Timor Leste and South Pacific Scholarship Programs

The Office of Academic Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition to administer the United States-Timor Leste (USTL) Scholarship Program and the United States-South Pacific (USSP) Scholarship Program. Eligible applicants may submit a proposal to administer one or both of the scholarship programs. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to organize and carry out academic exchange program activities for students from Timor Leste and/or the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific (eligible nations are listed below in the Overview section). The recipient(s) will be responsible for all aspects of the programs, including publicity and recruitment of applicants; merit-based competitive selection; placement of students at an accredited U.S. academic institution; student travel to the U.S.; orientation; up to four years of U.S. degree study at the bachelor's or two years at the master's level; enrichment programming; advising, monitoring and support; pre-return activities; evaluation; and follow-up with program alumni. The duration of the award(s) will be up to five years, beginning in late summer 2008. The Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (Div. J, P.L. 110-161) provides $496,000 to support the USTL Scholarship Program and $496,000 to support the USSP Scholarship Program, which reflects the impact of the FY-2008 rescission which has been applied to all programs.