UGRAD Mongolia - Fully Funded Global Undergraduate Exchange Program 2018-2019, USA

The 2018-2019 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program

U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar is pleased to announce the 2018-2019 Global Undergraduate Exchange (Global UGRAD) program. The Global UGRAD is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and is a fully-funded scholarship for one semester of non-degree academic study at an assigned U.S. college or university.

Participants are emerging leaders committed to their home countries and communities, and throughout the Global UGRAD program they will challenge themselves to explore U.S. society, culture, and academic learning.

The goal of the Global UGRAD scholarship is to provide a diverse group of emerging student leaders with a substantive exchange experience at an American college or university. Students from rural and urban areas are encouraged to apply, but proficiency in written and spoken English is a requirement. The application deadline is January 1, 2018 5 a.m. ULAT.

Eligibility:

Global UGRAD applicants will be considered without respect to race, religion, ethnicity, or gender. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The program is merit-based and is open to anyone who:

1. Is a Mongolian citizen residing in Mongolia;
2. Is 18-24 years old at the time of application;
3. Has completed secondary education in Mongolia and is currently enrolled as an undergraduate in good standing at any accredited university, public or private;
4. Will have at least one semester to be completed at their home university after the conclusion of the Global UGRAD program;
5. Has a GPA of no less than 3.0. Please attach your academic transcript in English issued by your school;
6. Has a solid command of both written and spoken English: English language test scores are not mandatory at the time of application. However, if selected for the program the candidates will be requested to take TOEFL IBT. The minimum target score is TOEFL IBT 61 or ITP/PBT 500. Please note that for students who have lower English skills but are otherwise strongly qualified, one semester of English training may be provided in the U.S. prior to the start of the academic studies;
7. Able to begin studies in the U.S. in August 2018 or January 2019 (selected participants may not defer to a later date);
8. Eligible to receive and maintain a U.S. student exchange visa (J-1) required for the program;
9. Committed to returning to Mongolia after the completion of the program.

Individuals in the following circumstances are not eligible for participation the Global UGRAD Program:

• U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S.;
• Individuals currently studying, residing, or working outside of their home country;
• 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;
• Current World Learning employees and their immediate family members

Note: The Global UGRAD program is open to students of all majors except Medicine, Law, TESL, and Pharmaceutical Studies, as these are typically offered only at graduate levels in the U.S. At the undergraduate level, TESL is usually offered as a minor within the Education major.

Students will be placed at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and will not be able to select their own placement. Students will take courses in their fields of study as well as U.S. studies courses. The standard number of U.S. academic credits per semester is 12, out of which one academic course (2-4 credits) must related to U.S. studies. Additional credits are contingent upon the designated U.S. host institution and are subject to World Learning’s approval. Students will live in university housing/dormitories. Upon program conclusion, students will not be eligible to transfer into degree programs in the U.S.

Individuals participating in the Global UGRAD program are also required to:

• Uphold the academic standards of the host institution and abide by all program terms and conditions. Failure to maintain academic standards or meet the goals of the program may result in the participants’ dismissal from the program.
• Perform 20 hours of volunteer community service during their semester on the UGRAD program.
• Return to Mongolia immediately after completion of the program. Participants may not stay for further degree study or for any other purpose in the U.S.

Please read all instructions and information carefully before completing the application, and review all fields before making any submission online. The application can be saved and submitted at a later time. All forms in this application are to be completed in English.

To be considered for evaluation, applicants must:

• Answer every question completely and carefully;
• Respond to essay questions as instructed, adhering to indicated word limits;
• Upload two letters of recommendation with certified translations, if necessary: 
  • One recommendation must be completed by an instructor or advisor from the student’s university;
  • The second recommendation can be from another instructor, an employer, coach, former exchange program coordinator or host family (from a prior exchange). Family members and personal friends may not provide letters of recommendation;
• Upload official undergraduate transcripts with certified English translations. Grades must be printed on official university stationery, signed by a dean or equivalent official, and certified with official university seal if possible;
• Upload official confirmation of the current academic year enrollment (if not included in transcript). This document does not need official translation to English;
• Upload English language test score report (if taken previously). This document is not obligatory;
• Upload a copy of his/her ID and passport face page or other proof of citizenship;
• Once your application is complete and supporting documents are uploaded, hit “Submit” to officially apply. Once submitted, you will not be able to change the information on the forms.

Note: The contents of transcripts and recommendations will be verified with the appropriate institutions and instructors. When preparing your application be sure to request all transcripts and academic recommendations in sufficient time to receive them before the application deadline. Applications are expected to represent the original thought and individual work of the applicant. Plagiarism, representing another author’s language thoughts ideas or expressions as your original work without proper acknowledgment, is unacceptable. Any instance of plagiarism in a student application or essay is grounds for immediate disqualification from consideration for the program.

The application deadline for the Global UGRAD program is January 1, 2018 5 a.m. ULAT. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. 

For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

https://mn.usembassy.gov/2018-ugrad/