time to complete the online application. We encourage students to utilize the opportunity to express why they are interested in being part of this program. The application presents the chance to explain their passion for engaging in global discussions in class, highlight their involvement in class projects addressing global issues, or show their interest in applying their skills to tackle global challenges. 

As part of the Global Scholars Program, students will fulfill a variety of curricular and extracurricular requirements.  

Required Courses:  

• Global Leadership Honors (S1, first year in the program) 
• Global Entrepreneurship Honors (S2, last year in the program)  
• Global Online Academy Course (During the school year or summer) 

World Language: 4 credits of a single world language  
Exception: Students may apply to verify proficiency in a second language through an approved language proficiency assessment. Students demonstrating proficiency are required to enroll in an additional world language for two years as a requirement for a Bolles diploma.  

Maintain a GSP Portfolio throughout the program 
Complete a Global Leadership Project (begins first semester of the program) 
Complete a Global Capstone Project with a presentation to the Bolles community (final semester of program) 
Participate in a Bolles School International travel program* 

Additional Courses: Select at least 1.5 credits from the following options. 

Extracurricular Requirements  
Students may complete a variety of on-campus and off-campus extracurricular programming that focus on building Global Competency. Students should seek to earn a minimum of 40 experience points. Students will record the experience and their reflections in the GSP Portfolio.  

General guidelines for the weight of each experience and examples of each include:   

• 1 - Attending and engaging in on-campus dialogues and discussions 
  • GEBG Student Dialogues 
  • Great Decisions Global Discussions 
• 2 - Attending and engaging in off-campus programs 
  • World Affairs Council Lecture Series 
  • Congreso or Congrès 
  • Attend a student conference 
• 3 to 5 - Creating and leading GLE programs  
  • Create a GLE presentation about a global issue or travel experience 
  • Present at a student conference 
  • Leadership role in a club/organization that promotes Global Competency such as Student Global Connections Committee (SGCC)  
  • Designing and executing campus events such as Spark Day and International Education Week  

Students must be in good standing in both academics and behavior. For transfer students, proportional workload will be adjusted depending upon year of entry to Bolles. 

Given annually to a GSP student who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to global learning through their outstanding contributions to GLE programs.  

A recipient may receive this award only once.