You can make a difference by applying for a Fulbright Scholarship!

If you want to apply to the Fulbright Scholarship Program 2008-2009, and fulfill all the program requirements identified below, read the following information carefully and send us all required documentation.

GENERAL INFORMATION

FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDIES to start academic studies in the United States between August and September 2009,
The Public Affairs Office of the United States Embassy-San Salvador offers scholarships for graduate studies in an American university for a maximum period of two years.   The Fulbright Scholarship program is designed for professionals with academic excellence, great leadership skills, civic spirit, and special vocation to public service.   While scholarships for Nursing, Dentistry, and other medical careers are not considered for this program, Public Health is considered.  We especially encourage female applicants, applicants from outside the metropolitan area, and professionals interested in public and/or educational services.   
 

• PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

• Salvadoran citizenship,  currently residing in El Salvador
• Completed preliminary application sent to the address given at the end of this section.
• Bachelor’s Degree and University Diploma
• An excellent Grade Point Average in prior studies
• English proficiency.  This must be demonstrated by taking an English Proficiency Test, or by attaching TOEFL scores  to the application if the applicant has already completed testing (minimum acceptable score is 80 points in the IBT version of the TOEFL)

Candidates will not be able to apply if: 

• They have  received a Fulbright Scholarship previously
• They have dual citizenship (American- Salvadoran) or US residency
• They have obtained an academic degree or a university diploma in the United States
• They have been admitted to an American university at the time of application to the program
• They are not living in El Salvador at the time of application
• They have had long academic or professional experience in the U.S.

PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA  

The Fulbright Scholarships are highly competitive, and applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria established by the program.  Based on the recommendations of the Selection Committee, the names of selected applicants are sent to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) in Washington, D.C for final approval.

• Selection Committee receives pre-applications

• Selection Committee pre-selects candidates for interview

• Selection Committee receives two sets of official documents from pre-select candidates

• Selection Committee interviews candidates

• Selection Committee nominates grantees in home country

• Applications are sent to Fulbright Scholarship Board in the US for approval

• Candidates are officially notified of having been granted with Fulbright Scholarship in home country

• IIE Foreign Fulbright Programs Division (FFPD) receives approved Fulbright applications

• FFPD reads applications and works with Placement and Pre-Academic divisions to ensure best program for student

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION
May 17, 2008

PROGRAM CALENDAR

• Promotion of the Program
  February - March 2008

• English Proficiency Test
  March 29,  2008 and April 5,  2008

• Deadline for Application
  May 17, 2008

BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM

The scholarships are assigned on a yearly basis and renewal will be considered upon successful academic performance of each grantee in the United States. This scholarship covers the living costs of the grantee in the U.S., but does not cover the expenses of the grantee’s accompanying family members.
The benefits of the Fulbright Scholarship Program are:

• Assistance to the grantee in the identification of and application for admission to American Universities
• Costs of standardized tests required for admission at those universities.
• Pre-departure Orientation
• Assistance in obtaining the J-1 visa (Exchange Program Visa)
• Round trip airline ticket 
• Medical Insurance provided by the Government of the United States, which fulfills the minimum requirements established by the J-1 visa and by the Fulbright Program.
• Living expenses which vary depending on city of destination

Pre-academic programs in the U.S.  The lengths of these programs vary between four days and eight weeks, and are held before the graduate study program begins. 
 

VISAS

In order to make sure that El Salvador receives the benefits of the Exchange program, (J-1 visas for grantees and J-2 visas for the Fulbright grantee’s dependents) requirements state that visitors under an exchange program return to and remain in EL SALVADOR FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER COMPLETION OF THEIR PROGRAM.  The commission will also assist the grantee in obtaining J-2 visas for their families, though the grantee is responsible for their living expenses.

FREE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TEST

To support your participation, we invite you to take the free English Proficiency test that will be administered on the following dates:

• San Salvador.  Centro Cultural Salvadoreño Americano, Av. Los Sisimiles, next to Metrocentro, from  8:00  to 11:00 a.m. , on March 29  and  April 5 , 2008.
• San Miguel. Centro Cultural Salvadoreño Americano, Edificio Centro Cultural Salvadoreño  9av. Avenida Sur, from  8:00  to 11:00 a.m. March 29,  2008.

• If interested you must fill out the preliminary application form and participate in the selection process and submit it before the deadline.
  

If you are selected for the interview you will receive an email with the official on-line application, you will have a week to fill out the online application and an additional week to present original documents.

Those documents must be delivered to: 
Fernando Herrera
Especialista Cultural
Oficina de Asuntos Públicos
Embajada de Los Estados Unidos
Final Boulevard Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Two copies of Professional Diploma conferred by the university in which the applicant studied which must have all corresponding certificates of the MINED and the MIREX or Apostille.
  
  
• Two copies of a Global Grade Certificate , conferred by the university, in which the GPA, the grade of the Professional Practice, and the grade of the thesis and/ or Graduation Exam are given.  All these documents must have all the corresponding certificates of the MINED and the MIREX or Apostille.

  
  
• Two copies of Ranking Certificate which must indicate the position of the candidate out of the total number of graduating students in his/her class. The certificate must have the corresponding seal of the university where the candidate pursued his undergraduate studies.
  
  
• Two copies of three letters of reference in sealed envelope.
  
  
• If you have any scores for the TOEFL (80 points is the minimum acceptable score in the IBT version of the TOEFL), and for the GRE general, please attach them to the application form.  Scores for the TOEFL are valid for two years.  It is not required, but good scores in these tests give the applicant a better opportunity of being selected.

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

ALL THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED MUST BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO:
fulbrightelsalvador@state.gov

The deadline for submitting the on-line application and required documents is May 17, 2008.

If applications do not fulfill all requirements, they will be eliminated from the process.  For any additional information contact the Public Affairs Office at the United States Embassy at 2501-2471 or the Oficina de Asesoría Estudiantil at Centro Cultural Salvadoreño Americano at 2260-9024.

http://fulbright.ecacms.getusinfo.com/
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Educational Information and Resources
Fulbright Program
United States Institute of Peace
educationusa.state.gov