Extracurricular activities for studying abroad

An academic profile speaks to your discipline, but extracurricular activities reveal your passion. A student may be a brilliant mathematician in the classroom, but it is participating in a research project or creating a math club for younger students that shows how they apply their knowledge in practice.

Activities demonstrate how you cope with difficulties, work in a team, take responsibility, and find non-standard solutions. These are the soft skills that the university wants to see in its future students.

Your experience is the foundation for an essay (Personal Statement). When you write about your goals, the university wants to see evidence that you have already started moving in that direction. The story of how you organized a volunteer project or developed a prototype product sounds much more convincing than abstract arguments about the desire to improve the world.

This is one of the most prestigious programs for students with a pronounced talent for mathematics. The program is aimed at students in grades 10-11 who already have a strong background in geometry and algebra and have experience writing mathematical proofs.

Program: The training is based around proofs. You solve equations and build mathematical structures. Participants work in small groups on guided research. This is a mini-study led by Stanford professors or PhD students.

Why would the admissions committee do that?: This is a powerful signal that the student is ready for the academic workload of Ivy League universities. It is important for the commission that you have gone through the selection process and maintained an intense rhythm.

Result: You gain experience and an understanding of what modern mathematical science does. The application describes this as “the development of abstract thinking and academic writing skills in the field of exact sciences.”

A program from the Foundation for Teaching Economics for future economists, politicians, and managers. Here, students learn to apply economic analysis to complex social and political decisions. This is an excellent way to develop leadership skills and understand how macro-level decision-making works. It is essential for business, international relations, and management majors.

Program: The program is conducted in a simulation format. Students are divided into teams, where each student takes on the role of a “leader” in a changing economy. They must make managerial decisions based on economic models and see the consequences of these decisions for society.

Why is this important for admissions: Universities are looking for future professionals who can think systemically. EFL shows that you understand the relationship between private interest and public good.

Result: You learn to argue your position based on data rather than emotions. In your resume, this looks like “applying economic theories to solve complex social cases.”

An international competition where student teams develop original concepts for products, services, or IT solutions. Participants go from idea to value proposition and prototype creation. The program is suitable for profiles related to product management, entrepreneurship, engineering, and design.

Program: You will develop a concept for a new product or service. You will need to create a sketch and conduct thorough research, including studying competitors, analyzing the pain points of your target audience, calculating an economic model, and creating a working prototype or mock-up.

Why is this important for admissions: This demonstrates an entrepreneurial mindset. Universities value students who can take an idea from an abstract concept to a concrete project proposal.

Result: You end up with a project that you can include in your application as a portfolio, making you stand out among applicants with only theoretical knowledge.

Unlike innovation challenges, this competition focuses on business events and the event industry. Students tackle real-world strategic challenges by proposing solutions for business leaders. The activity is useful for those who plan to develop in the strategic planning, marketing, and meeting industry.

Program: PCMA is a global association of business event industry professionals. Their student competition is drastically different from engineering or academic challenges. You are asked to solve a real business problem: for example, to develop a concept for a hybrid business event, optimize the logistics of a major summit, or create a strategy to attract sponsors in a changing market. You act as a business consultant.

Why would the admissions committee do that?: The organization of events is the pinnacle of managerial art. It combines time management, budgeting, communication skills and crisis management. Universities value this experience, as it proves: you know how to work with “live” tasks and people.

Result: You get networking with industry professionals and an understanding of the “inside” of big business. This is an ideal activity for those applying for Management, Marketing, Hospitality, Communications, or Strategic Planning.

A global innovation competition where students work on solving real world problems in areas such as ecology, health, space and cybersecurity. It is an opportunity to prove your ability to social innovation and engineering thinking.

Program: Participants work in teams of 2-5 people. You choose a category and develop an innovative solution over several months. The project goes through several stages: from a “business pitch” to a defense in front of experts.

Why to the admissions office: You will face technical difficulties, disagreements within the team, and tight deadlines. The ability to reach the finals of the Conrad Challenge speaks to your high stress tolerance and discipline.

Result: This is a real entrepreneurial experience. If you make it to the finals or win, you automatically become one of the most promising young innovators in the world.

A prestigious summer academy for those interested in journalism, media, culture, and politics. The programs allow you to develop your media literacy, analytical thinking, and research skills. Even if you don’t plan to become a journalist, this experience will demonstrate your ability to analyze information deeply and write high-quality texts.

The program focuses on critical thinking and storytelling. You will write essays, interview real people, conduct investigations, participate in debates, and create media content.

Why is this important for admissions: In a world where information changes every second, universities are looking for people with advanced media literacy. Participating in this program shows that you can separate facts from opinions and structure your thoughts clearly.

Result: This gives you an advantage when writing Admission Essays. You learn to write engaging and triggering texts. This is important when the admissions committee reads your 500-word motivation letter.

It’s better to have 2-4 well-developed projects that showcase your passion and results than 10 formal entries.

No. Local volunteer projects, research papers, or even helping out in the family business can be great activities if you describe them through the lens of leadership and contribution.

This helps to strengthen your profile, but it is not a guarantee. The most important thing is what you have learned and how you have transformed this experience into further actions.

Choose an area that you are genuinely interested in, find a way to express yourself, and record the results. Start with small steps. Gradually, this will develop into a strong case.

The earlier, the better. Ideally, 1-2 years before applying. This will give you enough time to participate in the selections, implement projects, and achieve visible results.