TechGirls is a U.S.-based summer exchange program designed to expand the talent pipeline in STEM. Young women (ages 15-17) from the United States and select countries gain valuable hands-on training leading them to pursue higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
In 2026, the program will include 111 young women from 37 eligible countries/territories and 13 U.S. peers in a dynamic three-week U.S.-based experience with a seven-month mentoring program (including pre-and post-exchange).
Participating Countries: TechGirls will be competitively recruited and selected from the following regions/countries and territories (approximately 3 participants per country/territory):
- United States of America
- 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) – Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Suriname
Since 2012, TechGirls has trained and mentored 901 teenage girls. The TechGirls program engages 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 23-day experience in the United States. In partnership with Virginia Tech University, participants engage in an interactive tech camp 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, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City or Seattle) for community immersion and STEM career exploration. The program ends in Washington DC. 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.