Eligibility Criteria

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFAs)

Applications are requested for sub-Saharan African students conducting research on topics related to the US Government's global hunger and food security initiative -- FEED THE FUTURE.  The focus region is sub-Saharan Africa.  All topics related to agriculture (as defined by Title XII) and the research strategies of the Feed the Future Initiative are admissible. 

The due date for applications is: JUNE 14, 2013 for fellowships September 15, 2013 through September 14, 2014.

APPLICATION FORM  |  BUDGET FORM 

Who is eligible to apply?

An eligible candidate for a Borlaug LEAP fellowship must be

• a citizen of a USAID-assisted country in sub-Saharan Africa (eligible sub-Saharan African countries are listed at right).  Applicants cannot hold citizenship or permanent residency in a non-USAID assisted country. This includes applicants with dual citizenship.
  

• currently enrolled as an MS or PhD student at a U.S. or developing country university
• fluent in reading, writing and speaking English (with a TOEFL score 500 or above)

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. Title XII legislation broadly defines agriculture as:

"...the science and practice of activity related to food, feed, and fiber production, processing, marketing, distribution, utilization, and trade, and also includes family and consumer sciences, nutrition, food science and engineering, agricultural economics and other social sciences, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, aquaculture, floriculture, veterinary medicine, and other environmental and natural resources sciences."

Who is eligible to be a mentor?

An eligible US mentor must be:

• A faculty member at a US graduate level university
• Conducting research related to the student's research topic
• Eligible at his/her institution to supervise graduate students

An eligible CGIAR mentor must be:

• A research scientist at one of the 15 international research centers in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) alliance.
• Conducting research related to the student's research topic.
  

What are the additional eligibility requirements for the current ongoing RFA?

An eligible candidate must be a citizen of a USAID-assisted country in sub-Saharan Africa. Applicants cannot hold citizenship or permanent residency in a non-USAID assisted country.  This includes applicants with dual citizenship.  Applicants cannot have permanent residency or hold a "green card" in the United States.  Successful candidates agree to return to their country of citizenship for a minimum of two years following graduation.