Applications are invited for Norman E. Borlaug LEAP (Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program) fellowships available for Sub-Saharan African students. The program supports engaging a mentor at a US university and a CGIAR center. The award level is US$20,000 for a maximum of one year. The funds are administered as a grant to the US university mentor. The program supports internships at the CGIAR, US graduate-level university or a combination of appropriate institutions for up to 12 months. A minimum of three months should be spent at any one location. The application deadline is May 1, 2014.
Study Subject(s): Fellowships are awarded for conducting research on topics related to the US Government’s global hunger initiative–Feed the Future. All topics related to agriculture (as defined by Title XII) and the Feed the Future initiative are admissible.
Course Level: Fellowships are available for conducting research.
Scholarship Provider: The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program is supported through the US Government’s Feed the Future Borlaug 21st Century Leadership Program funded by the United States Agency for International Development.
Scholarship can be taken at: USA
Eligibility: An eligible candidate for a Borlaug LEAP fellowship must be
- a citizen of a USAID-assisted country. Currently we are only accepting applications from citizens of USAID-assisted countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Applicants cannot hold citizenship or permanent residency in the US and/or any non-USAID assisted country. This includes applicants with dual citizenship.
- currently enrolled as an MS or PhD student at a US or sub-Saharan Africa developing country university.
- fluent in reading, writing and speaking English (with a TOEFL score 500 or above). Applicants currently enrolled in an English-speaking university are not required to take the TOEFL.
In addition, eligible candidates will have - completed at least one year of graduate level course work in the graduate program the applicant is currently enrolled in with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- a thesis-topic related to agricultural development and related fields.
Successful candidates must: - agree to return to their country of citizenship for a minimum of two years following graduation.
- remain enrolled as an MS or PhD student and have student status at their university for the duration of their fellowship.
Scholarship Open for International Students: Students of Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad, Dem. Rep. Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome/Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe can apply for these fellowships.
Scholarship Description: The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (Borlaug LEAP) awards fellowships to outstanding graduate students who show strong promise as leaders in the field of agriculture and related disciplines. The program honors Dr. Norman Borlaug whose distinguished career epitomized the qualities of leadership, scholarship, scientific achievement, international cooperation, mentoring, and passion.
Number of award(s): Not Known
Duration of award(s): Fellowships are offered for one year.
What does it cover? The award level is US$20,000 for a maximum of one year. The funds are administered as a grant to the US university mentor. Grant funds can be used to support a variety of research needs including student’s travel to the research site, research support at the CGIAR or US university, and US faculty member travel to the research site to mentor the student in collaboration with a CGIAR scientist. Funds should not be used to pay tuition or salaries. The program supports internships for up to 12 months. Internships can be at the CGIAR, US graduate-level university or a combination of appropriate institutions. Students are encouraged to creatively plan an internship that best suits their educational needs and circumstances. A minimum of three months should be spent at any one location.
Selection Criteria: Awards are made on a competitive basis to students who show strong scientific and leadership potential, have a well coordinated proposal between their home university, a US university mentor, and the CGIAR mentor, and whose research has relevance to the national development of the student’s home country or region. Applications will be judged on the following criteria:
- Technical Soundness and Feasibility of the Research Proposal
- Relevance to Development Priorities
- Leadership Potential
- Supervisory and Mentoring Plan
- The Selection Committee will also consider the diversity of the applicant pool in making decisions.
Notification: Applicants will be notified of semi-finalist status by June 2014. Finalists will be selected and interviews will be scheduled in July 2014.
How to Apply: The mode of applying is online.
Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is May 1, 2014.
