FY2009 FULBRIGHT VISITING STUDENTS

TRANS SAHARA UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Nouakchott- March 23 (NEXT GEN PRESS)

THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN NOUAKCHOTT IS HODING AN OPEN COMPETITION TO NOMINATE QUALIFIED MAURITANIAN STUDENTS FOR THE FY2009 FULBRIGHT UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM'S GOALS ARE TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY IN THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL SECTORS AND TO EXPOSE FUTURE TEACHERS FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS TO AMERICAN EDUCATION AND CULTURE. GRANTEES WILL RECEIVE UP TO SIX MONTHS OF INTENSIVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING PRIOR TO ENROLLING IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF AN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM LEADING TO A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN EDUCATION. THE TARGETED AUDIENCE FOR THIS PROGRAM IS SECOND YEAR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO PASSED THEIR FINAL EXAM IN JUNE 2008, AND WHO INTEND TO BECOME TEACHERS. CANDIDATES INTERESTED IN THIS COMPETITION CAN REQUEST AN APPLICATION FORM FROM THE STUDENT ADVISOR AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN NOUAKCHOTT BETWEEN JULY 15 AND JULY 30, 2008. THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN NOUAKCHOTT IS AUGUST 31, 2008.

ALL CANDIDATES PRESELECTED MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OFFICIAL TOEFL SCORE OF 500. A 500 TOEFL SCORE IN THE PAPER-BASED TEST FORMAT CORRESPONDS TO 173 IN THE COMPUTER BASED FORMAT AND 61 IN THE NEW INTERNET BASED FORMAT. WHILE 500/173/61 IS THE MINIMUM SCORE FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE FULBRIGHT PROGRAM, IIE (INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION) REMINDS THAT 550/213/80 IS THE SCORE NEEDED AT THE END OF INTENSIVE ENGLISH TO BE ADMITTED TO AN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM. GRATEES WHO ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING ADMISSION TO AN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM UPON COMPLETION OF THE ENGLISH TRAINING PROGRAM WILL RETURN HOME WITH AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CERTIFICATE. SELECTION CRITERIA:

A. APPLICANTS MUST BE CITIZENS OR NATIONALS OF MAURITANIA. B. APPLICANTS MUST BE CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT A UNIVERSITY OR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE HOME COUNTRY AND WILL HAVE COMPLETED TWO YEARS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDY BY JUNE 2008. C. APPLICANTS SHOULD HAVE A HIGH MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT TO BECOMING PRIMARY OR SECONDARY TEACHERS. D. APPLICANTS MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT CREDITS TO TRANSFER AND BE PLACED IN A THIRD YEAR U.S. UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM. HOLDERS OF THE “DEUG” MOST LIKELY WILL HAVE ENOUGH CREDITS TO TRANSFER TO AN APPROPRIATE ACADEMIC PROGRAM. E. APPLICANTS SHOULD HAVE OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC RECORDS, REFERENCES AND PREPARATION. F. APPLICANTS SHOULD HAVE A DESIRE TO ENHANCE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THEIR COUNTRY AS WELL AS A HIGH MOTIVATION TO COMPLETING THE PROGRAM AND RETURNING HOME WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED TIMEFRAME. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN NOUAKCHOTT WILL HOST INFORMATION SESSIONS EVERY TUESDAY FROM 16:00 TO 17:30