Schwarzman Scholars Program

Application Deadline:September 28, 2017

A call for future leaders

Interested candidates will participate in a rigorous and thorough selection process, designed to identify the most promising young leaders from around the world. The process includes an online application and credentials evaluation as well as in-person regional interviews. Those selected will have demonstrated their potential to not only benefit from but also contribute to the Schwarzman Scholars program.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree or first degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent. 
  Applicants who are currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must be on track to successfully complete all degree requirements by August 1, 2018 before orientation begins. There are no requirements for a specific field of undergraduate study; all fields are welcome, but it will be important for applicants, regardless of undergraduate major, to articulate how participating in Schwarzman Scholars will help develop their leadership potential within their field.

• Age Requirement.
  Candidates must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of August 1, 2018.

• English language proficiency.
  Applicants must demonstrate strong English skills, as all teaching will be conducted in English. If the applicant’s native language is not English, official English proficiency test scores must be submitted with the application. This requirement is waived for applicants who studied at an undergraduate institution where the primary language of instruction was English for at least two years of the applicant’s academic program.  The requirement will also be waived for applicants who have studied in English for two or more years at a Master’s degree level or higher.

Funding:

The extraordinary students selected to become Schwarzman Scholars will receive a comprehensive scholarship. It will include:

• Tuition Fees
• Room and board
• Travel to and from Beijing at the beginning and end of the academic year
• An in-country study tour
• Required course books and supplies
• Lenovo laptop and smartphone
• Health insurance
• A personal stipend of $3,500

Required forms and records include:

• A complete and successfully submitted online application, including the requested personal statement(s) and supplementary components below.
• Uploaded transcripts/academic records from every degree-granting college or university attended (undergraduate or graduate – must be combined into one PDF and then uploaded). If transcripts are not in English, official translations must be included.
• Four electronic letters of recommendation.  At least one of these letters must come from a recommender who can comment on the specific examples of leadership described in the candidate’s application, but the recommender must at least be able to comment on the candidate’s leadership qualities from direct knowledge of the candidate. Recommendations must be translated to English by a professional translator if written in another language.
  • For currently enrolled undergraduate students, one of the four letters should be an institutional letter of recommendation (if their university can provide this service): This brief letter should provide the following information:  If this student is an undergraduate, is s/he on track to complete all requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree (or its equivalent) before August 1, 2018; If this student is an undergraduate when will the degree be awarded; Is there anything additional and specific about this candidate that you feel the selection committee should know that is not likely reflected in other parts of the application? Especially helpful are insights that explain academic accomplishments, awards, or extracurricular activities in the context of the university/college, things that an application reader might now know about that particular institution, for example: “This award is given to only one student per year at our college.” This letter of assessment may be completed by different offices, depending on the university. In many universities in the United States, this type of assessment is provided by a Fellowships Office or a comparable university-wide service office. In other universities, it might be completed by the dean of students or the university registrar. More information is available on the Campus Representatives FAQ.
• Video: Submission of a video is strongly recommended but not required.  The video  can be up to one minute in length, and candidates are invited to introduce themselves in any style or setting they think best conveys their interests and personality. Note: the file must be less than 20MB in order for you to upload it to the application.
• An essay in three sections: The essay falls into three distinct sections.
  • Personal Statement (up to 750 words): Describe your professional interests and values and how the Schwarzman Scholars program and deeper knowledge of China will help advance your goals. Describe both your short-term objectives for the 1-3 years after the program and your long-term aspirations.  How will you contribute to the community of Schwarzman Scholars and to the program’s mission?
  • Leadership Essay (up to 750 words): We want candidates to provide specific examples of their leadership that explore their abilities to understand challenges and opportunities, envision solutions, take initiative to act, inspire others to join an effort, and push through resistance and/or challenges in reaching results. The applicant’s example(s) of leadership might address some but not all of these characteristics. Examples might include efforts such as founding a student organization that successfully addressed a pressing need on campus; taking on a influential role in an existing organization to redirect or revitalize it in the context of a new challenge; founding and running a startup to take advantage of an emerging opportunity.  Candidates should NOT let these examples limit their thinking and should draw on their own personal experiences for similar examples of leadership. Candidates should avoid describing situations that might fall into one of the following categories, all of which are valuable learning and growth experiences, but do not give the committee a deeper understanding of the applicant’s leadership over extended periods of time: (1) accomplishing a difficult but typical task assigned to you in the workplace (2) solving brief problems of cultural miscommunication while traveling or studying overseas (3) simply winning office in a student or community organization (It is, however, helpful, to describe the challenges faced and accomplishments achieved in office.) (4)brief situational challenges (Focus instead on longer term projects and challenges.)
  • Current Affairs Essay (up to 500 words): Choose an issue in contemporary social, international, business, environmental, diplomatic, arts, or other policy that is of interest to you. This essay should lay out the current factors and trends influencing the topic and make a realistic recommendation of how local, national, or international leaders should intervene to contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous future.
• Current resume/CV: Please submit a resume or c.v. appropriate for any application for employment in your country. This can be no longer than 2 pages.

Timeline:

• closes on September 28, 2017
• Interviews will take place in three locations around the world
• Admissions Decisions will be made by mid-November 2017