Samvid Scholarship for Graduate Degree Funding

Samvid Scholarship Overview 

Samvid Scholars is a merit-based graduate scholarship and leadership program for changemakers. Samvid Scholars was established in 2021 by Samvid Ventures to invest in the graduate education of future leaders who are committed to effecting positive change in society. 

The Samvid Scholars program supports up to $50,000 per year for two years of graduate study. In addition to funding for their graduate program, each Scholar will receive two years of leadership development programming to support them to continue to fulfill their extraordinary potential. For example, our 2022 cohort has participated in an annual summer conference, regional dinner on campus, peer discussion groups, and seminars led by the Aspen Institute. 

An eligible candidate will:   

  • Pursue a full-time graduate program of 2 years or longer at a university in the United States, in one of the following eligible programs: MD, MBA, JD, MPP/MPA, MPH, or MS/MA in the social sciences or STEM
  • Be a first-year graduate student for the 2023-2024 academic year   
  • Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5   
  • Be a U.S. citizen or DACA recipient  

For more details of the program, please visit our website. There, you can also view recording of a recent Samvid Scholars info session, which provides an overview of the curriculum and relevant information for advisors supporting prospective applicants. Application opens Feb.13 and closes April 9, 2023.

Luce Scholarship Competition Open; Deadline Oct 1

The application for the 2023-2024 Luce Scholars competition is officially open! 

The Luce Scholars Program offers early career leaders immersive, professional experiences in Asia. The Program aims to forge stronger, more informed, more compassionate relationships across geographic borders by creating opportunities for young Americans across diverse sectors and interests to deepen their ties and understanding of the countries, cultures, and people of Asia.

Luce Scholars are open-minded, curious, and engaged in the world. They are receptive to new ideas and perspectives.  They are individuals from a wide range of fields and come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share a common objective—to make the world a better place.

Learn more at https://www.hluce.org/programs/luce-scholars/

Blakemore Foundation Fellowships Support Asian Language Study–Applications Due Dec. 30, 2021

The Blakemore Foundation is now accepting applications at https://blakemorefoundation.communityforce.com for its 2022 Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for an academic year of advanced language study in East and Southeast Asia.  The application deadline is December 30, 2021.  

These fellowships are awarded to graduating seniors, college graduates, graduate students and young/mid-career professionals who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, who are already at or near an advanced level in the language and ready to advance to professional fluency. The grants are highly competitive.

The grants provide a stipend for living, travel and study expenses and full tuition for programs in East Asia such as:
● Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama 
● International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University
● Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University
● Seoul National University, Sogang University and other language programs in South Korea

In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are also available for advanced language study in:
● Thailand     ● Vietnam     ● Indonesia     ● Cambodia     ● Myanmar
Note: If in-person study in a country is not possible due to travel restrictions, grantees may study on-line with their language program. 

Who should apply? The Foundation is looking for exceptional candidates who will make significant contributions to their career field. The ideal candidate is someone with stellar grades, outstanding recommendations, and a demonstrated commitment to the Asian country and language. Beyond commitment, we are looking for a mature purpose: a career path that will require and benefit from fluency in that Asian language throughout that individual’s life.

Candidates pursuing careers which will involve the regular use of an East or Southeast Asian language in fields such as academia, STEM, international business, accounting, law, medicine, journalism, architecture, teaching, NGO and government service, and similar fields are encouraged to apply.

Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study–Deadline Dec. 30!

Applications for our fellowships for the 2021/2022 academic year are now open at https://blakemorefoundation.communityforce.com. Deadline is December 30, 2020. See www.blakemorefoundation.org for more information!

Since 1990, the Blakemore Foundation has awarded over $20 million in grants to graduating seniors, college graduates, graduate students and young/mid-career professionals to fund an academic year of advanced language study in East and Southeast Asia.

Superior candidates pursuing careers which will involve the regular use of an East or Southeast Asian language, in fields such as academia, STEM, international business, accounting, law, medicine, journalism, architecture, teaching, social and NGO work, and government service, are encouraged to apply.

Blakemore Freeman Fellows receive a stipend for living, travel and study expenses and full tuition for programs such as:

● Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University● International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University
● Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama
● Seoul National University, Sogang University and other language programs in South Korea

Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are also available for advanced language study in:
● Thailand     ● Vietnam     ● Indonesia     ● Cambodia     ● Myanmar

USAID Donald Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Deadline Nov. 1

The USAID Donald Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship is now accepting applications for the 2020 Cohort of Payne Fellows.  The Payne Fellowship seeks to attract and prepare outstanding individuals for careers as USAID Foreign Service Officers.  Candidates can be graduating seniors or college graduates with strong academic records and a desire to promote positive change in the world. The Payne program encourages the application of members of historically  underrepresented  groups in  the  Foreign  Service  and those  with  financial  need.  Selected  fellows  will  receive support  for  graduate  school  and  gain  employment  with USAID. More info and application online at https://www.paynefellows.org

Program Benefits

  • Orientation in Washington, D.C. in late spring 2020
  • Two summer internships, one on Capitol Hill in summer 2020 and one
  • overseas at a USAID Mission in summer 2021.
  • Up to $22,000 annually toward tuition, fees and living expenses for a two-year master’s degree in fields related to the Foreign Service such as development, economics, public administration, business administration, global health, agriculture, or environmental science  at a U.S.-based
  • institution.
  • Mentoring from a Foreign Service Officer.
  • Employment in the USAID Foreign Service for those who successfully
  • complete the program and meet Foreign Service entry requirements;
  • minimum of five years of service commitment.
  • Eligibility requirements
  • U.S. citizenship
  • Seeking admission to graduate school in fall 2020 for a two-year program in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service at a U.S.-based institution
  • Cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application

About the USAID Foreign Service
USAID Foreign Service Officers work on the front lines of pressing global challenges, including poverty, hunger, injustice, disease, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict and violent extremism. USAID
Foreign Service Officers are stationed in Washington and in more than 75countries in five regions worldwide.