Post Graduate Opportunities
Your degree is a ticket to explore the world. The following awards and programs offer opportunities to study or work after graduation. Don't let lack of money stand in your way. Once you have a degree, many programs pay you. Some programs even defer repayment on student loans.

Participating Countries: Australia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ireland and New Zealand. Other countries are pending.

Length of Stay: Each country has different time restrictions. Most average around a limit of 3 or 4 months.

Costs: An administrative fee of approximately $400 is charged. This fee varies depending on the country. A Council-issued international student ID card is also required at a cost of $20. In addition, participants pay for their transportation costs and all living expenses.

Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 18 years old. Canada and Australia have upper age limits of 31 and 26 respectively. They must also prove current or recent student status. To apply for programs in Costa Rica, Germany and France, applicants must have language proficiency.

Student Loan Deferment: No.

Application Process: Applications are usually available in the International Programs and Services office. You can also request applications at the Council website or by calling 1-888-COUNCIL. All applications require proof of student status and a letter of reference. Program application is not competitive.

Deadline: Program dates vary by country. While there is not a formal deadline, applicants should be aware of these dates and that it takes about four weeks to process applications.

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Fulbright Grants www.usia.gov
Funded under the mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 with additional contributions from participating governments and host institutions. The purpose is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills.

Participating Countries: Various

Special Note: While most Fulbright grants are given to conduct graduate-level research, there are a number of teaching grants which do not require a research project. Opportunities to teach English are available in Belgium/Luxembourg, France, Germany, Hungary, Korea and Turkey. With the exception of Korea and Turkey, these programs offer a good opportunity for foreign language majors who wish to have more practice in their language of study. The programs in Korea and Turkey do not require language proficiency. There are also five media/art internships available in Taiwan.

Number of Awards: Varies from country to country.

Length of Award: One year

Eligibility: U.S. citizenship; must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent; Usually requires sufficient proficiency in language of host country to carry out proposed study or research.

Value of the Award: Round-trip air travel, maintenance allowance for tenure of the grant, a research allowance, and tuition waivers, if applicable. All grants include basic health and accident insurance.

Student Loan Deferment: Yes, in many cases.

Application Process: Brochures, application forms and further information are available from International Programs and Services. All applications require three references typed on Fulbright-supplied forms. Research grant applications require an outline of intended research projects. A USI committee interviews applicants.

Deadline: Campus deadline for applications is October 8. Grants usually start the following summer or fall. Available in May, applications are lengthy and should be started several weeks before completion date.

USI History: A USI student won a Korean Fulbright in 1997.

Adviser: Heidi Gregori-Gahan, director of International Programs and Services.
Telephone: 812/465-1248   E-mail: gahan@usi.edu

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Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program www.mofa.go.jp/j_infor/visit/jet/index.html

Sponsored by the Japanese government, the Jet Program invites over a thousand college graduates from English-speaking countries to share their language and culture with Japanese schools students. One year positions are available throughout Japan.

Number of Positions: About 1,300

Length of Contract: One year with an option for renewal. There is a limit of two renewals.

Eligibility: Must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent and be under 35 years of age. Applicants should have excellent communications skills.

Value of the Award: According to JET's web page, "Host Institutions provide JET participants with the transportation costs to Japan and approximately 3,600,000 yen remuneration per annum (after exemptions from income tax). Host Institutions also assist the participants in finding accommodations."

Student Loan Deferment: No.

Application Process: Brochures and further information are available from International Programs and Services. Applications can be requested by calling 1-800-INFO-JET or from the Japanese Embassy at the following address:

Embassy of Japan
Office of the JET Program
2520 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20008
Phone: 202/939-6772

Applicants who pass initial screening, are interviewed at the nearest Embassy or Consulate. (A consulate is located in Chicago.) Successful applicants are contacted in March and leave in July.

Deadline: December

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Marshall Scholarships www.britcoun.org/usa/usabms.htm
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1953 to commemorate the ideals of the European Recovery Programme (the Marshall Plan). The overall objective is to enable "intellectually distinguished young Americans to study in the United Kingdom and thereby to gain an understanding and appreciation of the British way of life."

Participating Country: Britain

Number of awards: Though there are 40 awards available, only one person is allowed to represent USI each year.

Length of award: Two years (22 months) of study in any discipline, undergraduate or graduate level, leading to the award of a British University degree.

Eligibility: Citizens of the U.S.; under 26 years of age; undergraduate degree from accredited college or university; GPA at least 3.7 after the first year; preference given to single candidates.

Value of the award: Approximately £15,500 annually, including: personal allowance (residence/room and board); tuition and fees; grant for books and approved travel; thesis preparation (if required); fares to and from the U.S.

Application Process: Applications available from the student advisor. A committee interview is required.

Application Deadline: Mid-October. Contact International Programs and Services if you are interested in this award.

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Peace Corps www.peacecorps.gov
Founded by President John F. Kennedy in a 1961, the Peace Corps has sent volunteers to help the people of 134 developing countries. Billed as "the toughest job you'll ever love," work is divided into the following sectors: Education (39 percent), Environment (17 percent), Health (17 percent) Business (13 percent), Agriculture (9 percent), Other (5 percent). Though practical training is an important qualification, Liberal Arts majors are encouraged to apply.

Participating Countries: Eighty countries have volunteers.

Number of Participants: Currently 6,700 and growing.

Length of Stay Abroad: Typically two years.

Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 18 years old, but there is no upper age limit. Ninety-five percent of participants have undergraduate degrees. Applicants without undergraduate degrees must demonstrate significant skills. Married couples are allowed.

Value of the Award: Airfare, a 3-month training session including intensive language training, basic living expenses, medical and dental benefits. Participants also receive a $6,075 readjustment grant on completion of two-year service.

Student Loan Deferment: Yes, in many cases. See the Peace Corp Web site for details.

Application Process: Call the toll-free number or go the web site for an application. Applications require transcripts, letters of reference, a health status review form and a resumé. The Peace Corps wants "detailed information about your work experience, your education, your volunteer experience, your life skills, and your hobbies." The process also requires an interview with a Peace Corps recruiter as well as medical and legal clearance.

Deadline: Applications are accepted and processed year-round.

Contact: The toll-free phone number is 1-800-424-8580. Extensive information can also be found at www.peacecorps.gov.

USI History: Many USI graduates have participated as Peace Corps volunteers.

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Rhodes Scholarship www.rhodesscholar.org
The Rhodes Scholarship provides for study at the University of Oxford. Applicants need to have demonstrated outstanding intellectual and academic achievement, but they must also be able "to show integrity of character, interest in and respect for their fellow beings, the ability to lead, and the energy to use their talents to the full."

Participating Country: England

Number of Awards: Thirty-two scholars are chosen from the U.S. annually.

Length of Award: Typically two years of study, with a maximum of three.

Eligibility: Must be between 18 and 24 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and graduated before October 1 in the year study is to begin at Oxford.

Value of the Award: Travel and all expenses for two years of study at Oxford University.

Application Process: After filling out an application, students receive the endorsement of USI. Two students from the state will be selected to advance to the regional selection process. Eight states are represented at this level, and the four students chosen here become Rhodes Scholars. As indicated by the selection process, this award is extremely competitive.

Deadline: October 1 of the senior year. Contact International Programs and Services if you are interested in this program.

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