Educational Exchange Programs

THE FULBRIGHT JUNIOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR FRANCOPHONE AND LUSOPHONE AFRICA (LFJSD or JSDEP)

INFORMATION SHEET

Prepared by: American Cultural Center Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Last Revised: December 19, 2006

What is this program?

This is a program specially designed for graduating 4th year university students who have good English skills but who are not sufficiently fluent in English to pursue full-time graduate study in the U.S. The program allows such students to go to the U.S. for up to 8 months of intensive English language training and to then seek admission to a Masters (MA) degree study program in the United States under the Fulbright Junior Staff Development Program (JSDP). If admitted to a graduate degree program the student has up to two years to obtain his or her Masters degree. Funding forboth the intensive English language training and the Masters degree program is provided by the government of the United States of America through the U.S. Department of State.

What kinds of people are eligible to apply?

Any person who is currently affiliated with and who is committed to continue working either at an academic institution of higher education, or at a public or private educational, cultural, or professional institution in their home country upon completion of their program.

What are the minimum requirements?

Only persons who meet the following minimum requirements can apply through the American Cultural Center in Ouagadougou:

• Citizens or permanent residents of Burkina Faso who are qualified to hold a valid passport issued by Burkina Faso;
• Persons who have or will have by the end of 2007 a university degree awarded after at least four years of full-time study that is sufficient to qualify the person to be admitted to a graduate study program at a university in the U.S.;
• Persons who have the endorsement of their home institution; and
• Persons who have good written and spoken English.

Who are the most competitive applicants?

Anyone meeting the minimum requirements may apply.However, people who have the following characteristics are the most competitive applicants and therefore the ones most likely to be selected:

• 4th year students who recently graduated from or who will graduate before the end of 2007 from an institution of higher education in Burkina Faso;
• Persons who wish to pursue a Masters (MA) degree in the following fields: Economics; History; Information Sciences; Political Science; or Public Administration and who intend to return to Burkina Faso to work at an educational, cultural, or professional institution;
• Persons who have outstanding academic records, references, and academic preparation in their fields; and
• Persons who have not previously studied in the U.S.

Applications from women and graduating 4th year students are encouraged.

What kinds of people are not eligible?

The following are examples of persons who are not eligible for this program:

• Persons who have already received a bachelor's or master's degree in the U.S.;
• Persons who have participated in a Fulbright program within the past three years;
• Persons wishing to pursue PH.D or Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degrees; Persons wishing to pursue Masters degrees or other study programs in English, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Linguistics, or English Literature; and
• Persons who cannot score at least 480 on The Test of English Language Proficiency (TELP) before starting intensive English language training in the U.S.

If I am eligible and meet the minimum requirements, how do I apply?

• Applications may be picked up at the American Center at 674, Avenue John F. Kennedy, at Koulouba, Ouagadougou, From December 18, 2006 to February 16, 2007: Monday through Thursday from 7:30 to 12:00 and 12:45 to 17:00 and Friday from 7:30 to 12:30.

• Application forms must be completed and returned to the American Embassy before 5:00 p.m. on February 19, 2007.

How does the competition work?

• In early March, candidates selected by the American Cultural Center will be interviewed.  After the interviews those candidates selected to continue in the competition will be required to take the Test of English Language Proficiency (the TELP test) in Ouagadougou in March. The American Cultural Center will select the finalists and they must register for TOEFL That will be taken in Ouagadougou in May and GRE in October.  Finalists will be required to complete additional application materials, which must be returned to the American Cultural Center before 5:00 p.m. on September 10, 2007.

• Finalists from Burkina Faso then compete against applicants from other countries, and the winners will be announced in late 2007 or early 2008 for a start date in the U.S. as early as January 2008.  

• If you are not contacted this means that you were not selected to participate in the competition 

What if I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Burkina Faso?

If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Burkina Faso you cannot apply for this program through the U.S. Embassy or the American Cultural Center in Ouagadougou. You should contact the Public Affairs Section in the U.S. Embassy in your home country to find out whether your country participates in this program, and, if so, how to apply.

When will I go to the United States if I am selected?

The current competition is for English language training commencing in the U.S. as early as January of 2008 and continuing through mid-August 2008 with the expectation that participants will then be placed in Masters degree programs beginning in August and September 2008.

If I am selected can my spouse or children come with me to the U.S.?

No.

How do I get more information?

Additional information is available on the following internet web sites:

• http://exchanges.state.gov/education/fulbright
• http://www.iie.org/

If you have questions, the American Center at 674, Avenue John F. Kennedy, Ouagadougou will host information sessions every Wednesday from 10:00 am to 11:00, from December 22, 2006 to February 16, 2007.