The Humphrey Fellowship was established in 1978 as a Fulbright exchange that advances U.S. foreign policy goals through the exchange of mid-career professionals representing approximately 140 eligible countries from all world regions. A recent evaluation found that 61 percent of Humphrey alumni return home and work in government in some capacity. Others are leaders in their fields driving policy, introducing new best practices and implementing innovative management methods into their organizations. Additionally, 46 percent of alumni report having developed national policies, created national programs, served as national trainers, and/or advised government officials on legislation in their home countries.

During their fellowship, Humphrey Fellows participate in non-degree study at approximately 13 host campuses across the United States and complete at least six weeks of a professional affiliation at a U.S.-based governmental, non-governmental, private sector, or international organization. Through their academic and professional experiences, they gain knowledge about the United States, deepen their professional expertise and experience in their field, and expand their networks to include U.S. and international counterparts.  Humphrey alumni are well positioned to serve as key interlocutors for posts around the world, helping achieve U.S. foreign policy goals and advance bilateral relationships. Alumni have lasting impacts on their communities, applying knowledge and skills acquired through their Fellowships to effect broad change across their organizations and fields of expertise.

Please visit the Humphrey Fellowship Program website (www.humphreyfellowship.org) for more information about eligible program fields.

The Humphrey program supports studies in broad range of areas. Each year the list of supported lists of studies get updated depending on country needs and requests. Below is the list of general fields of studies that are supported by the Humphrey program:

Human and Institutional Capacity:

• Economic Development
• Finance & Banking
• Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
• Technology Policy and Management

Rights and Freedoms: 

• Communications and Journalism
• Law and Human Rights

Sustainable Lands:

• Agricultural and Rural Development
• Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change
• Urban and Regional Planning

Thriving Communities:

• Public Health Policy and Management
• Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention
• Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy

Fellows are selected through a competitive process based on their potential for leadership and commitment to public service in both the public and private sector. Appropriate candidates are young and mid-career professionals in leadership positions who have a commitment to public service and the potential for professional advancement.

Prospective Fellows should have a minimum of five years full-time professional experience (prior to August 2023) in the relevant field and should be interested in the policy aspects of their field of specialization. Please note that candidates must have completed a university degree program requiring at least four years of full-time study to qualify for participation in U.S. graduate study programs.

Candidates should be proficient in both written and spoken English and should normally have a minimum TOEFL score of 500 (paper based) or 61 (internet-based), although exceptionally promising candidates with lower scores may apply for the Long-Term English (LTE) training.

Candidates should have both the need to participate in the program and the potential to benefit from it. Accordingly, they should demonstrate the required experience, skills, and commitment while also indicating how they can benefit from this program in ways that they have not experienced previously and are not likely to experience without the Humphrey Program. Applicants with distinguished records but who do not have a compelling need for the Humphrey experience are not appropriate candidates.

To be eligible, applicants must be:

1. Be a Mongolian citizen currently living in Mongolia; Individuals must hold a passport (or be eligible to hold a passport).
2. Individuals must have a first university degree (equivalent of a Bachelor’s or undergraduate degree).
3. Individuals must have at least five years of full-time professional experience beyond attainment of a first university/undergraduate degree, and prior to August 2024.
4. Have demonstrated leadership qualities and a record of public service
5. Applicants should demonstrate proficiency in both written and spoken English and be willing to sit for the TOEFL (English language proficiency exam) if they become program finalist.
6. Preference will be given to candidates with limited prior experience in the U.S.

Individuals with the following characteristics are ineligible to apply:

• Recent undergraduate university graduates (even if they have significant positions); University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities (except in the fields of Substance Abuse Education, Prevention, and Treatment and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language);
• Individuals who have attended a graduate school in the United States for one academic year or more during the seven years prior to August 2023;
• Individuals with U.S. in-country experience of any kind lasting more than six months during the five years prior to August 2023; and
• Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status may not apply to the program as they are ineligible for a J visa.
• U.S. Embassy employees and/or their immediate family members.

In order to apply for the Humphrey program, the applicant will follow the steps below:

1. Online application form: The application form becomes available when the program is announced.
2. The online application requires the following elements:

• Program plan providing details of what the applicant hopes to accomplish through participation in the program;
• Recommendation letters:
  *Attach letters of recommendation from two people who can attest to your academic and professional abilities. One of the letters is from the your current employer
  **Recommendations must be in English or provide English translation by an authorized translation service along with the original letter in  Mongolian. Recommendation letters submitted separately from the online application will not be accepted.
• Scanned copies of Diploma of all university degrees; must have English translation if needed. *Diploma scan must include all language versions (i.e. Mongolian Cyrillic, Mongolian Script, English, etc.).
• Original Transcript of all university degrees;
  *Transcript must be issued by the school administration.  Diploma appendixes will not be accepted.  Transcript must be in English or provide English translation by an authorized translation service along with the original transcript in Mongolian.

 

Things to remember when filling out an application:

• Application must be completed in English in electronic format;
• Applicants must answer all questions in the application form. Incomplete applications will be deemed technically ineligible. No questions can be left blank. Put N/A if not applicable;
• Essays must be your own work reflecting your original thought. Other people’s works/ideas used anywhere in the application must be properly noted;
• Please note any word or character limit for essay portions of the application and give your answers within the limit.

For more detailed information on the application process, please visit our website at https://www.humphreyfellowship.org/prospective-applicants/eligibility/
If you have additional questions regarding the application process, please contact Alumni@usmebassy.mn

All U.S. Government scholarship programs are merit-based. Although we take in to account special circumstances of candidates such as disability, disadvantaged background, or any other notable characteristics, final decision is made based on the candidate’s overall strength as represented by the application quality and interview. We also consider one’s ability to be a cultural ambassador and his/her ability and motivation to give back to the community. Following are the main steps for selection for the Humphrey program:

Technical Screening: This is the initial review to verify the completeness of the applications. During technical screening, we check to see two main things:

• If applications and any required supplemental documents are complete
• If applicants meet all the eligibility requirements

Application Review: After technical screening, all complete applications are then reviewed by an application review committee.

Short List: Based on the recommendations of the application review committee, an interview short list is created. Candidates who are included in the short list are then invited for an in-person interview.

Interview: An interview panel consisting of representatives of the U.S. Embassy, program alumni and other professionals interview all short-listed candidates and select finalists to be nominated to Washington approval.

TOEFL test: Program finalist take their TOEFL tests if needed.

Final Selection: Finalists approved by the Humphrey Program Office are then officially declared as Fulbright nominees.

• May – July: Scholarship is announced through U.S. Embassy website and social media;
• August: Applications technical screening and selection;
• September: Finalists take TOEFL IBT & submit other necessary documents;
• October – November: Nomination review by Humphrey external review committee in Washington, D.C.;
• February – March: Final selection results announced to the finalists;
• March: Pre-departure orientation for LTE program finalist/s;
• April: LTE program finalists depart to the U.S.;
• July: Pre-departure orientation for Regular program finalist/s;