The University of California Education Abroad Program (EAP) is a study abroad program available to University of California students and students who attend universities abroad with which EAP has an exchange. Although each University of California campus has an EAP campus advisor, the Universitywide Office of the Education Abroad Program (UOEAP) liaises with host institutions and ultimately organizes each program option. The Universitywide Office is located in Goleta near the University of California, Santa Barbara.
EAP was established in 1962 as an exchange with the University of Bordeaux in France. EAP now offers programs at over 150 different host institutions in 35 countries worldwide serving nearly 4500 students annually.
As of Fall 2010, EAP has programs established in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines (EAP programs are currently suspended in the Philippines), Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
The study abroad program offers students academic opportunities abroad in English, for learning a foreign language and culture, or for taking courses in the language of a host institution. Program lengths vary from a summer or a quarter to semesters or a full academic year.
Being EAP essentially an exchange program, at the same time International students are allowed to spend from one quarter to one academic year in one of the University of California campuses. This part of the program is generally referred to as Education Abroad Reciprocity program.