The Government of the United States is pleased to announce the 2000 Edmund S. Muskie/Freedom Support Act (FSA) Graduate Fellowship Program, which was established to encourage economic and democratic growth in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Note that you may request application and receive informational assistance in any of the above listed countries, but you must apply through(send your application to) the regional representative in your home country(a country, a citizen of which you are).
The Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program places citizens from the countries listed above in graduate level programs in business administration, economics, education, environmental management, international affairs, journalism and mass communications, law, library and information science, public administration, public health, and public policy. Academic programs will begin in the summer or early fall of 2000. Fellows will be placed at academic institutions throughout the United States to take part in graduate programs that are one year, eighteen months, or two years in length. Many programs lead to a master's degree or certificate from a U.S. institution, depending on the field of specialization, type of program, and the needs of the candidate.
The Muskie/FSA Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and is administered in 2000 by the American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS and the Open Society Institute (OSI). Muskie/FSA fellows will be enrolled in U.S. academic institutions according to their academic interests and professional goals. Fellows may not select their U.S. host universities. Independent applications to U.S. universities neither disqualify applicants from consideration for the Muskie/FSA Program, nor do they enable participants to select their host universities, if they are chosen for the Muskie/FSA Program. During their term of study, Muskie/FSA fellows must meet the academic standards and requirements of the Muskie/FSA Program and their U.S. host universities. Fellows may have the opportunity to participate in twelve-week summer internships for practical training in their fields of specialization.
Under the terms of the grant and laws governing the J-1 visa required for participation in the Muskie/FSA Program, Muskie/FSA fellows must return to their home countries immediately upon completion of their fellowships for a period of at least two years. Fellows may not continue for Ph.D. or other studies, and are not eligible for extended practical training or employment in the United States. NO requests for visa extensions, waivers, or transfers will be granted under any circumstances.
Eligibility Requirements
The Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national and ethnic origin, or disability. Competition for the Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program is merit-based and open to anyone who is:
Completed applications for candidates meeting the eligibility requirements will be reviewed by teams of U.S. specialists in each of the fields of study. Semifinalists will be tested and interviewed in their home countries as part of the selection process. Assistance is available from the Muskie/FSA Program to help cover the cost of transportation to and from the testing and interviewing sites for semifinalists with financial need. All semifinalists will be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Many U.S. universities have a minimum TOEFL score required for admission. While these scores vary by institution, the Muskie/FSA Program will support intensive English language preparation during the summer for any finalist scoring below a 550.
In addition to taking the TOEFL examination, semifinalists in Business Administration will be required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT); semifinalists in Economics, Environmental Management, Journalism and Mass Communications, Library and Information Science, and Public Health must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The cost of the TOEFL, GMAT, and GRE examinations for semifinalists will be covered by the Muskie/FSA Program.
The results of all examinations and interviews will be forwarded to U.S. selection committees for consideration when reviewing the application files. The U.S. committees are made up of representatives from universities participating in the Muskie/FSA Program. Candidates will be notified of final decisions in May 2000.
Financial Terms of the Fellowship
Funding will be applied towards the cost of tuition, room, board, stipend, textbooks, international transportation, professional enrichment activities, and accident and sickness insurance. For fellows in eighteen-month or two-year programs, the amount of funding provided by the Muskie/FSA Program during the 2001-2002 academic year will be adjusted according to the fellows' internship salary in the summer of 2001. No financial support for dependents is provided by the Muskie/FSA Program.
Participant Responsibility
Finalists must attend a mandatory predeparture orientation and may be designated for a summer English-language program. Muskie/FSA fellows must uphold the academic standards of the host institution and undertake full-time study for the duration of the program. Applicants should be aware that graduate students in the eleven areas of specialization must adhere to the established curriculum of the U.S. host university. Fellows will not be able to undertake independent research and will not be permitted to change their field of specialization once accepted to the Muskie/FSA program. During the practical training period, fellows must uphold professional standards and meet the expectations of the organization sponsoring the internship. Failure to maintain academic and professional standards will result in dismissal from the Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program.
Last updated on Sept.6, 1999
