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International Scholars Program - Application

 

Application deadline has been extended to October 30th 2009

The online application form is here.

Application requirements:

1. A statement of purpose (no more than three pages) describing your academic interests and what an internationalized education means to you.

2. An international studies plan (no more than two pages) outlining the field of study that will form the core of your project, and how your course work and international experience in 2009-2010 will contribute to that.  This plan should include:

  • Description of the field or topic that will form the core of your international studies program.  The topic could be in any discipline in the humanities, social sciences or sciences but it should be in your planned concentration. 
  • Relevant coursework over the next academic year at Brown.  Not all the courses you plan to enroll in for the 2009-2010 year need to be related to the field or topic described above.  However, the core of your academic plans should include coursework that contributes to deepening that field.
  • Anticipated plans for the use of the summer term for international experiences; this can include intensive language study, public service engagement, internship, archival, lab or field research and/or any other kind of project that you would like to design during the course of the year.  It should include at least 10 weeks of full time engagement.
  • Plans for the January term if relevant.  Some students may want to use this period for related research, relevant internship or service activity, language study or other activity at Brown or abroad.  The January term cannot substitute for the summer activity but can complement and strengthen the activities and study plan described in this application. 
  • A description of how your academic curriculum at Brown and your planned international experience relate to each other.  This should include a description of how your international experience relates to your concentration.
  • A description of how your past extra-curricular engagements relate to your plans for the program year. 

3. Anticipated time-line/action plan for relevant preparatory steps, including budgeting.  The international experience could be of the student’s own design and/or participation in a pre-existing program.  If the project is one of the student’s own design, the proposal should explain the steps the student will undertake during the year to initiate the project, including liaising with other individuals and organizations if relevant.  The proposal should also include a thorough description of on-site resources and key personnel available to help coordinate the project’s activities in an effort to ensure that the project’s goals and objectives can be reasonably met within the time frame prescribed.  Additionally, the proposal should provide a summary of anticipated living and meal arrangements and an overview of available on-site student support in matters of health and safety.  If the proposal involves a pre-existing program, the proposal should explain the student’s plans for obtaining acceptance from the relevant international organization.  A detailed budget outlining anticipated travel and living expenses and other costs such as project expenses should also be prepared during the course of the year.

4. Two letters of recommendation from faculty, one of which must come from a faculty member in the field of study that you intend to pursue over the next year who can serve as a mentor during the period of the fellowship.

 

Program Clarification

1. Timeline:

In accordance with the approved timeline, an important component of the 2009-2010 academic year will have to include steps to finalize summer plans, including:

  • Fulfilling all requisite institutional steps at Brown.  Depending on the student’s plans, this may include action in relation to the concentration, credit transfer, and travel waivers.  In all cases, students will be required to comply with Brown’s undergraduate international travel policy.
  • Establish all necessary connections with partner organizations.
  • Clarification of costs to finalize the budget, including obtaining additional funding from other sources if necessary.

2. Academic credit:

  • We do not anticipate that the summer will be spent on credit-bearing activities, but if students are seeking academic transfer credit for the summer experience abroad, their respective programs of study will be required to meet Brown faculty guidelines for summer study abroad. The application form to obtain credit for summer study abroad is http://www.brown.edu/Administration/OIP/pdf_docs/prelimsummerstudyabroad.pdf
  • If the period abroad will extend beyond the summer to include some part of the following academic year the student will have to ensure that (s)he is in compliance with the relevant university and concentration guidelines.

 

3. Finances:

  • Draft budgets with realistic cost estimates need to be developed through the fall 2009 semester and finalized budgets should be submitted on February 1st 2010.  Ideally, fellowship funds should not be used to pay fees for language study or other kinds of programs at other institutions.  The awards will be distributed on May 1st 2010. 
  • Brown International Scholars may receive additional financial support from other sources but may not receive other Brown University funding (e.g. International Swearer Fellowships, Smoke Internships, Royce Fellowships, UTRAs, or assisted internships, etc.) for support of their work for the 2009-2010 academic year.
  • The deadline for the capstone project grant application will be September 30, 2010.  Students who choose to apply for the capstone grant can apply for other Brown fellowships to supplement this grant in the 2009-2010 academic year.

 

Eligibility

  • Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply.
  • Students who will be away from Brown during either semester of the 2009-10 academic year are not eligible.  However students who plan to study abroad in fall 2010 are eligible as long as they can incorporate work on the capstone project into their plans in ways that satisfy their mentor.
  • Two or more students can submit separate proposals to work collaboratively on the same project.  Each applicant is responsible for submitting a separate and complete proposal (including separate letters of recommendation), making a compelling argument about why more than one person is needed, what is distinctive about each applicant’s role and how the proposed project will contribute to each applicant’s learning.
  • Brown travel policy involves prohibition on Brown funded travel to the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Central African Republic , Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti , Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Occupied Palestinian Territories (Gaza Strip and West Bank) and Zimbabwe. The list of prohibited countries is on the OIP website.

Selection

A selection committee comprised of faculty, staff, and community members will review proposals.  Applications will be screened according to the quality of their ideas and plans with attention to the guidelines noted above.

Applicants are welcome to meet with the Office of International Affairs prior to preparing an application. 

Applicants who advance to the second round will be asked to submit transcripts and may be invited to have an interview with the selection committee.  Applicants are not guaranteed an interview.

 

Deadline:

The application deadline is 5th October, 2009.

 

Please contact us at BISP@brown.edu with questions.