Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF) Graduate Fellowship Program 2018

Deadline: July 10, 2017

The Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF) is an education fund administered by American Councils and dedicated to the long-term economic development of Kosovo through the education of its people. KAEF provides up to 8 graduate fellowships per year to promising Kosovars for top-level training at select U.S. universities. After returning to Kosovo, program graduates assume leadership positions in government, business, finance, and nonprofit organizations, using their knowledge and attained skills to generate sustainable and positive change.

To date, 40 universities have hosted KAEF Fellows, including University of Missouri, Columbia, University of Montana, Bentley University, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. Aside from providing KAEF Fellows a top-notch education, the university partners also provide tuition cost-sharing. Without exception, KAEF Fellows have performed at a high academic level.

Benefits

• University partners provide tuition cost-sharing;
• KAEF Fellows receive an opportunity for valuable practical experience, including:
  • Summer internships – Fellows are required to intern with a business or organization working in their field of expertise during the summer months;
  • Practical training – Fellows are given the option of staying in the U.S. for an extended period of time after completing their degree in order to participate in a practical training internship.

Fellows have served with, among other organizations, Dell Computers, the World Bank, Voice of America, the International Finance Corporation, the Duke Center for International Development, and the Xerox Corporation.

Eligibility

The KAEF Program does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, age, race, color, gender, religion or disability. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Competition for the KAEF Program is merit-based and open to anyone who meets the following requirements:

• In possession of a passport from Kosovo by October 2017;
• An habitual resident in Kosovo and residing in Kosovo at the time of application and during the selection process;
• Able to convincingly demonstrate existing and durable ties to Kosovo, and a firm commitment to return to Kosovo for at least two years after the completion of the program;
• The recipient of an undergraduate degree by the time of study in the U.S. (degree must be in law in order to apply to the KAEF Program in the field of law);
• Proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application;
• Able to demonstrate professional aptitude and leadership potential in the selected field of specialization;
• Able to begin the program of study in the United States in the summer of 2018;
• Able to receive and maintain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa.

Application Process

• Create an account to begin your application.
• Selection of KAEF Fellows is a three-step process:
  • First, all applications are reviewed by U.S. admissions experts.
  • Second, highly ranked candidates are interviewed and tested in Kosovo.
  • Finally, the applications, test scores, and interview results of highly ranked candidates are reviewed by U.S. admissions experts and fellowship awardees are selected. Results are announced in early summer.

The 2018 application for the KAEF Graduate Fellowship Program will be available until 11:59 PM (EST) on July 10, 2017. Your application must be submitted by that date in order to be considered in this year’s selection process.

Timeline

• July 10, 2017: Application deadline
• August 2017: Tier 1 semi-finalist candidates identified
• September 2017: Official TOEFL exams administered to the tier 1 semi-finalist candidates
• September 2017: All tier 1 semi-finalists interviewed by university admission specialist and American Councils staff in Prishtina and official copies of supporting documents are to be submitted
• September 2017: Tier 2 semi-finalists identified
• September/October 2017: GRE or GMAT exams administered to tier 2 semi-finalists
• January 2018: KAEF finalists identified
• June 2018: KAEF finalists take part in Pre-Departure Orientation
• August 2018: KAEF finalists depart for the U.S.

For more information, visit KAEF Graduate Fellowship Program.