The International Fellowships Program provides support for up to three years of formal graduate-level study leading to a masters or doctoral degree. Fellows are selected from countries and territories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Russia, where the Ford Foundation maintains active overseas programs.

Criteria and Fields

Fellows are chosen on the basis of their leadership potential and commitment to community or national service, as well as for academic excellence. Fellows may enroll in masters or doctoral programs and may pursue any academic discipline or field of study that is consistent with the interests and goals of the Ford Foundation. The Foundation currently works in twelve fields to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement.

Placement Assistance

Once selected, Fellows may enroll in an appropriate university program anywhere in the world, including their country of residence. The program provides placement assistance to those Fellows not yet admitted to graduate school. AHEAD in collaboration with the Institute for International Education (IIE) in New York provide placement assistance to new Fellows. Applicants do not need to obtain admission to be eligible for the Fellowship competition.

Preacademic Training

IFP support also enables Fellows to undertake short-term training in research and computer skills prior to graduate school enrollment. In addition, new Fellows attend orientation sessions, while current Fellows actively participate in learning and discussion activities designed to create information and exchange networks among IFP Fellows worldwide.

Re-entry

Finally, the program strongly encourages IFP alumni to maintain contact with the program after completing the fellowships to help them remain current in their respective fields through the expanding IFP network.

Because local requirements vary widely among IFP countries, applicants should carefully follow the specific application guidelines provided by the relevant IFP International Partner organization i.e. The Association for the Advancement of Higher Education and Development (AHEAD).