The first barrier to a global experience is the rising expense of a passport.

The Phillips Passport Initiative provides funding for first year and new transfer undergraduate students to obtain their first U.S. passport. The mission of the initiative is to encourage students to participate in global experiences while at Carolina. Award recipients will be provided with resources to explore a wide array of global opportunities including studying, interning, service learning, and researching abroad.

UNC Communications shared this story on how the initiative is transforming experiences for first-year and new transfer students: https://www.unc.edu/posts/2023/09/13/scholarship-opens-the-world-to-tar-heels/

A second 2023-2024 application cycle was opened on February 1 for eligible first-years and new transfers who missed applying in the fall! Start an application here: go.unc.edu/PhillipsPassport

2024 Funding
Awards of $175 each will be available to reimburse the application cost for a first-time adult U.S. passport book (currently $165) plus the cost of passport size photos (approximately $10.) Please note this initiative does not award funding to students who have previously held a U.S. passport book or who are seeking to renew a U.S. passport book.

2024 Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for an award in 2024, the student must:
1) Be a first year or new transfer undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill starting in summer or fall 2024
2) Have never before held a U.S. passport book at any time since birth
3) Be eligible to apply for a first-time adult U.S. passport book

2024 Timeline
August 1, 2024: Applications open
November 1, 2024: Applications due
November 10, 2024: Award notification
November 20, 2024: Commitment deadline
April 1, 2025: Passport application receipt due for award distribution
July 1, 2025: Deadline to upload passport photo page image

All award recipients will be required to:
1) Apply for a first-time adult U.S. passport book on their own and pay for all fees upfront (PPI staff can advise on process)
2) Upload passport application receipt by the required deadline
3) Upload image of U.S. passport book signature/photo page by the deadline
4) Complete periodic questionnaires about how passport is utilized
5) Share experiences with future prospective applicants (optional)

Application Instructions
Once a cycle is open, applications can be started at: go.unc.edu/PhillipsPassport

For information about applying for a first-time adult U.S. passport, visit this link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html