THE PAUL AND DAISY SOROS FELLOWSHIPS

PURPOSE
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships provide opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields. The program is established in recognition of the contributions New Americans have made to American life and in gratitude for the opportunities the U.S. has afforded the donors and their family.

AWARD
Thirty Fellowships will be awarded each year. Each year the Fellow receives a maintenance grant of $20,000 (paid in two installments) and a tuition grant of one-half the tuition cost of the U.S. graduate program attended by the Fellow. The Fellowship Program pays the tuition grant directly to the institution.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS

• A New American is an individual who (1) is a resident alien; i.e., holds a Green Card or, (2) has been naturalized as a U.S. citizen or, (3) is the child of two parents who are both naturalized citizens. A Green Card holder must have had more than one year of IRS filings.
• The program is open to individuals who retain loyalty and a sense of commitment to their country of origin as well as to the U.S., but is intended to support individuals who will continue to regard the U.S. as their principal residence and focus of national identity.
• The applicant must either have a bachelor's degree or be in her/his final year of undergraduate study. Those who have a bachelor's degree may already be pursuing graduate study and may receive Fellowship support to continue that study. Individuals who are in the third, or subsequent, year of study in the same graduate program are not, however, eligible for this competition. Students who have received a master's degree in a program and are continuing for a doctoral degree in the same program are considered to have been in the same program from the time they began their work on their master's degree.

SELECTION PROCEDURES
Candidates must demonstrate the relevance of graduate education to their long-term career goals and potential in enhancing their contributions to society. A successful candidate gives evidence of at least two of the following three attributes or criteria for selection:

• Creativity, Originality, and Initiative, demonstrated in any area of her/his life;
• A commitment to and capacity for accomplishment, demonstrated through activity that has required drive and sustained effort;
• A commitment to the values expressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. (includes activity in support of human rights and the rule of law, in opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and in advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society.

PROCESS
Applicants are responsible for submitting following:

• Completed application materials (application materials may be downloaded or obtained from the Office of Fellowships and Graduate Student Support, (202) 994-6822;
• Two essays on specified topics;
• A 1-2 page resume;
• Three recommendation letters, of which one is from a faculty member familiar with the applicant's current or most recent academic work and one is from someone who is familiar with her/his performance in a work-setting, whether paid or volunteer. The third can be from either catagory;
• An institutional status form from the institution attend indicating when and whether the present degree program will be completed (this may be completed by a registrar, a dean or director of the program, or other authority);
• A transcript from the applicant's undergraduate institution;
• Documentary evidence that the applicant meets, as of 1 November 2008, the definition of New American as detail as in the answer to the second question;
• Scores from any graduate aptitude test (e.g., GMAT, MCAT, GRE, LSAT) required by programs to which the applicant has applied.

DEADLINE
The application and all supporting materials must be submitted to the Soros program at the address noted below no later than 1 November 2008. Applicants can also submit applications on the On-line Application System. Forms submitted after this date will not be considered.

Applications and all supporting materials must be returned in one packet; mail to:
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone:   (212)547-6926
E-mail:   pdsoros_fellows@sorosny.org

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact:
The George Washington University
Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships
Geri Rypkema, Director
2121 Eye Street, NW, Rice Hall 602
Washington, DC 20052
Phone:   (202) 994-6822
Fax:   (202) 994-8845

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