The primary purpose of Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. Ambassadorial Scholarships are awarded for study or training in another country where Rotary clubs are located. Generally, recipients of 1999-2000 awards will begin study after 1 July 1999. During the study period, scholars are expected to be outstanding ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country through both informal and formal appearances before Rotary clubs and districts, school and civic organizations, and other forums. After study has been completed, scholars are expected to share their experiences with the people of their home countries and with the local Rotarians who sponsored their scholarship.
A unique benefit of the scholarships program is the scholar's association with Rotary clubs and Rotarians. Each scholar is assigned a sponsor and host Rotarian counselor who provide orientation and advice in preparing for and completing a successful study period in another country.
Applicants must have completed at least two years of university or college course work or must have a secondary school education and have been employed in a recognized vocation for at least two years when the scholarship begins. All applicants must be citizens of a country in which there is a Rotary club. Members of Rotaract clubs are eligible and encouraged to apply.
The following persons are ineligible for any Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship: A Rotarian; an Honorary Rotarian; an employee of a club, district or other Rotary entity or of Rotary international; a spouse, lineal descendant (child or grandchild), a spouse of a lineal descendant, or an ancestor (parent or grandparent) of any living person in the foregoing categories.
This scholarship is for one regular academic year (usually nine months) at a study institution assigned by The Rotary Foundation Trustees. Because the scholarship is primarily ambassadorial and limited to one academic year, recipients may not be able to earn degrees or diplomas during the study period.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
Funding is provided to cover round-trip transportation, one
month of intensive language training (if assigned by the
Foundation), required academic fees for a normal course
load, reasonable room and board expenses, and some
educational supplies. The Foundation will not pay additional costs resulting from personal living preferences.
Generally, awards will range between US$10,000 and
US$23,000 depending upon actual costs at the assigned
study institution, with no award to exceed US$23,000 or its
equivalent in 1999-2000. If an applicant requests and is
assigned to an institution where costs exceed US$23,000,
he or she must pay all additional costs.
This scholarship is for either two or three years (depending on which is available through the sponsoring district) of degree-oriented study at an institution assigned by The Rotary Foundation Trustees. The scholarship may be used for almost any field of study as long as the scholar is enrolled in a specific university degree program and takes course work which relates directly to the completion of one degree.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
In 1999-2000, the Multi-Year Scholarship will be a flat
grant of US$11,000 or its equivalent for each year; that is,
US$22,000 for two years, or US$33,000 for three years.
Funding is intended to help supplement the costs of pursuing one degree at one study institution.
This scholarship is for either three or six months (depending on which is available through the sponsoring district) of intensive language training and cultural immersion at a study institution assigned by The Rotary Foundation Trustees. The three-month scholarship is most appropriate for studying a language in which the applicant may already be somewhat proficient. The six-month scholarship may be more appropriate for studying a language that presents a unique challenge to the applicant.
For 1999-2000, applications will be considered for can- didates interested in studying Arabic, English, French, Ger- man, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Swedish.
In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements, applicants are expected to have completed at least one year of college-level course work or its equivalent of the language they plan to study.
What does the Scholarship Cover?
Funding is provided to cover round-trip transportation, tuition and fees for language training, and homestay expenses. Scholars will stay with local families when possible and appropriate. In 1999-2000, the financial limits for
Cultural Scholarships are US$10,000 or its equivalent for a
three-month scholarship and US$17,000 or its equivalent
for a six-month scholarship.
Academic-Year and Multi-Year Scholarships may be used for almost any field of study; however, they cannot be used for unsupervised research, medical internships or residencies, or for full-time employment.
Academic-Year and Multi-Year Scholarship applicants whose native language is not that of their proposed study countries must submit evidence of ability to read, write and speak the language(s) of those countries. Academic- Year Scholarship candidates must also pass a language proficiency examination determined by the Foundation.
Although applicants are asked to list their preferred study locations, The Rotary Foundation Trustees reserve the right to make assignments to any suitable institution to ensure the widest possible geographical distribution of scholars.
Study or training must be undertaken in another country or territory in which there are Rotary clubs, but not in the sponsoring Rotary country or district.
Scholars cannot study in a city, state or province where they have previously lived or studied for more than six months.
Scholars are responsible for applying and gaining admission to their assigned study institutions, obtaining required visas, and making travel arrangements. The scholarship may not be used in conjunction with a "study abroad" program affiliated with a home country institution.
Rotary international, The Rotary Foundation, the study institution and individual Rotary clubs and Rotarians are in no way liable for a scholar's personal welfare or responsible for enabling a scholar to pursue his or her studies beyond the scholarship period. The Rotary Foundation and Rotary international assume no responsibility beyond providing the amount of the scholarship.
An award cannot be postponed or extended beyond the period for which it was originally granted.
Scholars must locate funds to cover areas which are not specifically funded by their scholarships, or for which their scholarships are not sufficient. No scholarship will be increased to cover anyone other than the scholar, i.e., spouses and dependents.
Scholars may receive additional funding from other sources during the scholarship period; however, The Rotary Foundation will not duplicate funds provided by other sources.
NOTE: The availability of Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is determined by each Rotary district and varies from year to year. Applicants must contact their local Rotary clubs to determine 1) if funding for the desired scholarship is available for 1999-2000; 2) to ask about local application deadlines; and 3) to obtain application materials. Applications may also be obtained directly from The Rotary Foundation if the applicant has confirmed with the local Rotary club that the type of Ambassadorial Scholarship he or she wishes to pursue is available.
Initial application must be made through a local Rotary club in the applicant's legal or permanent residence, or place of full-time study or employment. Club-endorsed candidates then compete at the district level. Finally, district-endorsed applications are forwarded to The Rotary Foundation for Trustee approval and study institution assignment. The Rotary Foundation directly notifies all candidates of approved scholarships and assignments. Applications sent directly to The Rotary Foundation without club and district endorsements will not be considered.
Application deadlines are set by individual Rotary clubs in accordance with the district deadline. Club deadlines may be as early as March 1998 or as late as 15 July 1998. All applicants approved by The Rotary Foundation Trustees will receive confirmation of their study institution assignments by 15 December 1998.
Outside of Jamestown...
Write to the
scholarship staff
tell them you wish to apply and need
contact information for the local Rotary club in your area.
You can also get the application form from
here.