Civil Society Leadership Awards 2017/2018 Open Society Scholarship Programs for Fully-funded master’s degree study

Application Deadline: September 15, 2016

Civil Society Leadership Awards (CSLA) for master’s level studies beginning fall 2017. The awards provide fully-funded master’s degree study to individuals who clearly demonstrate academic and professional excellence and a deep commitment to leading positive social change in their communities.
The purpose of the Program is to directly assist future leaders in countries where civil society is challenged by a deficit of democratic practice in local governance and social development.

Awards are available for study at various partner institutions across the world in the following areas:
• Communications & Media
• Culture, History & Society
• Development Studies
• Economics
• Education Management & Leadership
• Environment & Natural Resource Management
• Human Rights and/or Gender Studies
• Law (including Human Rights law)
• Politics & International Studies
• Public Health & Health Management
• Public Policy & Administration
• Social Work & Social Policy

CSLA Award Structure
Successful applicants will receive the following support:
• Tuition and mandatory university fees;
• Monthly stipend for room, board, and other living expenses;
• Program-related travel;
• Accident and sickness insurance during the program;
• Funds for educational materials and professional development;
• Attendance at a regional grantee conference;
• Pre-academic preparation via summer schools

Eligibility
Civil Society Leadership Awards are available to citizens of the following countries:
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Cambodia
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Egypt
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Laos
• Libya
• Myanmar/Burma
• Republic of Congo
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Syria
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• be a citizen of an eligible country;
• demonstrate maturity, flexibility and civil society leadership potential;
• have excellent academic records and a bachelor’s degree awarded before the application deadline;
• demonstrate professional experience in a relevant area;
• demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction at a participating university (English, German or French), as evidenced by standardized language test scores;
• be able to participate in an intensive academic writing program in July or August 2017 and start their degree program in August or September 2017;
• be able to receive and maintain a visa or study permit for full-time master degree courses (1-2 years) as required by the host country; and
• demonstrate a clear commitment to return to their home country or region to continue supporting open society development.
The CSLA program does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

How to Apply

• Interested applicants must complete and submit an online or paper CSLA application in English to be considered for CSLA support.
  Online Application
• All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online. To apply online please go to: http://civilsocietyleadershipawards.submittable.com/submit/62304 to register, and then follow instructions.
• Paper Application
  Paper applications may be accessed here or by contacting one of the local administrative offices included in the Guidelines. Please download the application in Word before completing or printing.
• Late applications will automatically be disqualified. If you are unable to apply online, please download and complete a Word version of the application.
• Electronic applications and all supporting materials should be submitted to csla@infoscholar.org by September 15, 2016.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Civil Society Leadership Awards 2017/2018