The program is specifically designed for incoming first-year undergraduate students who have received and accepted the University's offer of admission.

The core costs for your Bridge Year are paid for by the University.

Bridge Year participants and their families are typically responsible for the incidental costs of personal expenses, document fees, airfare, and immunizations. Need-based funding, however, is available to cover these types of expenses. 

The University is strongly committed to making the Novogratz Bridge Year Program accessible to every incoming Princeton first-year student, regardless of financial circumstances.  If offered admission, the program will meet 100 percent of your demonstrated financial need.

In evaluating applications, we look for openness, curiosity, maturity, flexibility, resourcefulness, a diversity of experience and perspective, an eagerness to be challenged, and a strong interest in exploring community concerns and building positive community relationships.

You will be asked to indicate in your application the Bridge Year locations for which you would like to be considered. You’ll also have an opportunity to rank your preferences, if you wish to be considered for more than one site.

Foreign language proficiency is not required. Indeed, many students come to the program with no prior experience in the languages spoken in our partner communities.

Students receive intensive language training while abroad. Learning a new language takes time, but within a couple of months, you will acquire skills to communicate competently within your community.

Participants are assigned to service placements based on their skills and interests along with the needs of local community organizations. Once on-site, you will work closely with program staff to identity an appropriate placement. Specific placements, however, cannot be guaranteed.

Participants prepare for departure throughout the summer and arrive on campus in mid- August for an in-person orientation program. Immediately following orientation, students depart in groups for their respective Bridge Year program sites.  The program concludes nine months later, in mid-May. 

Princeton's on‐site partners have exceptional records of delivering safe, healthy, and engaging global service learning programs. At each Bridge Year location, our partner organization has hired two Bridge Year coordinators who are responsible for on-site program management and student support. On‐site coordinators are there to guide and assist Bridge Year volunteers throughout the experience. Students also have access to a network of support and resources on Princeton’s campus.

Program staff will organize overnight excursions, day trips and a variety of other activities free of charge throughout the year to help you gain a deeper understanding of your host country. Given your work schedule, as well as to better ensure your safety, independent travel is generally prohibited while on the program.

Building collaborative relationships takes time and commitment. You should expect to engage in a nine-month period of community service without making a trip back home. The absence of prolonged holiday breaks in Bridge Year service assignments will afford you the opportunity to integrate more fully in the life of your host family and local community, and gain a much deeper understanding of local culture and customs.

While visits from family and friends can be a truly wonderful experience, we strongly recommend that such visits take place after the program’s conclusion. During the program, you will be engaged in daily service and involved in a number of enrichment activities and excursions, both during the week and on weekends.

Bridge Year staff are happy to speak with you about the program and the application process. Please feel free to call or email the Bridge Year office at any time with questions or concerns.

If you would like to connect with a past participant, the Bridge Year Admissions Ambassadors play an important role in supporting and guiding prospective students through the Bridge Year application and interview process. Submit a question and they'll get back to you as soon as possible