OAS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ACADEMIC STUDIES
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES OR
GRADUATE RESEARCH FOR THE 2011-2012 SELECTION PROCESS
CLOSED
ACADEMIC CYCLE 2011–2012: For OAS scholarship to start between January 2011 and March 2012, depending on the academic cycle of the university.ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: To be considered for an OAS academic scholarship, you must:
- Be citizens or permanent residents of an OAS Member State.
- Possess the necessary educational background and/or professional experience to be accepted into the academic program identified for placement.
- Have completed the highest degree required to undertake further graduate, or undergraduate, studies at the time of the deadline set by the National Liaison Office of their sponsoring country.
- Be in good physical and mental health to complete the program successfully.
- Be endorsed by the ONE in their Member State. OAS Scholarships are awarded to study in an OAS Member State other than the sponsoring country.
- Apply directly to the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Culture in Washington, DC, if you are a United States citizen or legal permanent resident. All United States citizens or legal permanent residents must include proof of such legal status.
- Possess the language competence to undertake studies in the country of study. Any applicant for an OAS-placed award will be required, as part of the placement process, to provide proof of proficiency in the language of instruction via a Language Certificate. For studies in the United States, Canada and/or the English-speaking Caribbean, official TOEFL scores will be necessary. These test results must be included in your application package.
- Provide satisfactory scores for any admission and standardized tests (GRE or GMAT), if required by the institutions, if you are an OAS-placed candidate intending to study in the United States or Canada. You will be responsible for the cost of these tests. Because of the importance of standardized tests scores for the technical evaluation of applications, these tests results must be included in the application package. Please check admission requirements for the program of studies that you are interested in.
- Be aware that if, after a reasonable period, the OAS or its third-party administrator is unsuccessful in negotiating your placement at one (1) of three (3) universities or programs of study, then the OAS offer will be cancelled with no right to appeal.
- Agree to return to reside in the sponsoring country for a period of no less than twenty-four (24) months after completing the program of study covered by the scholarship (if you are awarded an OAS scholarship), if you are an on-site student. If you are applying for online studies, you must agree to remain in the sponsoring country for the same period of time.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON OAS ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS:
- OAS scholarships are awarded for full-time study, or research, leading to a graduate or undergraduate degree, in any OAS Member State except the one sponsoring the candidate for the OAS scholarship.
- OAS scholarships are awarded for study or research only in institutions located in an OAS Member State.
- Current OAS staff members, OAS consultants, staff members of the Permanent Missions to the OAS, and their relatives are not eligible for OAS academic scholarships and must wait until six months have elapsed after the termination of the employment or contractual relationship before they may apply for an OAS scholarship.
- OAS scholarships are granted for a minimum period of one academic year and a maximum of two academic years.
- The Department of Human Development, Education and Culture (DHDEC) of OAS publishes on its website the names and nationality of scholarship recipients. An applicant must agree in writing on the scholarship application form to having his/her name published if he/she is awarded an OAS scholarship.
- Monthly living allowances paid under the OAS Scholarship generally cover approximately 60% of the expenses an OAS Scholarship recipient may incur. Individuals selected for an OAS Scholarship are encouraged to identify other sources of financing (other scholarships, educational loans, or, with permission from the OAS, part-time work, etc.) and should be prepared to show that they are able to support themselves for the duration of the scholarship.
- The scholarship must be executed during the academic cycle for which the scholarship announcement is issued. There can be no postponement of the award and no retroactive awarding of the scholarship.
- Universities identified by applicants for possible placement must be accredited and academically reputable in the country in which they are located.
BENEFITS: The OAS scholarship provides, depending on the circumstances of each scholar: a round-trip international ticket, tuition and fees, a yearly fixed book allowance, health insurance and a fixed monthly subsistence allowance (which varies from country to country). No benefits are paid to family members of the OAS scholar.
DEADLINES:
- APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT THEIR COMPLETED APPLICATION AND DOCUMENTS TO THEIR NATIONAL LIAISON OFFICE (ONE) IN THEIR SPONSORING MEMBER STATE: deadline determined by each Member State’s ONE. Applicants must contact their ONE for the deadline.
- The ONE of each Member State must present to the Department of Human Development, Education and Culture of the OAS in Washington D.C. the list of ranked pre-selected candidates they will sponsor by: Friday April 30th, 2010.
- U.S. citizens or permanent residents who will be sponsored by the U.S. for an OAS scholarship must present their completed applications and documents to the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Culture, 1889 F Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20006, by: April 15th, 2010.
- Applicants may present results of retaken standardized tests no later than July 30th, 2010, only if they want to submit improved scores.
- Self-placed applicants who will begin studies between January and April of 2011 must send to OAS Headquarters letters of admission to universities by: October 29th, 2010. All other candidates beginning studies later on in 2011, may submit their letter of admission by July 1st, 2011.
Incomplete applications and those not received by the stated deadlines will not be considered. Requirements, evaluation criteria, and deadlines will be strictly enforced.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
The OAS Scholarship Application Form is an electronic form which must be completed online and submitted to the OAS database:
Only the on-line OAS Application Form (098/01/07) will be accepted.
In the event that applicants experience difficulties filling out or sending this application electronically, they may send an e-mail to: scholtechassist@oas.org
A copy of the completed application in PDF format will be sent automatically to your e-mail address. You must print and sign the application.
Instructions to Upload or Attach Documents to the Online Application:
One original and one copy of the application must be submitted along with the originals and copies of the required documents and forms to the ONE. All forms and documents must be uploaded together in one single PDF file. Please note that the system will only accept one PDF file that does not exceed 8MB. You may consider seeking assistance from an internet café or a copy center.
- Gather all the physical documents to be uploaded in the following order:
- Recommendation Forms:
- Employer Recommendation Form
- Professor Recommendation Form
- Diploma of highest degree obtained
- Transcripts of grades for highest degree obtained or current studies
- Standardized Tests Results (if applicable)
- TOEFL
- GRE and/or GMAT
- Admission Letter (if Self-placed applicant)
- Résumé
- Scan all documents into one single file in PDF format
- Scan in medium resolution
- Scan in black and white
- Save the document in your computer or memory stick/USB. Once again, make sure the file does not exceed 8MB
- On the Online Application, click the “Browse” button, select the appropriate file and then select the “Add Documents” button
Required Forms
The OAS Scholarship Application Form is an electronic form which must be completed online and submitted to the OAS database:
Graduate Scholarships
Undergraduate ScholarshipsOnly the on-line OAS Application Form (098/01/07) will be accepted.
In the event that applicants experience difficulties filling out or sending this application electronically, they may send an e-mail to: scholtechassist@oas.org
A copy of the completed application in PDF format will be sent automatically to your e-mail address. You must print and sign the application.
Required Forms:
Required forms can be found on the last page of the Application Form. Double-click to open, download and save them on your computer. They must be completed electronically or in typed format, signed, dated, scanned and attached to your on-line application form.
- Recommendation Forms:
- Use only the Recommendation Statement Form (099/01/07) to obtain two (2) recommendations, one of which must be from a current or former professor. Each of the recommenders must prepare and sign the recommendation.
- Use only the Recommendation Form for Employer/Institution (100/01/07) to obtain one (1) recommendation from a current or previous employer. The recommender must prepare and sign the recommendation. If unemployed or never employed, obtain a third recommendation using the Recommendation Statement Form above.
- For OAS placed candidates whose desired country of study is the United States or Canada, we require three (3) original letters from each recommender (no photocopies). In all other cases, we require only one (1) original letter from each recommender.
- Recommendation letters from relatives of the applicant may not be submitted. Relatives are defined as: spouse, son or daughter, stepson or stepdaughter, father or mother, stepfather or stepmother, brother or sister, half-brother or half-sister, stepbrother or stepsister, father- or mother-in-law, son- or daughter-in-law, and brother- or sister-in-law.
- Certificate of Language Proficiency Form: If you intend to study in a language other than your native language, please have fill out this form. If English is not your native language, and you intend to study in an English-speaking country, the TOEFL test scores replace this certificate.
- Medical History Form: OAS Scholarship awardees will be required to submit a Medical History Form that attests to the sound mental and physical health of the candidate to undertake and complete the program of studies. The certification is only valid for one (1) year. All costs associated with complying with the medical examination requirement are the responsibility of the awardees.
Required Documents:
- Standardized test results, if required by the academic institution for OAS-placed candidates (see deadlines for due dates). If intending to study in the U.S. or Canada, be advised that the vast majority of universities require the GRE or GMAT tests, as well as TOEFL (required from non English-speakers) to issue an admission letter. The OAS institutional code for the GRE is 2354. The OAS institutional code for the TOEFL is 9358. Be advised that if the candidate is selected to receive an OAS-placed scholarship, he/she will be required to submit two (2) additional original tests scores for placement purposes.
- Certified copy of the diploma (notarized or stamped by the issuing university) for the highest degree obtained. If you are selected to receive an OAS-placed scholarship, you will be required to submit two (2) additional notarized/stamped copies of the diploma for placement purposes.
- Original transcript of grades obtained for all degrees completed. If you are currently enrolled in a program of study, you will need to submit the current transcript. If you are selected to receive an OAS-placed scholarship, you will be required to submit two (2) additional original transcripts of the highest degree completed or current transcript for placement purposes.
- For undergraduate studies applicants only: Original transcript of grades for the program of studies in which currently enrolled. If you intend to transfer credits from previous studies to undertake only the last two years of a Bachelor’s degree program, you must submit original transcripts of grades and certified copy of the diploma from your Associate’s degree.
- Resume (must not exceed 4 pages; no need to attach pictures, copies of publications, diplomas or certificates)
If you are selected for an OAS-placed scholarship to study in a country where the curriculum is taught in a language other than the one in which you completed previous studies, the OAS will request an official translation of the diploma and transcripts of the highest degree obtained at the time the award is announced.
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
- The objectives and priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Integral Development 2006-2009 which takes into account individual country and hemisphere-wide developmental needs;
- The training priorities of the Member States;
- The merits and overall credentials of the applicant, including academic and/or professional experience which will be judged by:
- the quality of the written essays and how well candidates explain a) the impact they believe their studies will have on their institution/community/country, and b) their five-year plan upon return to the sponsoring country
- the candidate’s university grade point average (GPA) and class ranking should be considered superior by the country/institution from which the candidate has graduated -or is currently studying- in order to facilitate the placement of an awardee in a reputable university
- the scores obtained in the standarized tests, if applicable
- the level of completeness and detail put into the preparation of the application
- the quality of the recommendation letters which attest to the candidate’s ability to perform and to succeed as a scholarship recipient and describe what contribution and impact the recommender believes the candidate will have on the institution/community/country
- A geographic distribution that takes into account the greater needs of smaller and emerging economies;
- Potential and commitment of the candidate to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to the development of the sponsoring country;
- Gender equality and equity as an important element in all partnership-for-development programming; and,
- The financial need of the applicant, as established by the ONEs and National Commissions.
If you have questions regarding the status of your application during the recruitment and selection process for OAS academic scholarships, please contact your National Liaison Offices (ONEs).
Other questions may be sent to the Department of Human Development, Academic Scholarships Unit, Scholarships@oas.org. Please indicate in your e-mail whether your question relates to the graduate or the undergraduate scholarship program.