Exchange Programs
The Hubert H. Humphrey Program
The program provides mid-career professionals an opportunity to pursue graduate-level academic course work with professional development activities. While the Program does not offer a degree, it does provide broad professional enrichment through a combination of activities tailored to each Fellow's interest. Humphrey Fellowships are limited to one academic year, preceded, if appropriate, by a period of English-language training.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the potential for leadership and a commitment to service, either in the public or private sector. Because Humphrey Fellows design their own programs and establish their own professional affiliations, they must be self-motivated and able to easily adapt to a new environment. It is important that candidates have considerable initiative if they are to benefit from the program. Prospective fellows should have a minimum of five years of professional experience prior to the program deadline in September and should be interested in policies pertaining to their fields of specialization.
The Humphrey Program is a Fulbright Exchange Activity and its funding is provided by the United States Congress through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. In Russia, the Public Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy administers the program. Russian candidates compete with candidates from about one hundred other countries for selection. The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board, appointed by the President to oversee and supervise the educational exchanges of the Fulbright Program, has overall responsibility for the final selection of Humphrey Fellows.
Fields for 2009-2010 are:
- Agricultural Development/Agricultural Economics;
- Communications/Journalism;
- Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention;
- Economic Development/Finance and Banking
- Educational Planning and Administration, Planning and Policy;
- HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention;
- Human Resource Management;
- Law and Human Rights;
- Natural Resources, Environmental Policy & Climate Change;
- Public Health Policy and Management;
- Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
- Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (teacher training or curriculum development);
- Technology Policy and Management;
- Trafficking in Persons, Prevention and Policy; and
- Urban and Regional Planning.
Eligibility requirements for this competitive program:
- Russian citizenship;
- a first university degree (Bachelor's degree) as a minimum;
- at least FIVE YEARS of progressive professional experience;
- good potential for leadership in one's field;
- a commitment to public service in a wide variety of fields;
- good English language proficiency (TOEFL scores no lower than 525/paper-based and 195/computer-based)
Applications must include academic transcripts and English language translations of all non-English documents.
Who is ineligible to apply?
- Recent graduates (even if they have significant positions);
- faculty members with no management responsibilities;
- individuals with recent U.S. or third country experience (more than 6 months within the last 5 years);
- individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.
DO NOT apply if you want to pursue an advanced academic degree in the U.S. (this is a NON-DEGREE program) or if you want to attend a specific U.S. university. Universities are selected competitively to host Fellows in groups by profession.
The CLOSING DATE for submission of applications for academic year 2009-2010 is September 1, 2008.
Sample Program Plans, Personal Statements, and Sample Application
Additional information is available at the American Embassy, Public Affairs Section, Bolshoy Devyatinskiy per., 8, 121099, Moscow, tel: (495) 728-5365, 728-5242 e-mail: USGExchanges@gmail.com. More details are available at the Humphrey Program website, www.humphreyfellowship.org
The TOEFL test registration is available on www.toefl.org American Center for Education and Testing (ACET) in Moscow (495) 647-2321, http://www.englishtests.ru , e-mail: acet@actr.ru , is a key contact for all TOEFL-related questions, including the TOEFL Practice Online.