The CALS Global Fellows Program supports CALS undergraduate students from any major in pursuit of challenging, professionally focused summer internships and research placements that enhance and complement their career goals and academic progress while enriching their undergraduate experience with diverse cultural and international immersion. Through key partnerships, the Global Fellows Program provides a platform for students to make positive and definable contributions to global organizations and communities.

Acceptance to the program is competitive and a limited number of students are selected each year. 

Students who are accepted into the CALS Global Fellows Program will be required to complete 4 parts of the program:

• An in-person 7-week, Spring (session 2) pre-engagement 1 credit course ALS 2300, focusing on health and safety, cultural awareness, logistics and more.
• a continuous 7–8-week internship or research placement in an international setting
• and a 7-week post-engagement course in the first half of the Fall semester (ALS/GDEV 3105)
• Poster Symposium in Fall

Information Session:

• None

  Link to Luke Dennis's Poster from his experience with MATE

Placement Opportunities

Placement: 1 (in-person)

This internship offers students an immersive experience that combines hands-on fieldwork with laboratory research focused on Hungary’s traditional farm animal breeds and their role in gene conservation. Students will explore and compare intensive farming practices across poultry, goats, sheep, and cattle. The program includes on-site farm visits, direct participation in daily agricultural activities, sample collection and processing, and analysis of local food resources.

The PI and Faculty involved with this project will be Dr. Egerszegi István (PI), Dr Kovács-Weber Mária, Dr. Szabó Rubina Tünde, Dr. Pajor Ferenc, Dr. Bodnár Ákos.

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Animal Science, Agricultural Science, Food Science 

With the foundation Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), one of the largest agricultural-focused, multi-disciplinary higher education institutions in Europe was established on 1 February 2021, with nearly 15.000 students and 15% international student body.

The backbone of the new university infrastructure is provided by our prominent campuses where our professional teaching staff and a unique green environment make the students feel welcome.

Budapest (commonly cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe), Gödöllő, Gyöngyös, Kaposvár and Keszthely Campuses offer constantly renewed degree and training programs and make significant investments in order to strengthen their ties to international higher education.

We encourage you to apply to your first-choice program only. There is a space within the application to indicate if you have a second choice. If you are interested in two opportunities that are very different from one another and would prefer to write two statements of purpose, you may upload both to the same application in ONE document. Make sure they are clearly titled with the correct placement opportunity IF you are writing two statements. 

You may preview the application without starting an application by clicking on the “preview application” button next to the apply button. All applications contain the same questions and all information related to the program can be found within the experience page. There is no additional information within the application.