Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Spring 2018 Academic Fellowship for Emerging Leaders from South East Asia.

Application Deadline: October 25th 2017

 Call for application for the Spring 2018 YSEALI Academic Fellowship for candidates from South East Asia interested in the topics of Civic Engagement, Environmental Issues, and Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. Six Institutes will take place February through April 2018 and will be hosted at five separate universities.

The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is a public diplomacy program designed to advance regional strategic goals, break down barriers that separate the next generation of leaders in ASEAN, and link those emerging leaders to the United States. To this end, the YSEALI Fellowship will bring exceptional young leaders from ASEAN countries to the United States to further develop their professional and leadership skills. The Study of the U.S. Branch implements the YSEALI Academic Fellowship aimed at young leaders aged 18-25. In fall 2017 and spring 2018, the YSEALI Academic Fellowship will bring approximately 250 current or recently graduated students from ASEAN member countries to the U.S. for five week Institutes at pre-eminent U.S. universities and colleges. All programs will conclude in Washington, D.C. to allow for networking with policy makers, government representatives, businesses, and think tanks.

Requirements:

The YSEALI Academic Fellows are expected to be either a) full-time undergraduate students from college, university, or other institutions of higher learning or b) have graduated in the past four years, who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, extracurricular activities, or their profession.

Candidates nominated for this program must be:

• Between the ages of 18 and 25 at the time of application;
• A citizen & resident of ASEAN ( Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.)
• A full-time undergraduate student from college, university, or other institutions of higher learning; or have graduated in the past four years;
• Proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English;
• Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.; and

Benefits:

A. Program Funding: Through cooperative agreements with the host universities, ECA will cover all participant costs, including: program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence. ECA will provide posts with fiscal data to pay for participants’ pre-departure orientations, international travel costs, and other travel allowances within set limits.

B. Housing and Meal Arrangements: Housing will be in university dorms or university hotels. Fellows may be expected to share a room and bathroom with another student of the same gender. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though Fellows may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own. It is important that candidates are aware of these arrangements and that they are comfortable with such accommodations.

Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied.

C. Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s coverage of $100,000 with a $25 co-pay for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered. Information on the health benefit program may be found online at usdos.sevencorners.com.

D. Program Requirements and Restrictions: Fellows are expected to fully participate in the academic program. They should attend all lectures and organized activities, and complete assigned readings. Candidates should be made aware that the Institutes are very intensive and that there will be little time for personal pursuits unrelated to the program.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) spring 2018