Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Fellowships for Study Abroad & In the U.S.:
(Due January 15, 2008)
Official web
site: < www.rotary.org >
Who Can Apply:
Graduate (and Undergraduate) students who wish to
become ambassadors of goodwill and promote a positive
growth in the world.
Amount:
-Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships provide a flat
grant of US$23,000 for one academic year of study in
another country. These awards are intended to help defray
costs associated with round-trip transportation, tuition and other fees,
room and board, and some educational supplies. They are the
most common type of Ambassadorial Scholarships.
-Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships help fund two years
of degree-oriented study in another country. A flat grant
of $11,500 is provided each year.
-Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships help finance either
three or six months of intensive language study and
cultural immersion in another country. They provide a flat
grant of $10,000 for three months and $15,000 for six months. Funds are
intended to offset costs associated with round-trip
transportation, language training, and homestay living
arrangements. Applications are considered for candidates
interested in studying Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and Swedish.
-Some Rotary districts may offer only one type of
scholarship, or none at all.
Applicants must check with their local club about
availability. Grants are provided in U.S. dollars or their
international equivalent.
Other scholarship opportunities
There are many ways for districts to support the
Ambassadorial Scholarships program besides financing awards
through the District Designated Fund (DDF). Endowed, named,
and donated scholarships differ from regular DDF-funded
Ambassadorial Scholarships because they are financed by an
alternate source, and recipients often must comply with
special study or location restrictions determined by the
donor or donating district. Other options include supporting
the world competitive scholarships made possible by
district donations to the Scholarships Fund Pool for
Low-Income Countries and contributing to the Rotary Centers
for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution.
Read more about Ambassadorial Scholarships
and other opportunities in the program handbook.
Scholarship Purpose:
The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to
further international understanding and friendly relations
among people of different countries and geographical areas.
The program sponsors several types of scholarships for
undergraduate and graduate students as well as for
qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. While
abroad, scholars serve as goodwill ambassadors to the host
country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs
and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with
Rotarians and others the experiences that led to a greater
understanding of their host country.
History:
Ambassadorial Scholarships, The Rotary Foundation's oldest
and best-known
program, was founded in 1947. Since then, nearly 38,000 men
and women from about 100 nations have studied abroad under
its auspices. Today it is the world's largest privately
funded international scholarships program. Nearly 800
scholarships were awarded for study in 2005-06. Through
grants totaling approximately US$500 million, recipients
from about 70 countries studied in more than 70 nations.
Application process:
All Interested applicants must apply for Rotary Foundation
Ambassadorial
Scholarships through their local Rotary club. Because timelines vary, only your
local
club can provide specific information about application deadlines. For 2009-10
awards, club deadlines may be as early as 1 March 2008 or as late
as 15 August 2008. Remember that availability varies by Rotary
district. If your local district is not offering scholarships at
this time, try inquiring next year.
Typical with these applications you will have/need an essay, letters of
recommendation, a copy of your transcript, a filled out
application, and
a nomination by the school (or at the very least the club). Still
it is depends
on your area's club and what they have available.
NOTHING WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE SO DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MATERIALS
Final Selection process:
The selection process will vary by which district you are
applying in. I would check with your local chapter to ask for their
specific qualifications.
Duration & Conditions:
The length will vary on the type of scholarship you apply
for.
-Scholars are required to attend at least one orientation seminar if offered in
their district or region. Orientation seminars include training on
developing and delivering speeches and presentations.
-Study or training must be undertaken in another country or
territory where there are Rotary clubs. It cannot take place in the
country of the sponsor Rotary district.
-Although applicants are asked to list their preferred study
locations, the Foundation Trustees reserve the right to make
assignments to any suitable institution to ensure the widest
possible geographical distribution of scholars. Candidates must be
flexible in their study institution assignments.
-Scholars will not be assigned to a city, state, or province where
they have lived or studied for more than six months. As a result,
these scholarships are not appropriate for students seeking to
continue their studies at a given university.
-Each scholar is responsible for applying directly to the
assigned institution, gaining admission, obtaining required visas,
and making travel arrangements. The scholarship may not be used in
conjunction with a study-abroad program affiliated with a
home-country institution.
-Scholars must locate funds to cover all expenses that are not
specifically financed by their scholarships. Scholarships will not
be increased to cover spouses,
dependents, or anyone other than the scholar.
-Scholars may receive additional funding from other
sources during the scholarship period, but the Foundation will not
duplicate funds provided by these sources.
-Depending on tax laws in the home and host countries, the scholarships may be partially or fully taxable. It is the scholar's responsibility to investigate tax regulations for scholarship funding.
-Academic-Year and Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships may be
used for almost any field of study but cannot be applied to
unsupervised research, medical internships or residencies, or
employment. Scholars planning to pursue medical studies are not
permitted to engage in hands-on procedures or direct-care patient
services during the scholarship period.
-Any applicant for Academic-Year or Multi-Year Ambassadorial
Scholarships whose native language is not that of the proposed
country of study must submit evidence of the ability to read,
write, and speak the language of that country. Academic-year
scholarship candidates must also pass a language proficiency exam
determined by the Foundation.
Final Reminder that all materials must be
submitted by the appropriate Due dates. This scholarship has applicants
from all over the nation, and dates can not be bent for one applicant.
There is a list of important up to date
dates/deadlines on the official web site (Official web site
www.rotary.org) that should be
helpful, and if you follow them you should be fine. There is also more
information about the foundation and FAQ about the application process
you may find helpful. Good luck with your application process. If you
have any other questions or if we may be of further assistance with your
application process please contact the graduate office.