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2009 Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program – study for a master’s degree at a US University



Application deadline for the 2009 program: 5:00 PM, Friday, October 31, 2008

More information at http://www.irex.ru/programs/muskie/

If you would like to apply, please contact us at can@chechnyaadvocacy.org as soon as possible. As always, our volunteer advisors will assist you with any questions and preparing your application.



Established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to support democracy and economic development in Eurasia, the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program provides opportunities for outstanding professionals to study advanced degrees in the United States . Over the past sixteen years, more than 4,000 men and women have studied in 11 academic fields at over 200 U.S. universities. For 2009, the Muskie fellowship, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, provides opportunities for Master's level study in the United States to citizens of Russia and Ukraine states in the following fields:



· Business Administration*

· Economics*

· Law*

· Public Administration*

· Public Policy*



Master's applicants may apply for one- or two-year programs in the above fields. Applications are free of charge. This year, applications can be made online or by mail. The selection committee, the United States Department of State, and IREX will make the final decision as to length and type of program. Fellows cannot choose the university at which they will study; instead, it will be assigned by the Muskie program administration. Under the terms of this grant and the laws governing the J-1 visa required for participation in the Muskie Program, fellows must return to their home country immediately upon completion of the program for a period of at least two years. Fellows are not eligible for visa extensions or transfers (for example J1 to F1) under any circumstances. No exceptions will be made.

If you would like to apply, please contact us at can@chechnyaadvocacy.org no later than October 31, 2006. As always, our volunteer advisors will assist you with any questions and preparing your application.

Professional Training:

· Community Involvement: To further build fellows’ professional skills and expose them to the principles of community service and social responsibility in the United States , fellows will also be required to participate in a volunteer project related to their professional interests during the first academic year.

· Internship Component: Internships provide an essential opportunity for fellows to gain professional experience and skills which they can directly apply to their future careers in their home countries. Fellows will conduct a full-time internship during the summer following their first academic year. Fellows will have the option of extending their internship or conducting a second internship before their departure home.



Financial Provisions (the Muskie fellowship will pay for):

· J-1 visa support;

· Roundtrip travel from fellow’s home city to their host institution in the United States ;

· Tuition and additional mandatory university fees;

· Accident and sickness insurance;

· Monthly allowance for living expenses;

· Limited allowance for books;

· Limited allowance for professional development activities;

· An Orientation program;

· Pre-academic English-language training (if necessary); and

· A wide variety of alumni networking and training opportunities.



The Muskie program provides no financial support for dependents (husband/wife, children). However, dependents may join Muskie fellows if they can show that they have enough funds to support themselves in the US .



Technical Eligibility Requirements:
Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or gender. Competition for the Muskie Program is merit-based and open to anyone who:

· Is a citizen, national, or permanent resident qualified to hold a valid passport issued by the country of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan;

· Is the recipient of an undergraduate degree (four- or five-year program) by the time of the application (undergraduate degree must be in law in order to apply to the Muskie Program in the field of law);

· Submits a complete application and two copies (for a total of three) by the application deadline;

· Is able to begin the academic exchange program in the United States in the summer of 2009;

· Is able to receive and maintain a US J-1 visa.

· Proficiency in written and spoken English (some English training will be provided for successful candidates, if needed)


Technical Eligibility Requirements

Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or gender. Competition for the Muskie Program is merit-based and open to anyone who:



· Is a citizen, national, or permanent resident qualified to hold a valid passport issued by the country of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan;

· Is the recipient of an undergraduate degree (four- or five-year study) by the time of the application (undergraduate degree must be in law in order to apply to the Muskie Program in the field of law);

· Submits a complete application and two copies (for a total of three) by the application deadline (or submits the online application);

· Is able to begin the academic exchange program in the United States in the summer of 2009;

· Is able to receive and maintain a US J-1 visa.



Other Criteria for a successful applicants (informal selection criteria):

· Successful candidates have usually had several years of professional experience after graduating from university in their home country. Most fellows are between their mid-20s and late 30s in age.

· Successful candidates have shown “leadership” in their professional field or field of study. Leadership may mean that they hold positions of responsibility and influence, have taken personal initiative to tackle challenges in their communities, have performed above average in their field or have otherwise distinguished themselves.

· Successful candidates should be able to convince the committee that they are dedicated to their professional field and their country’s/community’s future development by both their past record of engagement and their plans for the future.

· Successful candidates should have a clear and informed idea of what they want to accomplish and how a US graduate education can help them with their goals.

· Successful candidates are flexible, good communicators and able to adapt to a new environment.



Selection Process and Criteria:

The Muskie Program is conducted as a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by a bi-national panel of academics, regional experts, and alumni. Chosen semi-finalists will be interviewed in their home country by a bi-national committee of US academic specialists, program alumni, and US embassy representatives. Selected semi-finalists will take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), as well as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), if applicable, in early 2008. Program finalists and alternates will be chosen based on results of the initial application review, interview committee, and test scores. IREX staff provides administrative support only and does not vote in the final selections. All applicants will be notified of their status in spring 2008. Fellowships will begin in August 2008. Due to the volume of applications received, IREX will not be able to forward explanations to applicants that were not chosen as program finalists.



Selection panels will use the following criteria to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):

· Academic excellence

· Flexibility and suitability as a graduate exchange student

· Relevant work experience

· Demonstrated leadership potential

· Proficiency in written and spoken English

· Commitment to returning to their home country after program completion and to sharing the benefit of the program with their community

· Preference will be given to those applicants from outside capital cities

· Preference will be given to applicants who have not had prior US study abroad experience



To learn more about the program and to look at the application forms, go to http://www.irex.ru/programs/muskie/.



* Description of Degree Programs:



Business Administration

The study of the operations, management, and leadership of businesses and organizations. The study of business administration covers theory, but is focused more on practical applications, including working with case studies and in groups. Subspecialties include: accounting, banking, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, human resources management, international business, investment, electronic commerce, management of information systems and technology, marketing, operations management, strategic management, and logistics management, among others.



Economics

The study of the production, supply, demand, and allocation of resources in society. Employing a combination of both theory and mathematics, economics examines economic trends and predicts future developments in society, analyzes the effects of government economic policy on the economy, and assesses how governments, private institutions, and households make decisions in varying economic conditions. Economics examines a wide range of practical topics, including inflation, unemployment, and taxes. Subspecialties include: agricultural economics, applied economics, development economics, econometrics, environmental and resource economics, international economics, macroeconomics, microeconomics, labor economics, economic policy, public finance, and urban and regional

economics, among others.



Law (LLM)

The study of one particular field or specialization of law. The Mas ters of Law (LLM) program is designed to provide lawyers with a specific in-depth concentration. Candidates for this field of study in the Muskie Program must have a law degree from their home country. Subspecialties include: intellectual property law, human rights law, international comparative law, environmental law, and tax law, among others.



Public Administration

The study of management as it relates to government sector (local, state, federal) or organizations serving the public. Subspecialties include: local governance, healthcare management, criminal justice, public management, non-profit management, public finance, and city/urban management, among others.



Public Policy

The study of decision-making and policy formation in the public sector through the analysis of economic and political factors. Public Policy focuses on studying information and data to develop alternative approaches to dealing with current issues and problems. Subspecialties include: policy analysis, environmental policy, education policy, energy policy, public health policy, economic policy, security policy, social policy, and international affairs, among others.





Almut Rochowanski

Coordinator, Programs and Advocacy

Chechnya Advocacy Network



almut@chechnyaadvocacy.org

www.chechnyaadvocacy.org

__________________
A believer is like a tender plant. The wind bends it in whichever direction the wind is blowing. Barely does it get (a chance to be) straight before the afflictions bend it again. A wicked person is like a pine tree: solid and straight until Allah uproots it if He so wills.
[Bukhari]