New funding from Delta Air Lines will help support Georgia State University’s Free Passport Program.

The Atlanta-based airline has awarded $51,000 to the six institutions that make up the Atlanta Global Research and Education Collaborative(AGREC): Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Agnes Scott College, Spelman College and Kennesaw State. The sponsorship will cover the cost of 300 U.S. passports — 50 for students at each partner institution for the 2023-24 academic year.

Georgia State’s Free Passport Program began in February 2021. Removing the cost of the passport application eliminates the first barrier to studying abroad, which encourages global engagement and cultivates career readiness for students beyond their time at GSU. The goal of the initiative was to prepare students for studying abroad post-pandemic, and to increase the number and diversity of GSU students with valid U.S. passports.

“Delta’s support for the free passport initiative will allow us to reach even more students, not just at GSU but at our AGREC partner institutions here in Atlanta,” said Carrie Manning, associate provost for international initiatives at Georgia State. “We are grateful to Delta for working with us to expand the horizons of students of all backgrounds.”

The success of the pilot Free Passport Initiative was recognized with the 2022 Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in the category of Widening Access for International Education, paving the way for an annual program. To date, Georgia State has helped more than 1,300 students get their first U.S. passports without cost.

The Free Passport Program has helped students overcome more than financial barriers.

“I always thought the process to attain a passport was overwhelming, but I wanted to be able to travel internationally one day, so I applied,” said psychology major Nikki Baldwin. “Now I am more confident in myself. I am not just a better U.S. citizen, but a global citizen.”

 To be eligible for the Free Passport Program, students must:

• Be enrolled at Georgia State University.

• Be a U.S. citizen.

• Be applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.

• Complete the Free Passport Program application through the GSU Study Abroad website by April 12.

• Complete the Passport Services appointment by April 26.

For more information about the Free Passport Program, email [email protected] or visit Study Abroad Programs or the Office of International Initiatives. For questions about U.S. passport requirements, visit travel.state.gov/passports.