Educational Exchange

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
  (General Information)
• J. WILLIAM FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2009 - 2010
• IMPORTANT NOTES ON EMBASSY-SPONSORED GRANT PROGRAMS
  (Information Resources, Examinations, Application Deadlines, Medical Exams and Insurance, Families, Visa terms)
• FULBRIGHT JUNIOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
  (Zambians work toward Masters or Doctoral degrees at U.S. University, 2-3 awarded each year, depending on budget, details)
• FULBRIGHT AFRICAN SENIOR RESEARCH SCHOLAR PROGRAM
  (Postdoctoral research, 3-9 months)
• HUBERT H. HUMPHREY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
  (1-2 awarded per year, 1-year non-degree. The number of Zambian participants each year is determined by the quality of candidates and their suitability for participating in U.S. programs).
• APPLICATION FORM

INTRODUCTION

This publication provides specific information on application requirements for scholarship and fellowship programs sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Zambia. Application materials for these programs are available through the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center, and all communication regarding these programs (including completed applications) should be addressed to the Cultural Affairs Assistant.

These are the only study grants which will be awarded by Embassy Public Affairs Section Lusaka for the 2009-2010 academic year: the American Center does not provide "sponsorship" for study or training other than the programs listed on this site.

J. WILLIAM FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2009 - 2010

Candidates may now apply for the J. William Fulbright Fellowship Program for year 2009 – 2010.  Application forms are due in completed form at the American Center by Friday, June 6, 2008. No applications will be accepted after that date.

The Fulbright Program is for applicants who have already attained a first degree and are looking to obtain an advance degree (Master's, PhD) in the following fileds:
1. Agricultural development/agricultural economics
2. Communications/journalism
3. Drug abuse education, treatment and prevention
4. Economic development
5. Education, including educational planning, educational administration, curriculum development
6. Finance and banking
7. HIV/AIDS policy and prevention
8. Human resource management
9. Law and human rights
10. Natural resources and environmental management
11. Nonproliferation
12. Public health policy and management
13. Public policy analysis and public administration
14. Technology policy and management
15. Urban and regional planning.

Selection Criteria:
1. Must be a Zambian citizen.
2. Must have at least the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelor’s degree, i.e. degree from the University of Zambia (UNZA) or the Copperbelt University (CBU). 
3. Candidates should be affiliated with or committed to work at an institution in their home country upon return from the U.S.
4. Finalists must have satisfactory scores from the following standardized tests:
a. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
b. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
c. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) – required for business fields only

Applications are available from the Cultural Affairs Assistant, American Center – COMESA Building, P.O. Box 32053, Lusaka, or request applications via e-mail: chilangwac@state.gov.

ONLY SHORT-LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.

Materials

The American Center maintains a collection of general information on higher education in the United States, including catalogs and addresses of accredited colleges and universities and videos on U.S. study. Grant applicants are welcome to utilize these materials in formulating their study proposals. Others may use these materials to learn about opportunities for study in the United States. Please call the Student Advising office (Tels. 01-227993/4) for an appointment.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON EMBASSY-SPONSORED GRANT PROGRAMS

Applications and Deadlines: Applicants must fill out all required application materials, following directions given. Specific inquiries regarding application forms may be directed to the Cultural Affairs Assistant office at the American Center, but please note that this office will not assist applicants in completing substantive (essay or study plan) portions of their applications. Application deadlines given on this site are firm. No applications will be considered after deadline, and applications which are incomplete or lacking required supporting documents will not be accepted.

Medical Examination and Insurance: All applicants for embassy-sponsored scholarship and fellowship programs are required to undergo a complete physical examination as part of the application process. Grantees who pass this examination will receive medical insurance coverage for the duration of their program in the United States. As the Embassy Public Affairs Section cannot accept responsibility for medical expenses that may be incurred by grantees while in the United States, applicants who are found to have serious chronic ailments will not be considered for embassy-sponsored scholarships or fellowships.

Families: Embassy-sponsored grants provide a stipend which is adequate to maintain an individual grantee during his or her studies -- this stipend is not sufficient to cater for accompanying dependents and will not be increased to provide for them. Grantees who wish to have their families join them in the United States must provide proof of sufficient means to maintain all accompanying family members for the duration of the grant program, as well as to purchase medical insurance for all family members. This insurance currently costs approximately US$100/month per person.

Visa Terms: Embassy-sponsored scholarship or fellowship recipients travel to the United States with a special "Exchange Visitor" (J-1) visa. Applicants for these programs must sign an agreement to abide by the terms of the J visa, including a stipulation that grantees must promptly return to Zambia following the completion of their grant program and are prohibited from applying for U.S. immigrant visas or nonimmigrant worker or trainee visas for two years following their return to Zambia. Future applications for tourist or business visas to the United States are not affected by signing the agreement. Time spent in the United States after termination of the program will not count towards completion of the two-year return period.

Test Exams:

Virtually all U.S. colleges and universities require the results of one or more standardized examinations for admission to undergraduate, graduate or non-degree programs. Most applicants are expected to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and forward the scores to their chosen or assigned institutions at the earliest possible date.

Graduate-level business school applicants must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and most other graduate-level applicants must take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

The American Center maintains a limited supply of application bulletins which are available upon request. No charge will be assessed for standardized examinations to bona fide applicants for embassy-sponsored grant programs. All others must pay applicable fees to the Educational Testing Service.

FULBRIGHT JUNIOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

About the Grant: The highly competitive Fulbright Junior Staff Development (JSD) Program is designed to strengthen African universities and other educational or cultural institutions by financing Masters or Doctoral degree study at U.S.universities for outstanding staff members. Candidates must be nominated or strongly endorsed by their employing institutions.

Grantees seeking degrees will receive funding for two years at a U.S. university. Since Doctoral programs usually last up to five years, candidates must secure funding to complete the program. Grantees are expected to complete their work within this time frame. Awards are for one degree only. Should the period of study need to be extended, the grantee must secure other funding to cover the period of the extension.

The fields of Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine are excluded from the JSD Program.

Academic programs are expected to begin in August or September, each year, although some grantees may be required to complete summer courses prior to the start of the regular academic year.

Prerequisites: Applicants must be Zambian citizens with fluent English language skills (TOEFL score 600 or above) and strong academic backgrounds. They should possess a Bachelors or Masters degree related to their professional field. Ph.D. candidates must already possess a Masters degree. Applicants seeking higher degrees in fields unrelated to earlier university studies or their professional fields must provide especially strong justification for the switch. Applicants should be committed to continuing their work with their institutions following their return to Zambia.

Grant Benefits: Grants include round-trip international travel, travel allowances, a settling-in allowance, tuition and fees at the U.S. university, a monthly maintenance allowance, books and supplies, funding for course-required fieldtrips, a cultural enrichment grant, and medical insurance coverage. These benefits are intended to cover the grantee only; they will not be increased to provide for accompanying dependents. Grantees are expected to arrange for their own housing in the United States: those receiving acceptances from U.S. universities should contact that institution's housing office immediately.

How to Apply: In March, 2007, the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center will distribute preliminary application forms for the JSD Program upon request to qualified candidates from educational or cultural institutions. Completed forms must be submitted to the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center, with all supporting documents attached, no later than the specified date in the notice.

Completed applications will be closely reviewed and selected candidates will be interviewed. Based on these assessments, the applications of qualified candidates will be forwarded to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board in Washington for final review. Candidates will be informed of acceptance or non-acceptance by letter in May, 2008.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) will also seek placements (at no cost to the grantee) at other appropriate universities. Approved grantees who are fully funded by Embassy Public Affairs Section and who are offered a substantial scholarship at an institution contacted by IIE will be required to accept admission at that institution, regardless of personal preference for another university. IIE will accept admission on behalf of the grantee and will give notice through the American Center. This office will conduct pre-departure orientation programs for successful candidates.

Examinations: All applicants for the JSD Program will be required to take the TOEFL examination. Applicants seeking degrees in Business Administration will be required to take the GMAT; most others will be required to take the GRE. Application bulletins for these examinations are available from the Student Advising office of the American Center. JSD applicants will receive vouchers to cover the costs of these examinations. Applicants are urged to apply and take the appropriate examinations before August,, 2007.

FULBRIGHT AFRICAN SENIOR RESEARCH SCHOLAR PROGRAM

About the Grant: The Fulbright African Senior Research Scholar Program awards grants for three to nine months to conduct postdoctoral research at a U.S. academic or research institution. Funding is normally for one academic term (semester). Longer grants may be possible where proposed research requires more time, as clearly demonstrated in the grantees' research proposal. Grantees are chosen through a continent-wide competition among Anglophone African countries.

Grants under this program are of two types:

Senior Research Grants enable scholars to perform advanced research in U.S. educational or research institutions approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board. These grants last from three to nine months.

Professional Development Grants enable senior scholars, through a period of residence on a U.S. university campus, to undertake a planned program of reading and research in their respective fields. These grants last from three to five months.

The Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) is responsible for arranging placement of accepted candidates at U.S. educational or research institutions.

Prerequisites: Applicants must be Zambian citizens who have fluent English language skills (TOEFL score 600 or above) and who hold a Doctoral degree. Preference will be given to applicants with at least three years of university teaching or research experience whose research plans relate directly to their ongoing teaching and/or research responsibilities. Preference will also be given to proposals that best promote the spirit and goals of the Fulbright program, i.e., to increase and enhance mutual understanding between the United States and African countries through interpersonal contact and the sharing of professional/academic experience and expertise. Applicants must not have held a Fulbright grant for research or lecturing within the past four years.

How to Apply: In March 2007, the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center will distribute application forms for the African Senior Research Scholar Program upon request to qualified candidates or educational or research institutions. Completed forms must be submitted to the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center, with all required supporting documents attached, no later than the specified date in the notice.

Grant Benefits: Research grants normally include round-trip international travel, a monthly cost-of-living allowance, an allowance for books, research materials and/ or travel to other institutions or scholarly meetings, and limited medical insurance.

Completed applications will be reviewed closely by this office. The applications of top-ranked candidates will be forwarded to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board in Washington for final review. Candidates will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by letter in May 2008. This office will hold pre-departure briefings for successful candidates.

HUBERT H. HUMPHREY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

About the Grant: The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program is a prestigious one-year, non-degree exchange program combining academic and professional opportunities for career development. This grant is intended for mid-career professionals in management-related fields who are likely to assume greater leadership responsibilities in the future. Awards are given competitively to public and private-sector professionals with a commitment to public service in the following broadly defined management fields:

Agricultural Development
Agricultural Economics
Banking and Finance
Communications/Journalism
Economic Development
Educational Planning/Administration
Environmental Management
Human Resources/Personnel Management.
Natural Resource Management
Public Administration
Public Health Policy and Management
Public Policy Analysis
Substance Abuse Prevention
Technology Policy and Management
Urban and Regional Planning

Humphrey grant programs will begin in August or September 2008.

Fellows are placed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) at selected universities which offer a broad base of coursework and related professional activities. Each campus has a designated coordinator and academic advisor who provides academic and administrative support.

Fellows participate in workshops and conferences which allow for interaction with leaders from U.S. federal, state and local governments, multinational organizations, and the private sector. The workshops provide a forum for discussion of issues of professional interest.

The Humphrey Program also features a professional development component. Early in the academic year, each Fellow, working with program and faculty advisors, develops a plan for professional activities geared to the Fellow's needs for relevant, practical professional experiences. The professional plan must include an internship period of at least six weeks.

Because of frequent travel and academic and professional obligations in the United States, Fellows are strongly discouraged from seeking to bring dependents to the United States during the Humphrey Program.

Prerequisites: Applicants must be Zambian citizens who have fluent English language skills (TOEFL score 600 or above) and who hold an undergraduate(Bachelors) degree or higher. Candidates must have worked for a minimum of five years in positions of administrative responsibility and leadership, but must also have a substantial career ahead of them in their chosen profession. Humphrey fellows should be policy-oriented, rather than research- or technically-oriented. This program is not intended for university faculty, but university administrators are eligible.

Grant Benefits: Humphrey Fellowships provide for international and domestic travel in the U.S. as required, university tuition and fees, books, and a monthly maintenance allowance for the duration of the program. Limited funds are available for professional activities such as conference attendance, field trips and professional affiliations.

How to Apply: Applications for the Humphrey Fellowship Program will be available from the Cultural Affairs Assistant at the American Center.

Completed applications will be closely reviewed and selected candidates interviewed by this office. Based on these assessments, the applications of qualified candidates will be forwarded to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board in Washington for final review. Candidates will be informed of acceptance or non-acceptance by letter by May 2008. This office will conduct pre-departure briefings for successful candidates.

Examinations: All applicants for the Humphrey Program must sit for the TOEFL examination no later than August, 2007. Application bulletins for the TOEFL are available from the Student Advising office at the American Center.