The 2009-2010 Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships offered by District 3450 are now open for application.

The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship is designed to further international understanding and goodwill through sponsoring qualified individuals to study in another country. You are expected to serve as Rotary’s ambassador of goodwill while maintaining high standards of academic achievement. This scholarship is worth up to USD24,000.

Eligibility

1. Applicant must be a permanent resident of Hong Kong or Macao or a citizen of Mongolia.
2. The scholarships are for postgraduate studies in the academic year 2009/10.
3. The scholarships are not open to students seeking to continue studies already begun at a foreign institute.
4. Applicants must be proficient in the most commonly spoken language of the proposed host country
5. Applicant cannot apply to study in a country where he/she has previously lived or studied for more than six months.
6. Applicant must commit him/herself to reside in District 3450 in the year immediately before the scholarship year.
7. Successful applicants must attend any orientation programs organized by District 3450; failure to do so may lead to withdrawal of the scholarship offer.
8. Candidates cannot be Rotarians, Honorary Rotarians, or employees of a club, district, or other Rotary entity or of Rotary International. Spouses, lineal descendants, and ancestors of persons in the foregoing categories are also ineligible.

Deadline for District 3450 – 5pm, Monday, 30th June, 2008

Application Procedures
Applicant must submit a COMPLETE application form to one of the Rotary Clubs in District 3450 (Hong Kong, Macao & Mongolia) for Rotary Club endorsement. Information for individual Rotary Clubs can be found from the Rotary International District 3450 website (http://www.rotary3450.org/). Applicants should allow time for obtaining club endorsement before the application deadline. Applicants should be prepared for personal interviews at the discretion of the sponsor Rotarians at both the club and district levels.

Completed application form with Rotary Club endorsement and all supporting documents should be sent to The Rotary Information Centre, 14/F Capital Commercial Building, 26 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong by mail or by hand before 5 p.m., 30th June 2008. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

For enquiries, please email to:  D3450scholarship@gmail.com

The Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program is Ambassadorial Scholarships, established in 1947. Since that time, more than 30,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today, the Ambassadorial Scholarships Program of The Rotary Foundation is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. More than 1,200 scholarships were awarded for study in 2000-01. Through grants totaling approximately US$26 million, recipients from some 69 countries will study in more than 64 different nations.

The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. Today, the program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with local Rotarians and others the experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries.

A benefit not found in other scholarship programs is the scholar's association with Rotary clubs and Rotarians. Each scholar is assigned both a sponsor and a host Rotarian counselor who provide orientation, advice, and assistance.

Many former scholars serve important posts with their governments; others are highly respected in their fields. Examples of outstanding Rotary alumni include: Bill Moyers, a prominent U.S. journalist; Sadako Ogata, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees; Paul Volcker, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board; Carlos Alberto Da Mota Pinto, former prime minister of Portugal; Otto Borch, Danish Ambassador to the U.S., and Roger Ebert, a popular U.S. film critic.

Scholarship availability is determined by local Rotarian contributions to The Rotary Foundation. As a result, not all Rotary clubs will offer scholarships. Prospective scholars must apply through a local Rotary club.

Types of Scholarships
Currently, three types of scholarships are offered:

Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships provide funding for one academic year of study in another country. This award is intended to help cover round-trip transportation, tuition, fees, room and board expenses, and some educational supplies up to US$23,000 or its equivalent. Academic-Year Scholarships are the most common type of scholarship offered; nearly 1,000 were awarded for study in 2000-01.

Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships are for two or more years of degree-oriented study in another country. A flat grant of US$23,000 or its equivalent is provided to be applied toward the costs of a degree program. Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships are offered mainly by Rotary districts in Japan and Korea; 150 were awarded for study in 2000-01.

Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships are for either three or six months of intensive language study and cultural immersion in another country and provide funds to cover round-trip transportation, language training expenses, and homestay living arrangements, up to US$12,000 and US$19,000 respectively. Applications are considered for candidates interested in studying Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and Swedish.

Some Rotary districts may only offer one type of scholarship (or none at all); applicants must check with the local club regarding availability.

Terms of Scholarships

Study or training must be undertaken in another country or territory in which there are Rotary clubs but not in the sponsoring Rotary country or district.

Although applicants are asked to list their preferred study locations, The Rotary Foundation Trustees reserve the right to make assignments to any suitable institution to ensure the widest possible geographical distribution of scholars. Candidates must be flexible in their study institution assignments.

Scholars will not be assigned to study in a city, state, or province where they have previously lived or studied for more than six months. As a result, the scholarships are not appropriate for foreign students seeking to continue studies at a given university.

Each scholar is responsible for applying directly to the assigned study institution, gaining admission, obtaining required visas, and making travel arrangements. The scholarship may not be used in conjunction with a study-abroad program affiliated with a home country institution.

Scholars must locate funds to cover all expenses that are not specifically funded by their scholarships or for which their scholarships are not sufficient. Scholarships will not be increased to cover spouses, dependents, or anyone other than the scholar.

Scholars may receive additional funding from other sources during the scholarship period; however, The Rotary Foundation will not duplicate funds provided by other sources.

Depending on tax laws in the home and host countries, the scholarships may be taxable in part or in full. It is the scholar's responsibility to investigate tax regulations as they pertain to scholarship funding.

Academic-Year and Multi-Year Scholarships may be used for almost any field of study but cannot be used for unsupervised research, medical internships or residencies, or for employment. Scholars planning to pursue medical studies will not be permitted to engage in hands-on procedures or direct-care patient services during the scholarship period.

Academic-Year and Multi-Year Scholarship applicants whose native language is not that of their proposed study countries must submit evidence of ability to read, write, and speak the language(s) of those countries. Academic-Year Scholarship candidates must also pass a language proficiency examination determined by the Foundation.