Educational Exchanges

Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
(Global UGRAD)
Application Instructions

Program overview

Academic program

The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (formerly the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program), a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, provides opportunities for first-, second-, and third-year undergraduate students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan for one year of full-time, non-degree study in the United States. First-year students will attend two-year community colleges and live in campus housing (dormitories) or with American host families.. Second- and third-year students will attend four-year universities and colleges and will live in campus housing (dormitories). Fellows may not choose their U.S. host university/college or community college.

Below are some of the possible fields of study for Global UGRAD.  Other fields will also be considered. 

• Accounting
• Agriculture
• Anthropology
• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Computer science
• Criminal justice
• Economics
• Education
• Engineering
• Environmental management
• Geology
• Hospitality management
• International relations
• Journalism and Mass communication
• Law
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Urban planning
• U.S. studies

Professional training

Community Service: To expose fellows to the principles of community service and social responsibility in the United States, UGRAD fellows will be required to perform a minimum of 20 hours of community service to local organizations during their first semester.

Part-Time Internship: Internships provide an essential opportunity for fellows to gain professional experience and skills that can be applied in their future careers in their home countries. UGRAD fellows on a full academic year scholarship will be required to intern 40 hours per month during their second semester.  Each fellow’s internship must be related to their field of study. Fellows may secure paid internships but most internships will be unpaid.

Technical eligibility requirements

Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, national origin, or gender. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Competition for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is merit-based and open to anyone who:

• Is a citizen, national or permanent resident qualified to hold a valid passport issued by one of the following eligible countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan;
• Is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at the time of application at a registered academic institution in one of the 12 eligible countries and in good academic standing. All students must return to their home academic institution for a minimum of one full term (semester or year) following the end of the UGRAD program. Correspondence students in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are also eligible to apply;
• Is between the ages of 18-24 years old at the time of travel to the United States (August-September 2010);
• Submits a complete application with all required documents by the application deadline;
• Is able to begin the academic exchange program in the United States in the fall of 2010;
• Is able to receive and maintain a U.S. J-1 visa;

• Is able to receive and maintain a U.S. J-1 visa;
• Is committed to returning to their home country after completion of the program;
• Is proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application.

Individuals in the following circumstances are NOT eligible for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program:

• U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States;
• Individuals currently participating in academic, training, or research programs in the United States;
• Individuals currently studying, residing, or working outside the 12 eligible countries;
• Individuals who have participated in an exchange visitor program sponsored or funded by the U.S. government for a period of more than six weeks and who have not fulfilled their two-year home residency requirement by the time of application;
• Individuals who have applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years;
• Local employees of the U.S. missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  Employees are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment;
• Immediate family members (i.e. spouses and children) of U.S. Department of State and USAID employees.  Family members are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment.
• Persons arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a crime (excluding minor traffic violations).

Current Global UGRAD Program employees and consultants and their immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, and siblings) are not eligible to apply for any Global UGRAD-administered grant programs, either as individuals or as the responsible party representing an institutional applicant.

The U.S. Department of State and the Global UGRAD Program reserve the right to verify all of the information included in the application. In the event that there is a discrepancy, or information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.

Under the terms of the grant and the laws governing the J-1 visa required for participation in the Global UGRAD 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 under any circumstances. No exceptions will be made.

Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee.

Financial provisions of the grant

• J-1 visa support;
• Round-trip travel from fellow’s home city to host institution in the United States;
• Accident and sickness insurance;
• Tuition and mandatory university fees;
• Room and board (housing and meals);
• Small incidentals allowance;
• Limited allowance for books;
• A wide variety of alumni networking and training opportunities.

Selection process and criteria

The Global UGRAD Program is conducted as a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of academic specialists. Chosen semi-finalists will be interviewed in their home country by a bi-national committee of U.S. specialists, program alumni, and U.S. Embassy representatives, and must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in early 2010. All applicants will be notified of their status in spring 2010.

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

• Academic excellence
• Cross-cultural interest
• Demonstrated leadership potential
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Flexibility and suitability as an exchange student
• Commitment to returning to their home country after completion of the program
• Preference will be given to those applicants living outside capital cities
• Preference will be given to students that represent indigenous, disadvantaged, and underrepresented communities with no prior experience outside their countries.

General application instructions

• Please answer ALL questions on the application in English (except where specified)
• Include your full, legal name, family name (surname) first as spelled on your international passport (if available). Do not translate name spellings (for example write Mariya and not Mary);

• Include complete contact information (including index codes for all addresses and city/country codes for all phone and fax numbers). Do not translate street or city names into English, only into the English alphabet (for example, write Prospekt Mira instead of “Peace Avenue”);
Do NOT leave a space blank. If a question does not apply to you, enter N/A (not applicable);

• All forms and supporting materials should be typewritten (if possible) and submitted with the completed application. Handwritten applications must be neatly printed in black ink;

• Write your full name and country of citizenship in the top right corner of each page.

• Personal Statement A: applicants must describe why they would like to study in the US, past experiences, what they will learn about America, and how the program will help their professional/personal goals.
• Personal Statement B: applicants must describe their idea of good leadership, who is a good leader and what are their qualities, your past leadership experience, and past experiences interacting with other cultures or persons.
• Personal Statement C: applicants must introduce themselves to future American roommates and/or host families by describing their interests, hobbies, family, home communities, what they hope to do in the US, and their past accomplishments.
• Privacy Statement and Application Certification: applicants must read and sign this form in order to verify that they understand the Global UGRAD Program’s privacy policy and that they have completed their applications truthfully.
• Two Recommendation Forms: applicants must have a recommendation completed by two different people for a total of two recommendations.  If the recommendation form is completed in a language other the English, there must be an accurate translation, which may be done by the applicant.

If selected to the semifinalist round, applicants must provide the following documentation at the time of their interview:

• A copy of applicant’s high school diploma with an accurate English translation, which may be done by applicant
• A copy of high school transcripts (course list and grades) with an English translation, which may be done by applicant (for first-year students only)
• A copy of applicant’s university transcript (or academic grade book) in the university language of instruction
• A letter of confirmation from your university stating enrollment status and program year (for third-year students enrolled in a five-year program at their home institution only)
• Internal passport (if applicable)
• A copy of applicant’s international passport (if available) or government-issued identification

Submission guidelines

The deadline for applications for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is 5:00 PM, MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2009.

Applications may be submitted via e-mail to:  ugradbelarus@yahoo.com or via fax to +1 301 576 4539 or +370 520 51830.

Do not send applications to the program administrator in Washington, DC.  No application will be returned to the applicant after the end of the competition.

Applications and any questions regarding the application process may be submitted via e-mail to ugradbelarus@yahoo.com or via fax to +1 301 576 4539 (US fax number) or +370 520 5180 (Lithuanian fax number).