The Importance of Educational Exchange with the Dominican Republic

In addition, U.S. colleges and universities also send students abroad on noncredit opportunities, which can include volunteer, internship, and research abroad experiences. Similar to the data on for-credit study abroad, the Dominican Republic was the leading destination for noncredit experiences in the Caribbean in 2022–2023, with 596 U.S. students. Moreover, it ranked as the 12th leading destination globally for non-credit experiences. For students who may be using this experience to participate in research, field work, or global internships, these experiences can enable workforce and research connections that last well beyond the exchange.

Barriers and Challenges

Despite the potential of educational exchanges in strengthening U.S.-Dominican ties, several major challenges remain for bilateral expansion.

Critically, domestic educational challenges undermine students’ readiness to study abroad. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results, Dominican students have one of the lowest performances among PISA-participating countries. For English proficiency, the Dominican Republic ranked 15 out of 21 countries in the LAC in EF’s English Proficiency Index. Despite mandating English as a school subject, the English teaching system in the Dominican Republic has a lack of resources, where schools struggle to find qualified English teachers and teaching materials, especially amongst rural schools.

Limited funding also poses a significant hurdle for potential students. The average annual income in the Dominican Republic is around $7,500 per capita, while the average annual cost to attend a U.S. college is approximately $38,000. While several Dominican and U.S. entities provide funding for Dominican students to study abroad in the United States, such as MESCyT International Scholarships, Beca Tu Futuro, the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, and the Community College Initiative Program, most only provide partial funding and often exclude living expenses, making it difficult for lower-income Dominicans to enroll in full-time programs.

U.S students looking to study abroad in the Dominican Republic also face several barriers. The additional cost of studying abroad—on top of already high U.S. higher education expenses—can be a significant deterrent. Language is another challenge, as most instruction in Dominican institutions is conducted in Spanish. Finally, a lack of awareness among U.S. institutions and students about available study abroad opportunities in the Dominican Republic may also hinder participation.

Expanding Student Mobility

To increase student mobility between the Dominican Republic and the United States, several key areas of focus can help expand opportunities for exchange and collaboration.

Improve English Language Skills

Helping students improve their English skills starts with enhancing teacher training. This can be addressed through virtual training opportunities, such as the Organization of American States’ Language Cooperation Program, or through in-person exchanges that allow Dominican teachers to train in the United States, like the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program and initiatives similar to the professional development program in the United States for Brazilian teachers of English. Dominican students can also directly enroll in U.S. intensive English programs that provide English language training and prepare students for further education in the United States.

Broaden Institutional Partnerships

Expanding long-term strategic partnerships can enhance educational exchange in both directions. One avenue is through leveraging the United States–led 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative to form partnerships with universities in the Dominican Republic. For example, the New York Institute of Technology and the Instituto Tecnológico de las Americas partnered to create a study abroad program on entrepreneurship. There are also opportunities for long-term collaborations that benefit both countries, such as the partnership between Western Michigan University and the Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo to create the first doctoral program in the Dominican Republic. Institutions could capitalize on noncredit opportunities to expand exchange or develop partnerships through athletic experiences, such as baseball exchanges.

National and regional forums, such as the Conference of the Americas on International Education, membership networks, such as the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the EducationUSA’s Western Hemisphere Higher Education Institutions Partnership Board, can also facilitate more cross-border partnerships through their convening power. The continuation of funding from U.S. embassy programs that facilitate partnerships, such as the U.S.-Dominican Republic Higher Education Working Group, can also expand student and faculty mobility and foster joint research.

Increase Awareness of Affordable and Diverse Study Abroad Options

Given the financial barriers many students face, there is a continued need to raise awareness and highlight affordable pathways to study abroad. Significant knowledge gaps persist—especially across income levels and between rural and urban areas. Entities like EducationUSA and the U.S. Embassy play a key role in providing guidance, but greater efforts are needed to reach more marginalized communities.

It is important to inform Dominican students about alternative pathways to participate in exchange programs. These can include short-term exchanges focused on English language development, certificate programs at U.S. colleges and universities, and technical career programs at U.S. community colleges. Offering semester exchanges or dual-degree programs, such as the one between Miami Law and Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, can provide more financially feasible options for Dominican students.

Universities and program designers could better promote the Dominican Republic’s academic and cultural offerings to position it as an affordable study abroad destination. For example, several LAC countries have dedicated platforms that highlight the benefits of studying there, such as Study in Costa Rica and Learn Chile. Developing similar resources for the Dominican Republic could help increase its visibility and appeal.

Design Programs Focused on Workforce Development

There are growing opportunities to expand workforce development and strengthen key sectors that benefit both the Dominican Republic and the United States, such as the semiconductor industry. The Dominican Republic is considered a strong candidate for nearshoring semiconductor manufacturing, and President Abinader has also promoted this industry as a high national priority. To support this effort, Purdue University recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of the Dominican Republic to support research, academic exchange, and curriculum development in the fields of microchips and microelectronics.

For Dominican students who attend programs within the United States, there are also opportunities to expand engagement in OPT, which allows students to gain work experience. Approximately 15 percent of international students from the Dominican Republic were on OPT experiences in 2023–2024, which is higher than the national average for the Latin America and Caribbean Region (12 percent), but well below other leading countries, such as India (29 percent) and China (22 percent).

International Education as a Bilateral Diplomatic Tool

International education serves as a vital diplomatic tool, fostering strong bilateral ties that support economic growth, diplomatic engagement, and workforce development. In an environment of expanding Chinese influence and active recruitment through initiatives like Confucius Institutes, the United States needs to continue advancing its international education efforts. Reducing support for educational exchange programs, such as MESCyT International Scholarships, EducationUSA, and the Fulbright Program, would limit student participation and weaken a critical avenue for strengthening both economic and cultural connections. These exchanges not only foster mutual understanding but also lay the groundwork for cooperation that can continue to expand diplomatic relations and economic growth.

This commentary is made possible by the generous support of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation.

Julie Baer is a research and learning lead at the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C. Juliana Rubio is an associate director with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Jessie Hu is an intern with the Americas Program at CSIS.