The American Councils for International Education administer the Professional Fellows Program (PFP), which receives sponsorship from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
The PFP for Europe and Eurasia is an international exchange program that operates in both directions. Its primary objectives are to foster mutual comprehension, cultivate enduring professional and leadership competencies, and establish enduring partnerships between the United States and mid-level emergent leaders from other nations. For a customized professional development experience, PFP participants are assigned to non-profit organizations, private sector enterprises, and government agencies throughout the United States for intensive 5- to 6-week fellowships.
Objectives of Professional Fellows Program (PFP)
The primary objectives of PFP are to foster reciprocal comprehension, bolster leadership and professional proficiencies, and establish enduring, sustainable alliances among emergent mid-level leaders from the United States and other nations.
What can be expected ?
In Washington, DC, fellows will attend both an online pre-departure orientation and an arrival orientation.
During their four-week fellowship, participants will engage in a customized work experience at a U.S. placement sponsor organization.
Fellows shall engage in a community service opportunity that facilitates civic engagement and interaction with a U.S. community.
The fellows shall formulate a subsequent proposition for a reciprocal project in order to accomplish a task that fulfills a particular aim and expands upon their involvement in the Professional Fellows Program.
A house hospitality experience will be provided for fellows by an American host family.
The culminating event of the U.S.-based exchange component will be a three-day Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, D.C.
Benifits of the Fellowship
If chosen as a finalist, the U.S. Department of State will waive all expenses related to your international travel, visa, and subsistence in the United States. Fellows are not required to pay any fees.
The accommodation arrangements for fellows may include extended stay hotels, university housing, host families in the United States, or a combination of these alternatives. To foster cultural exchange, a minimum of one home hospitality experience (dinner with an American family, a cultural excursion, or another pertinent activity) will be provided to each fellow.
During the fellowship placement, program implementers will assign fellows to a public or private sector organization in the United States, which may include non-profit entities. The placement process will rely on information gathered from the fellowship application, interview, and other relevant materials. Every effort will be made to accommodate fellows’ requests and interests regarding a specific topic or category of fellowship placement.
Alumni Participation
Subsequent to their home communities, fellows shall develop reciprocal project proposals to resolve the obstacles they have encountered.
During the fellowship year, fellows will have the opportunity to extend an invitation to a U.S. placement sponsor from their fellow community to participate in a reciprocal exchange project.
When available, fellows will be eligible to attend regional alumni accelerator workshops.
Documents Required to submit an Application
- Confirmation of eligibility
- Education history
- Comprehensive work experience
- Your resume or CV in English
- Three essay questions to address your motivations for applying, how your participation will impact your community, and how you intend to use your experience to support a follow-on project in your home community. Exact prompts will be provided in the application.
- Two professional recommendations
- A signed copy of the Participant Terms and Conditions Agreement
- A signed copy of the American Councils Privacy Policy Statement
Official Link and Application Link
You can explore in more detail using this link
Direct Application Page
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