Exchange Programs

Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program

Established by the US Congress in 1992 to encourage economic and democratic growth in Eurasia, the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State, and administered by IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board). The program provides opportunities for graduate students and professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan for one-year non-degree, one-year degree or two-year degree study in the United States. Four fellows will receive longer fellowships, pursue doctoral studies, and receive a PhD (Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine only).

All fellows will attend classes full-time for one to two years and will be required to create and implement a project related to their professional interests that benefit the local community. Fellows will also be required to participate in an eight to twelve week internship during the summer after their first academic year. Fellows participating in two-year programs will be required to complete two internships.

The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, round-trip travel from fellows’ home cities to their US host institutions, university tuition and mandatory university fees, accident and sickness coverage, monthly allowance for living expenses, limited book allowance, limited allowance for professional enrichment activities, pre-academic English-language training (if necessary), and a wide variety of alumni networking and training opportunities.

Eligible fields of study for the Muskie Program are: business administration, economics, education, environmental management, international affairs, journalism and mass communications, law, library and information science, public administration, public health, and public policy.

Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program can be obtained and submitted by contacting IREX field offices and representatives in Eurasia (see http://www.irex.org for contact information). Applications are also available at Educational Information Centres (EIC), IREX administered Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) Public Access Sites throughout the NIS and can be downloaded from http://www.irex.org or http://www.irex.ru.

See application for eligibility requirements.

Applications may be obtained in person, electronically, or by contacting the IREX Office:
Ms. Nilyufar Gylyjova
IREX 48A Gorogly Street, 3rd Floor
Tel.:(99312) 33-10-34/38
E-mail: ngylyjova@iatp.edu.tm