TechGirls is a U.S.-based summer exchange program designed to empower and support young women (ages 15-17) from the United States and select countries around the world to pursue higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields through hands-on skills development training.
In 2024, the program will support 111 young women from 37 participating countries/territories and 13+ U.S. peers in a dynamic four-week U.S.-based experience with a seven-month mentoring program (including pre-and post-exchange).
Eligible Countries: TechGirls will be competitively recruited and selected from the following regions/countries and territories (approximately 3 participants per country/territory):
- Sub-Saharan Africa (AF) – Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zambia
- East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) – Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Vietnam
- Europe and Eurasia (EUR) – Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Türkiye
- Middle East and North Africa (NEA) – Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia
- South and Central Asia (SCA) – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
- Western Hemisphere (WHA) – Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Suriname
- United States of America
Since 2012, TechGirls has trained and mentored 653 teenage girls. Initially, the TechGirls program focused on countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In the summer of 2022, the TechGirls program expanded globally, engaging a talented cadre of STEM-minded young women from the United States and select countries in all six regions of the world (Western Hemisphere, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Eurasia, East Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, and South and Central Asia).
The core of the TechGirls program is a 24-day experience in the United States. In partnership with Virginia Tech, participants engage in an interactive TechCamp that provides an in-depth examination of cutting-edge technologies and various educational and professional paths in STEM fields. Then, TechGirls travel to a city around the USA (Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, or Seattle) for community immersion and STEM career exploration. The TechGirls programming yields a multiplier effect as participants return home to conduct community-based projects with seven months of mentorship.
TechGirls is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
