WORCESTER—If you’ve ever wondered why so many WPI students don’t stay put, don’t worry — they’re not fleeing Worcester. They’re following the university’s long-standing tradition of packing their bags, grabbing their lab notebooks, and heading out into the world because that’s exactly what WPI trains them to do.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute has once again been named one of the top five doctoral universities in the country for undergraduate study abroad participation, according to the Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange. The report, released Nov. 17 and cited in a university announcement, found that 933 WPI students studied abroad for credit in the 2023–24 academic year — translating to an estimated 84.8% of undergraduates.
It’s the second straight year WPI has ranked fifth nationally in this measure, and the numbers don’t stop there. While Open Doors focuses on those who leave the country, WPI notes that 89% of its undergraduate Class of 2025 took part in the Global Projects Program, which sends students to more than 50 project centers on six continents for immersive, off-campus learning.
“Our students don’t just study the world—they go out and engage with it,” WPI President Grace Wang said in the announcement. Being recognized again, she added, “underscores WPI’s long-standing commitment to immersive, global, project-based learning.”
That program, a 50-year pillar of the school’s curriculum, isn’t about reading international case studies from a classroom. Students work on real projects with community or industry partners — tackling problems, conducting research, and implementing practical solutions on the ground. It’s an approach rooted in WPI’s project-based model, which blends STEM work with an emphasis on cultural understanding and societal impact.
A 2021 alumni survey underscores the long-term benefits. Among graduates who completed at least one project off campus, 94% reported improved teamwork and problem-solving abilities; 91% said it broadened their perspectives; and 89% credited it with improving their readiness for real-world challenges.
This year’s Open Doors report, published by the Institute of International Education with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is part of International Education Week and tracks both international students coming into the United States and U.S. students studying abroad.
For WPI, the latest ranking amounts to a familiar message: going global isn’t an add-on — it’s the norm.
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