Graduate Fellowship Program
The 1999 Edmund S. Muskie/Freedom Support Act (FSA)
Graduate Fellowship Program
Opportunities for Graduate Study in the USA
The Government of the United States is pleased to announce the Edmund S. Muskie/Freedom
Support Act (FSA) Graduate Fellowship Program. The Muskie/FSA Graduate Program provides
awards to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to study at the graduate level in the United States for one to two
years. The program is funded and supervised by the United States Information Agency.
Recruitment for the 1999 Muskie/FSA Program will be conducted by the American Council of
Teachers of Russian/American Council for Collaboration in Education and Language Study
(ACTR/ACCELS) and the Open Society Institute (OSI). These fellowships offer the
opportunity to pursue graduate study and the possibility of a professional internship in
the following fields:
- Business Administration
- Economics
- Education Administration and Teacher Training
- Environmental Management
- International Affairs
- Journalism and Mass Communications
- Law and Law Pedagogy
- Library and Information Science
- Public Administration
- Public Health
- Public Policy
The fellowships will provide financial assistance to individuals selected from a
competitive pool of applicants from the countries listed above who lack sufficient funds
to enroll in graduate level programs at U.S. institutions. Fellows will be enrolled in a
U.S. institution by the selection committees and administering organizations and may not
select their host institution. During their term of study, fellows must meet the academic
standards and requirements of their U.S. host institutions. Fellows may have the
opportunity to seek an eight- to twelve- week summer internship for practical training in
their field of specialization. Both degree and non-degree fellowship programs are
available.
Under the terms of the fellowship and the laws governing the visa required for
participation in the program, fellows must return to their home country immediately upon
completion of the program 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.
Competition for the Edmund S. Muskie/Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship program is
merit-based and open to any individual who meets the specific criteria. Candidates may
apply only in one field of study. Additionally, applicants must:
- lack sources of funding to study at a U.S. institution.
- be under the age of forty [40] at the time of application.
- hold an undergraduate degree [four- or five-year program] with good academic standing by
June 1999.
- be proficient in written and spoken English at the time of application.
- be able to demonstrate professional aptitude and leadership potential in their field of
specialization.
- be able to begin study in the United States in summer 1999.
Participation in the Edmund S. Muskie and the Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship
Programs is contingent upon the ability to receive and maintain a U.S. J-1 visa.
The following individuals are not eligible to apply:
- spouses of U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States, or spouses of
citizens of countries other than the 15 participating countries.
- individuals currently participating in academic, training or research programs outside
the 15 participating countries.
- individuals currently residing or working outside the 15 participating countries.
- individuals who have participated in a program sponsored or funded by the U.S.
government (USIA/USIS or other U.S. government agency) since October 1996 for a period of
more than six weeks.
- individuals who have applied for an immigrant visa to any country or who have requested
political asylum in any country. This includes individuals who hold or have applied for a
U.S. "green card," or who have applied to the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa
Lottery.
The complete list of eligibility requirements and selection criteria is included in the
application. Applications must be in English and must be returned to one of the
representational offices or Educational Information Centers listed in the application by October 30, 1998 (November 13, 1998, in Central Asia). Late or
incomplete applications will not be considered.
Selection will be made on the basis of academic excellence, knowledge of English,
professional aptitude, and leadership potential in the field of specialization. Teams of
U.S. specialists will review completed applications and prepare a list of semi-finalists
to be tested and interviewed as part of the selection process. All semi-finalists will be
required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Semi-finalists may
also be required to take other examinations depending on the program for which they are
applying. The cost of all tests for semi-finalists will be covered by the Muskie or FSA
Graduate Fellowship Program.
Informational presentations will be held at the American Center in the Library of
Foreign Literature (ul. Nikolo-Yamskaya, dom 1) on September 17 and 25 at 6:30 p.m. to
provide more complete information on the program to qualified candidates. Other lectures
will be scheduled as the application deadline nears. Program staff encourage anyone
interested in applying to this program to come to one of the lectures.
In addition to the American Center, applications are available at the addresses listed
below. Copies may also be obtained in electronic form, for downloading and printing only.
ACTR/ACCELS
Leninsky pr. 2, room 504 (metro Oktyabrskaya, ring line)
tel.: 230-45-88
e-mail: actrmuskie@glasnet.ru
William Gormley
Open Society Institute
ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 16/10, str. 70 (metro Yugo-Zapadnaya)
tel.: 956-21-55
e-mail: pozdn@osi.ru
Natalia Pozdnyakova
http://www.osi.ru
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