Application Deadline: January 16th 2019
TechWomen brings emerging women leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East together with their professional counterparts in the United States for a mentorship and exchange program. TechWomen provides participants access to networks, resources, and knowledge to empower them to reach their full potential.
During the five-week program, participants engage in project-based mentorships at leading companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, participate in professional development workshops and networking events, and travel to Washington, DC. for targeted meetings and special events to conclude the program.
TechWomen is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). TechWomen, launched in 2011, supports the United States’ global commitment toward advancing the rights and participation of women and girls around the world by enabling them to reach their full potential in the tech industry.
TechWomen is managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
2019 TechWomen Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be women with, at minimum, two years full-time professional experience in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Please note that internships and other unpaid work experience does not count toward the two-year professional experience requirement.
- Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent.
- Be proficient in written and spoken English.
- Be citizens and permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Zimbabwe at the time of application and while participating in the program.
- Be eligible to obtain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa.
- Not have applied for an immigrant visa to the United States (other than the Diversity Immigrant Visa, also known as the “visa lottery”) in the past five years.
- Not hold U.S. citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident.
Preference will be given to applicants who:
- Demonstrate themselves as emerging leaders in their chosen professional track through their work experience, volunteer experience, community activities and education.
- Are committed to return to their home countries to share what they have learned and mentor women and girls.
- Have limited or no prior experience in the United States.
- Have a proven record of voluntary or public service in their communities.
- Have a demonstrated track record of entrepreneurialism and commitment to innovation.
- Demonstrate a willingness to participate in exchange programs, welcome opportunities for mentoring and new partnership development, and exhibit confidence and maturity.
Benefits:
Covered Costs
The following costs are covered by the TechWomen program:
- Roundtrip international airfare from participant home country to the United States
- Domestic airfare from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
- Housing in San Francisco or Sunnyvale, California during the mentorship period
- Meals and incidentals
- Hotel stay in Washington, D.C.
- Public transportation to the participant’s host company
- Local transportation to group program events in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.
Participants are responsible for the cost of any non program activities such as independent sightseeing and cultural events, as well as any non program-related domestic or international travel.
Housing
TechWomen participants will be housed in San Francisco or Mountain View, California, depending on the location of the participant’s host company. Participants will share an apartment with a fellow Emerging Leader. Each participant will have her own private bedroom, while the living room and kitchen will be shared.
The TechWomen program is unable to accommodate participants’ spouses, children, or other dependents.
Please note that details are subject to change. Due to the fast-paced nature of the program, arrival and departure dates for selected participants are not flexible.
Selection Timeline
The 2019 TechWomen application will open on November 20, 2018 and close at 09:00AM PST (GMT-08:00) on January 16, 2019. Semifinalists will be contacted via email in/around March 2019. Final decisions will be made no later than May 17, 2019. All applicants will be notified of the results of their application.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the TechWomen Emerging Leaders Program 2019