[USA] International Fellowships Program From Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program provides support for up to three years of formal graduate-level study leading to a masters or doctoral degree. Fellows are selected from countries and territories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Russia, where the Ford Foundation maintains active overseas programs. U.S. nationals are not eligible, although Fellows may study in the United States.
Fellows are chosen on the basis of their leadership potential and commitment to community or national service, as well as for academic excellence. Fellows may enroll in masters or doctoral programs and may pursue any academic discipline or field of study that is consistent with the interests and goals of the Ford Foundation. The Foundation currently works in thirteen fields to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement.
Once selected, Ford Foundation International Fellows may enroll in an appropriate university program anywhere in the world, including their country of residence. The program provides placement assistance to those Fellows not yet admitted to graduate school.
IFP support also enables Fellows to undertake short-term language study and training in research and computer skills prior to graduate school enrollment. In addition, new Fellows attend orientation sessions, while current Fellows actively participate in learning and discussion activities designed to create information and exchange networks among Ford Foundation IFP Fellows worldwide. Finally, the program encourages IFP alumni to maintain contact with the program after completing the fellowships to help them remain current in their respective fields through the expanding Ford Foundation IFP network.
Because local requirements vary widely among IFP countries, applicants should carefully follow the specific application guidelines provided by the relevant IFP International Partner organizations, including deadlines for the submission of applications.
Who Can Apply?
Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program applicants must be resident nationals or residents of an eligible IFP country or territory. Currently, these are: Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Vietnam. IFP selects Fellows on the strength of their clearly-stated intention to serve their communities and countries of origin, and expects that they will honor this obligation.
Successful candidates will:
- Demonstrate superior achievement in their undergraduate studies and hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent.
- Have substantial experience in community service or development-related activities.
- Possess leadership potential evidenced by their employment and academic experience.
- Propose to pursue a post-baccalaureate degree that will directly enhance their leadership capacity in a practical, policy, academic, or artistic discipline or field corresponding to one or more of the Foundation`s areas of endeavor.
- Present a plan specifying how they will apply their studies to social problems or issues in their own countries. Commit themselves to working on these issues following the fellowship period.
IFP Fields of Study
Ford Foundation International Fellows may choose to study in any academic discipline or field of study related to the Ford Foundation`s three grant-making areas, which are:
- Asset Building and Community Development
- Community Development
- Development Finance and Economic Security
- Work-force Development
- Environment and Development
- Knowledge, Creativity, and Freedom
- Arts and Culture
- Education and Scholarship
- Media
- Religion, Society and Culture
- Sexuality and Reproductive Health
- Peace and Social Justice
- Civil Society
- Governance
- Human Rights
The Application Process
All applications must be submitted to the appropriate IFP International Partner in the country or region where the applicant resides. IFP International Partners determine application deadlines and selection schedules in their region or country. Applications are reviewed and final selections decided by panels composed of practitioners and scholars from various fields of work and study. The level and duration of awards are determined as part of the selection process. Ford Foundation staff and their family members may not serve on selection panels and are not eligible to apply for IFP awards. Members of selection committees, staff of the organizations managing the program in the various regions, and their family members are also ineligible for IFP awards.
IFP International Partner Offices
BRAZIL
Carlos Chagas Foundation (CCF)
http://www.programabolsa.org.br
CHILE
La Fundacion Equitas
http://fundacionequitas.org
CHINA
Institute of International Education Beijing Office
http://www.china-ifp.org
EGYPT
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST)
http://www.amideast.org/programs_services/exchange_programs/ifp/default.htm
GHANA
Association of African Universities (AAU)
http://www.aau.org/ifp
GUATEMALA
Center for Research on the Mesoamerica Region (CIRMA)
http://www.cirma.org.gt
INDIA
United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI)
http://www.ifpsa.org
INDONESIA Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF)
http://www.iief.or.id/ifp/ifp.html
KENYA
The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
http://www.ifpeastafrica.org
MEXICO
Center for Research and Higher Education in Social Anthropology (CIESAS)
http://www.ciesas.edu.mx/ciesas-ford/Intro.htm
MOZAMBIQUE
Africa-America Institute (AAI)
http://www.ifpmoz.co.mz
NIGERIA
Pathfinder International
http://www.pathfind.org/ifp
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST)
http://www.amideast.org/programs_services/exchange_programs/ifp/default.htm
PERU
Instituto de Estudios Peruanos (IEP)
http://www.iep.org.pe/programa.shtml
PHILIPPINES
Philippines Social Science Council (PSSC)
http://www.ifpphil.ph/
RUSSIA
Institute of International Education Russia and Eurasia Office
http://www.iie.ru/IFP
SENEGAL
Association of African Women in Research and Development (AAWORD/AFARD)
http://www.afard.org
SOUTH AFRICA
Africa-America Institute (AAI)
http://www.aaisa.org.za
TANZANIA
The Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF)
http://www.esrftz.org/ifp
THAILAND
Asian Scholarship Foundation (ASF)
http://www.asianscholarship.org/
UGANDA
Association of the Advancement of Higher Education and Development (AHEAD)
http://www.ifpeastafrica.org
VIETNAM
Center for Educational Exchange with Vietnam (CEEVN)
http://www.acls.org/ceevn/ifpguidelines.htm
