Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program

Scholarship Overview

• The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) provides opportunities for advanced study to individuals who will use this education to become leaders in their respective fields.
• To ensure that fellows are drawn from diverse backgrounds, IFP actively seeks candidates from social groups and communities that lack systematic access to higher education, and supports them through local partner organizations in 22 countries.
• Established in 2001, the International Fellowships Program is entering its concluding phase. The final cohort has been selected, and the program will conclude in 2013. Fellows represent historically disadvantaged groups from outside the United States. IFP has identified nearly 4,350 emerging leaders. More than 80 percent have completed their studies and are now at home serving their communities.

Host School

• IFP has International Partners worldwide that its fellows work with in projects and studies on social change.

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

What does the scholarship cover?

• Coverage of the award depends on the IFP’s International Partner’s provision

How many scholarships are given?

• The number of scholarships to be given depends on the number that the IFP’s International Partners can accommodate.

Which countries are targeted?

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

Am I Eligible to Apply?

• 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.
• Specifically, 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.
• On the other hand, those who are INELIGIBLE to the IFP awards are as follows:
  • Ford Foundation staff and their family members
  • Members of selection committees, staff of the organizations managing the program in the various regions, and their family members

How to Apply – Next Steps

• All applications must be submitted to the appropriate IFP International Partner in the country or region where the applicant resides.
• IFP International Partners determines 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.

Closing Date

• Deadline of the applications of fellowships varies on the deadlines imposed by IFP’s International Parnters

How do I get more information?

• List of IFP’s International Partners worldwide
• Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program