Organization of American States Academic Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies

Organization of American States Academic Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies

Applicants seek their own admission at any university within the OAS Member States.

The student must:

1. be enrolled in the program of study and be eligible to graduate within 2 academic years from the date of the award, or
2. be accepted into the university for the last two years of the undergraduate degree (admission letter must state that the applicant will complete the program of studies within 2 academic years).*

* For option 2, applicants that need to transfer credits from previous post-secondary studies in order to comply with the OAS requirement to graduate within 2 academic years, must complete this process with the host institution on their own. If a candidate is selected to receive an OAS scholarship, he/she will need to provide the OAS, with an official letter from the host institution, the total number of credits successfully transferred before the scholarship award documents can be issued.

CHARACTERISTICS OF OAS SCHOLARSHIPS

• OAS Academic Scholarships are awarded for full-time studies at any university in an OAS Member State, with the exception of the applicant’s sponsoring country.
• Study Modality: Onsite, Online or a combination of both.
• OAS Academic Scholarships are awarded for a minimum period of one (1) academic year and no more than two (2) academic years.
• OAS Scholarship Recipients must return and remain in the sponsoring country for a period of no less than twenty four (24) months * after completing the program of study.

* The requirement to remain in the sponsoring country upon the completion of study, also applies to those who completed their studies online.

• OAS Scholarships awarded for undergraduate studies, should be framed within the eight (8) OAS priority areas.
• The OAS does not award scholarships for studies in the Medical Sciences and the learning of new languages.
• OAS Staff members, OAS Consultants, Staff members of the Permanent Missions to the OAS, and their relatives are not eligible* to apply for an OAS Scholarship .

* They will be eligible only after six months from the termination of their employment relationship or contract before they can apply for a scholarship.

ELIGIBILITY

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of an English speaking Caribbean Member States or Suriname - See OAS Member States.
• Have completed the first two (2) years of the Undergraduate degree, or have an Associate’s degree.
• Have a GPA above the minimum standard required by the university.
• Be in good physical and mental health to complete the program successfully.

The ONEs in the Member States may haveadditional eligibility requirements. Please contact the ONE in your country for more information.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Online Application Form
• Copy of the Associate’s diploma, if applicable. For those candidates already enrolled in the bachelor’s program, copy of the high school diploma.
• Copy of the Associate’s degree transcripts, if applicable. For those candidates already enrolled in the Bachelor’s degree program, latest transcripts from the current program of study.
• Three (3) recommendation letters: Preferably two (2) different letters from current or former professors using the OAS Recommendation Statement Form, and one (1 ) from a current or previous employer using the Employer Recommendation Form *.Recommendation letters from relatives WILL NOT not be accepted.

* If unemployed or never employed, include a third letter from a professor or someone who can be considered providing reference of your qualities as a student or professional (using the Recommendation Statement Form).

• Curriculum Vitae. (a maximum of four (4) pages)

* Please do not include diplomas of conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. Do not send photographs nor copies of your thesis project.

• Unconditional Admission letter (s) to university (ies)*. 

* Deadlines to submit admission letters:
- Pre-selected Candidate** : Candidates who will begin their studies between January and April 2017: November 30,, 2016
- Pre-selected ** Candidates who will begin their studies after April 2017: May 31, 2017

** Please ask the ONE in your country if you were pre-selected

• Identification from Sponsoring Country

BENEFITS

The OAS Academic Scholarships are complementary in nature, and do not cover 100% of the Scholarship Recipient’s expenses. The scholarships have a monetary cap up to US $30,000 per academic year. Not all OAS scholarships offer the same benefits. Benefits are allocated on a case by case basis.

• Roundtrip airfare (from the sponsoring country to the country of study)
• Tuition and mandatory fees
• Yearly books allowance (US $300 for onsite studies / US $1,000 for online studies)
• Health insurance. (for onsite students only)
• Monthly complementary subsistence allowance (for onsite students only)

The complementary subsistence allowance is a fixed amount. Therefore, in case you are selected for a scholarship, you will have to demonstrate proof of additional funds, before the OAS issues your scholarship contract, for your monthly subsistence allowance.

Note: OAS scholarships do not include benefits for the student’s dependents.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/specaf_2016.asp