Program Overview
GCIL India is a 15-credit study abroad program in Bangalore, India during winter quarter. The program is open to UW graduate students and undergraduate junior and senior students from any department.
Through the Grand Challenges Impact Lab, you will learn about Grand Challenges and be challenged to propose and test solutions to them. GCIL is a quarter-long program that will be offered during every Winter Quarter in Bangalore, India. The program offers an active, hands-on learning laboratory and is open to graduate students and undergraduate junior and senior students from any department.
GCIL India Information Sessions
Information Sessions in 2025 (for GCIL 2026)
| Date | Time | Venue |
| Feb 4th | 11:00 AM | LOEW 215 |
| Feb 25th | 3:00 PM | HRC101 |
| March 25th | 1:00 PM | MORE 110 |
| April, 8th | 3:00 PM | MORE 110 |
| April, 22nd | 11:00 AM | MORE 110 |
| April, 22nd | 8:00 PM | https://washington.zoom.us/my/uwgcil |
| May, 6th | 3:30 PM | MORE 110 |
| May, 7th | 1:00 PM | MORE 110 |
| May, 8th | 10:30 AM | MORE 110 |
| May, 9th | 9:00 PM | https://washington.zoom.us/my/uwgcil |
| May, 12th | 12:00 PM | MORE 110 |
Program Details
| Offered | Winter Quarter |
| Number of credits | 15-credits + 1-credit introductory course during Fall quarter |
| Dates | January 1st to March 18th, 2025 |
| Cost | Approximately $6,700 |
| Applications due | May 15, 2025 |
| Syllabus | Download draft syllabus here |
| GCIL Teaching Philosophy | Download the manifesto (“Education Like You Give a Damn”) here |
| 16 questions for defining your social venture | Download 16 questions here |
| GCIL Informational Session | Watch 2023 info session here |
| For queries, please email us at | gcil@uw.edu |
Program Timeline
After a pre-departure Autumn course, students learn about grand challenges (GCs) such as food security, clean water, clean energy, and public health. Local professionals share insights into how communities in Bangalore experience GCs and the approaches that have succeeded and failed in addressing them. Mentored by UW faculty, students also learn entrepreneurship skills such as design thinking and lean startup, which can help in designing effective strategies for GCs.
| Pre-departure Autumn course (1 credit) | This course will introduce a range of topics from development theory to Indian culture; the goal is to help prepare you to hit the ground running when you arrive in Bangalore. You will meet with your project group and a UW faculty mentor to develop your knowledge of your GC and its impact on the local communities in Bangalore. |
| India: Week 1-3 | You learn about GCs such as food security, clean water, clean energy, and public health. Local professionals share insights into how communities in Bangalore experience GCs and the approaches that have succeeded and failed in addressing them. You will also learn entrepreneurship skills such as design thinking and lean startup, which can help in designing effective strategies for GCs. |
| India: Week 4-10 | You work in interdisciplinary teams to understand and address a GC. Teams identify a population or community experiencing the GC, define the GC problem facing that population, consider potential solutions, and design a solution to meet the population’s needs. You will be placed in a local organization with experience with that GC, and will work with local mentors and UW faculty members. |