The US Embassy in Georgia is announcing the receipt of documents for the Fulbright Master's scholarship program for the 2019-2020 academic year. The Scholarship Program provides full funding for the Master's Degree Program in Universities in all fields, including business administration.

The Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships awarded by the U.S. Government. The main sponsor of the program is the Bureau of Education and Culture of the US Department of State, and the co-sponsors of the program are the Government of Georgia and the Bank of Georgia. The program is implemented by the regulations of the William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Council. Under an agreement with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Education and Culture, the Institute of International Education (New York, USA) is collaborating with a wide range of U.S. universities to find the best candidates for Fulbright suitable acamed programs.

Qualification requirements:

• Applicants must be Georgian citizens or holders of a neutral travel document from Abkhazia (Georgia) or the former South Ossetian Autonomous Region (Georgia).
• Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s or equivalent degree
• Applicants must be proficient in oral and written English at a level that will allow them to study for a master’s program in the United States.
• Applicants must meet the requirements of a J-1 visa, including a scholarship holder returning to Georgia after completing at least 2 years of study.
• Applicants must pass a medical examination satisfactorily
• Students who are already studying for a master's degree at a university in the United States cannot apply.
• Green card holders, dual U.S. citizens, or other persons who wish to obtain permanent residency in the United States in other ways cannot apply.

The application process:

Applicants must meet the above criteria and, along with the electronic application, upload the following documents to the Embark system:

• Electronic application
• 3 letters of recommendation from professors or senior officials (upload to Embark system)
• Official mark sheet from all post-school educational institutions (upload to Embark system)
• Translation of mark sheets in English (upload to Embark system)
• Diploma (upload to Embark system)

Additional requirements:

• Applicants in the social sciences, journalism, and the humanities can additionally submit research, printed article, or other papers if they believe it will enhance their chances.
• Applicants in the fields of fine and performing arts must submit a demonstration paper - a portfolio of works of art, a video clip, a film, an audio recording of a musical work, etc.
• Applicants can submit a professional resume if they wish
• Applicants who apply to the Performing Arts may be eligible for an interview.

Selection process:

Phase 1 - Mid-August: Examination of Qualification and Formal Requirements - At this stage, it is assessed whether the submitted applications meet the qualification and formal requirements. Applicants who do not meet the qualification and / or formal requirements will not be transferred to the second stage of selection.

Phase 2 - End of August: Content Review - At this stage, the content of the candidates is verified, which allows the identification of persons allowed at the interview stage.

Phase 3 - Mid-September: Interview - At this stage, the selected candidates are interviewed and the semi-finalists are identified. The interview will be held at the U.S. Embassy.

All phases of the selection will be conducted by a two-member selection commission set up by the US Embassy in Georgia, consisting of representatives from the Embassy, the International Center for Education and the Bank of Georgia, as well as former Fulbright Scholars. In September-October, semi-finalists will be required to pass the following standard tests:

• TOEFL - IBT at least 80 points; PBT at least 550 points. IBT 100 points (PBT 600 points) are recommended in a number of fields, including architecture, public administration, business. The minimum requirement in law is 100 IBT points
• GRE - Compulsory in all fields except law
• GMAT - is required for business administration

The International Institute of Education is handing out candidates ’applications to U.S. universities so that they can consider admission to their respective universities. Candidates themselves should not apply to universities. The final decision on the distribution of candidates in universities is made by the Bureau of Education and Culture of the United States Department of State on the recommendation of the International Institute of Education. 

Keep in mind that successful applicants are typically up to 30 years old on the day of the application deadline, have no education in the United States or Europe, have at least 2 years of work experience, and have a clearly defined leadership potential.

Applications start on May 1, 2018 and end on August 1, 2018 at 18:00.

For more information, please visit the website.

Good luck!