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The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program was established under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law No. 117-328) and particularly encourages students from underserved communities, including members of minority groups, to apply. The Fellowship is designed to heighten the student’s awareness of the Foreign Commercial Service through a summer enrichment program and a virtual Professional Development and Networking component.
Status in any underserved community is not considered when selecting award recipients.
However, outreach efforts are being employed to increase awareness of this new opportunity among underserved communities, as defined by Executive Order 14035, including:
- Communities of color, such as Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Indigenous, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and North African persons;
- Individuals who belong to communities that face discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender non-conforming, and non-binary (LGBTQ+) persons);
- Persons who face discrimination based on pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions;
- Parents and caregivers;
- Individuals who belong to communities that face discrimination based on their religion or disability;
- First-generation professionals, or first-generation college students;
- Individuals with limited English proficiency;
- Immigrants;
- Individuals who belong to communities that may face employment barriers based on older age or former incarceration;
- Persons who live in rural areas;
- Veterans and military spouses; and,
- Persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty, discrimination, or inequality.
The ITA will seek to ensure that Fellows represent a range of academic disciplines, geographies, and degrees sought, with additional consideration of financial need, academic achievement, and the potential for satisfying the Foreign Commercial Service Assessment requirements.
The program is administered through the International Trade Administration, Global Markets, Office of Global Talent Management.
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Introduction
The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program supports graduate level market research and student’s awareness of the foreign commercial service officer work through a summer enrichment program and a virtual Professional Development and Networking phase.
Subject to appropriations, approximately $1,000,000 may be available for awards under this program during fiscal year (FY) 2024. The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship provides one year support up to $35,000 per student to cover travel related expenses, housing, meals and necessary materials and supplies.
A mandatory orientation will be held for incoming fellows. Fellows must participate in this orientation to ensure a basic knowledge of the program. If Fellows cannot participate for whatever reason (e.g., travel visa issues, medical emergency, etc.), the program manager has the discretion to revoke the fellowship. Travel support (logistics and funding) not to exceed $35,000 per year will be provided to Fellows, who will also meet with the ITA leadership and staff. The USFCS funds cannot be used toward research costs.
The award periods are up to 15 months for a student enrolled in an eligible Master’s degree program. The anticipated start date is June 2025. If an applicant is selected for initial funding, the USFCS reserves the right to revoke funding at any point.
Eligibility
Only individuals who are U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals and are either accepted at or enrolled in a U.S. accredited graduate institution to pursue a Master’s degree in the fields of International Affairs, International Relations, International Studies, Economics, Business, Trade, Public Administration, or Public Policy are eligible for an award under this Fellowship program.
In addition, to be eligible to apply, applicants must have a cumulative 3.30 GPA either from their graduate program or from undergraduate studies.
Individuals who accept federal funding for other fellowships or award programs, such as grants or scholarships sponsored by the U.S. Government, are not eligible to receive the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship if there is more than a one-weekany overlap in the start date between programs. For example, an applicant who has received an award from the Federal Government for research work conducted through from November 2024 through May 2025 Fall 2024 is not eligible, as that award time period overlaps, by more than one week, with the beginning of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program anticipated start date in June 2025.
Universities or other organizations may not apply on behalf of an individual. Prospective fellows need to be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of application to be awarded this fellowship. Eligibility must be maintained for each succeeding year of support, and annual reporting requirements, to be specified, will apply.
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Applicants must register in both Grants.gov and eRA Commons. Each application package must include the items listed in this section unless otherwise indicated. Failure to submit any items as described is likely to result in disqualification. Application packages are available through Grants.gov.
Paper applications are only allowable for the following reasons:
- Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion;
- the applicant does not have access to the internet; or
- the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter.
Otherwise, all applications must be submitted via Grants.gov.
Please do not include a cover page for your application. Each application package must be included within the single Adobe PDF document in the correct order as outlined. Failure to submit any items as described in this section is likely to result in disqualification.
Please provide a title of the item (for example, General Information Sheet, Statement of Intent, etc.) on each page in a Header Section except when a previously formatted PDF is added, such as transcripts or a PDF copy of a letter of recommendation.
Completed sections with background information on the applicant, including work and volunteer experiences, international experiences, and honors and awards.
Application Timeline
Completed applications must be received by Grants.gov by July 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time or postmarked by July 7, 2024, and sent to the GM Office of Global Talent Management. The GM Office of Global Talent Management mailing address is:
U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program
GM Office of Global Talent Management
Attn: Wendy Thompson
Herbert C. Hoover Building
1401 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20230
Applications received after the due date will not be reviewed or considered and will likely result in disqualification.
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The evaluation criteria and weighting of the criteria are as follows:
1. Statement of Intent (30 points). For this program, this includes:
- Academic, Career Goals and Aspirations: 10 points
- Interest in pursuing the Foreign Commercial Service Career: 15 points
- Communication skills, Written: 5 points
2. Letters of Recommendations (20 points). For this program, this includes:
- Familiarity of Applicant: 5 points for each letter (10 in total)
- Strength of Support: 5 points for each letter (10 in total)
3. Additional Relevant Experience (15 points). For this program, this includes:
- Experience: 7 points
- Interview: 8 points
Review and Selection Process
Once ITA receives an application, an initial administrative review is conducted to determine compliance with the minimum requirements, including completeness of the application and inclusion of all elements required in each of the NOFO sections. ITA, in its sole discretion, may continue the review process for applications with non-substantive issues that can be easily rectified or cured.
All applications that pass the administrative review will be evaluated and scored individually in accordance with the assigned weights of the above evaluation criteria by a review panel. Each reviewer will independently evaluate each application and provide an individual score and comments to corroborate that score. The panel of reviewers convenes and comes to a consensus on each application. Applicants with an initial scoring of 40 points and above after review of the Statement of Intent (30 points), Letters of Recommendations (20 points), and Experience (7 points), will be considered for the Interview, which will comprise the final 8 points of the scoring criteria.
The panel will be composed of three (3) or more individuals, having expertise in the ITA Foreign Commercial Service and knowledge of the program priorities of the International Trade Administration. The reviewers will rate the applications using the evaluation criteria and weighting provided above. The panel will then meet to discuss applications. The review panel will not come to a consensus regarding applicants’ scores. The individual panelist scores will be averaged for each application and placed in a ranking order of all applications. The Program Officer will transmit the review information to the Selection Official and may make a recommendation to the Selection Official about applying the selection factors below. The Selection Official will recommend in rank order unless an application is justified to be selected out of rank order based on one or more of the following selection factors.
Selection Factors
The merit review ratings shall provide a rank order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendation. The Selecting Official shall award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors:
- Balance/Distribution of Funds
- Across academic disciplines
- Geographic area
- Availability of funds
- Specific to the ITA Foreign Commercial Service priorities and organizational needs
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Subject to the availability of funds, review of applications and subsequent notification to applicants will be completed in December 2024. Funds are expected to be awarded by May 2025, which is the start date that must be used on the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) for successful applications.
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Application Process
Applicants may submit applications via Grants.gov or paper applications. Date and time of receipt of each application sent via Grants.gov is electronically recorded. For paper applications, each envelope is time and date stamped when received and needs to be postmarked by the due date (i.e., July 7, 2024). In order for an application to be considered “Complete” all required items must be received by Grants.gov or postmarked by the submission date. If you choose to mail in a paper application, we suggest using a service that can guarantee confirmation of delivery.
Please Note: Please review for detailed information about registering as an individual and applying in the Grants.gov system.
All applicants, both those using electronic and paper, should be aware that adequate time must be factored into applicant submission timelines for delivery of the application. It may take Grants.gov and eRA Commons up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. You will receive an official notice from Grants.gov if you have uploaded your application correctly. It is not the responsibility of the GM Office of Global Talent Management to verify receipt of any application.
Content and Form of Application
Each application package must include the items listed below unless otherwise indicated. Failure to submit any items as described in this section will result in disqualification. Application packages are available through Grants.gov.
Please do not include a cover page for your application.
Each application package must be included within the single Adobe PDF document in the correct order as outlined in the Application and Submission Information. Failure to submit any items as described in this section will result in disqualification.
Please provide a title of the item (for example, General Information Sheet, Statement of Intent, etc.) on each page in a Header Section except when a previously formatted PDF is added, such as transcripts or a PDF copy of a letter of recommendation.
1. Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Application for Federal Assistance, is located on the Grants.gov portal and must be completed with information pertinent to the applicant. If you require specific guidance on how to complete the SF-424 form, please reach out via email to CSFellowship@trade.gov. Item number 21 on the SF- 424 cannot be used as a replacement for the declaration statement required in Item 10 below. The SF-424 must be uploaded to Grants.gov separately from the items outlined below. If submitting a paper application, the application packet must also include a completed SF 424 and the SF-424 must be signed and dated with pen and ink.
Numbers 2-8: The following items of the application listed below shall be uploaded into Grants.gov in the single Adobe PDF file, in the order outlined below. Failure to provide the single Adobe PDF file with all the components in the order listed below is likely to result in disqualification. If submitting a paper application, the full application must be in the order outlined below or the application is likely to result in disqualification. If sealed letters of recommendation are included in a paper application these envelopes can be added to the mailing envelope and not included in the rest of the correctly organized application package and should be referenced in the table of contents as attachments at the end. Submitting a paper application is only acceptable for the following reasons: 1) Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion; 2) if the applicant does not have access to the internet; or 3) if the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter.
2. Table of Contents: On a single page, please list the items and page numbers of the following required information. Page numbers are not required for pre-existing PDF documents, such as transcripts or PDF letters of recommendation, but should still contribute to the page count. If the sealed letters are in envelopes, the table of contents should reference them as attachments.
3. General Information Sheet: Provide the information outlined below, but do not exceed two (2) typewritten single-spaced pages, font size 12 in Times New Roman, with a 1” margin. General Information Sheets that are longer than two (2) pages in length and/or do not follow the formatting requirements listed above will result in disqualification.
Personal Data: Provide your full name (including all aliases and maiden/married names); country of citizenship; current address and/or permanent address; current phone number; and email address.
a. Optional Personal Data: The U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program is committed to broadening awareness of Foreign Commercial Service careers. To accurately gauge whether the fellowship program is achieving this important goal, we ask that applicants indicate gender, race, and ethnicity, or identification in another underserved community. Please note that this information is voluntary. Whether you provide this optional personal data, and what your personal data indicates, if provided, will not be considered in the application process.
b. Education: State the name and location of your institution and your academic department for your graduate study.
c. Degree: List all academic degrees conferred to date, date of receipt, and your cumulative GPA for each. All applicants must also list the existing Master’s degree program that the applicant is currently pursuing, with expected date of graduation. For this, provide your graduate advisor’s name, telephone number, and email address. If your GPA includes coursework from a U.S. university or an international institution that does not align with the typical 4.0 GPA system for grades, please have a school representative, advisor, or independent reviewer submit a letter that states you meet the 3.30 GPA requirement and provides an accurate conversion. Provide your original GPA and your converted GPA in this section.
d. Academic Honors: List any academic honors received.
e. Relevant Experience: List experience related to your field of study. You may include research and teaching assistantships and any other paid or unpaid work. Include languages spoken and proficiency level.
f. Knowledge of Fellowship: In a few words, please describe how you initially heard about the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program (e.g., word of mouth, academic colleague, school/institution, specific professor/mentor, online database, etc.).
Failure to include the General Information Sheet, as outlined, will result in disqualification.
4. Statement of Intent: Provide the following components outlined below in two (2) separate sections. The Statement of Intent must be typewritten, single-spaced, font size 12 Times New Roman, with a 1” margin and must not exceed one (1) page in length including sections (a) and (b). Sections (a) and (b) will be weighted equally; therefore, your descriptions must provide enough detail to review accordingly. Statements longer than one (1) page or that do not follow the formatting requirements listed above will result in disqualification.
This statement will be used to evaluate your motivation for applying for this fellowship, and your communication skills and potential to become a Foreign Commercial Service Officer. This statement must tell us something about why you are interested in this fellowship opportunity and demonstrate your organizational and written communication skills.
a. Academic, Career Goals and Aspirations: A self-description of your career goals, and how your proposed academic course of study will help you achieve these goals. This is your opportunity to present yourself, your academic and career pursuits, and your broader aspirations. Please include any background information that is pertinent, such as work and academic experience, languages spoken, and extra-curricular activities that are relevant to your educational goals and provide insight into why you chose to pursue these goals.
b. Interest in International Affairs: An explanation of the applicant’s interest in international affairs, and how this program will assist him/her in acquiring the skill set necessary for a career in the U.S. and Foreign Commerce Service. This is an opportunity for the applicant to align their knowledge, skills, and abilities to the mission and goals of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service.
In this section (i.e., Section 4), please provide a description of how your experience is related to the Foreign Commercial Service precepts, including knowledge of trade, leadership, management, problem-solving, cross-cultural, and interpersonal skills. Also explain how this fellowship program will help you enhance those skills and will make you a competitive candidate for a career in the Foreign Commercial Service. If you are a recipient of this fellowship, successfully complete the requirements of the fellowship, and are ultimately offered a position in the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, you will be required to accept the position.
If you are a recipient of the fellowship award, you will be required to complete the medical form with immunization information (provided by the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service) and provide proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status through one of the following documents:
- Birth certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization
- U.S. passport
* Note: If you use a birth certificate, please note that if you are selected, you will need to send us a hard copy of a notarized birth certificate before your final acceptance. Those using passports or certificates of citizenship will have to bring originals to show at the start of the program. Social Security cards and driver’s licenses are not proof of citizenship and will not be sufficient.
Transcripts: Applicants must submit transcripts for all complete years of academic study (both undergraduate and graduate), including courses in which you are currently enrolled. Headers are not required for transcripts. Transcripts from an institution or university that are only for one (1) semester are not required (excluding work in progress) but may be included in the single Adobe PDF document if needed to support evidence of international relations experience. Applicants must have a cumulative 3.30 GPA either from their graduate program or from undergraduate studies.
5. Students whose school does not follow a typical 4.0 GPA scale must submit a letter from a school representative, advisor, or independent reviewer that states you meet the 3.30 GPA requirement and provide an accurate conversion. Unofficial transcripts, which clearly state the name of the student and institution, submitted by the applicant are acceptable and must be included within the single Adobe PDF document in the correct order as outlined in Section B of the Application and Submission Information. All unofficial transcripts must list the student’s name and the name of the institution.
Failure to submit transcripts, as outlined above, will result in disqualification. Official transcripts will be required prior to making an award.
6. Enrollment Verification: Enrollment verification must include the name of the school and applicant. Individuals selected to receive the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Pilot Fellowship must provide proof of enrollment into the first year of a graduate program at a U.S. accredited institution at the time of notification or the individual will be ineligible to receive the award.
Failure to meet the Enrollment Verification requirements as indicated above will result in disqualification.
7. Two Letters of Recommendation: Each application must include only two (2) letters of recommendation with handwritten signatures on the actual letter from individuals who have knowledge of your academic record, research effort, and work and/or life experience. One reference must be from a professor who can provide knowledge of your academic career and another professional reference. It is recommended that each letter is no more than two (2) pages long. Letters of recommendation do not need to include headers. Relevant unpaid work, such as internships and volunteer efforts, are applicable. Letters of recommendation must include:
a. A statement that the individual writing the letter has a clear understanding of the applicant’s work, goals, and aspirations on a personal and professional level.
b. A statement on the applicant’s ability to succeed in a Foreign Commercial Service career with indication of clear support for the applicant.
If an applicant plans to have an ITA employee submit a letter of reference as one of the letters of recommendation required in this section, please note that the letter is limited to factual information and the ITA employee’s knowledge of the applicant’s ability or character based on the employee’s government interactions with the applicant. The letter may not endorse one applicant over other applicants. Subject to restrictions and management approval, an ITA employee may submit a letter of reference to ITA for the agency’s use in evaluating the application. The supervisor must decide whether it is in the agency’s interest to write such a letter. If the supervisor approves the letter, it must be written on agency letterhead and the employee must use his or her ITA title. The employee may not send the letter in his or her personal capacity. ITA employees can sign the letter digitally, but it is advised to not have these letters signed with their CAC card to prevent PDF issues.
The two (2) letters of recommendation must be included in the single Adobe PDF document. Each letter must have a handwritten signature on the official letterhead of the person recommending the candidate. Page numbers are not required for pre-existing PDF documents but should still contribute to the page count. If the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter, the applicant must submit a paper copy of their full application, include their letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes, and reference the letters of recommendation as attachments in the table of contents. Note that if you are submitting a paper application, the SF-424 form must be signed and dated with pen and ink. Failure to provide two (2) signed letters of recommendation on official letterhead, as outlined above, will result in disqualification. If more than two (2) letters of recommendation are provided, will result in disqualification.
8. Declaration: Applicants must certify that all statements and information in their application are true and correct by either 1) copying the following statement on a separate sheet of paper or 2) downloading the following declaration statement, then providing a handwritten signature on the same paper, and including it in the single Adobe PDF document:
I, the undersigned, declare, under penalty of perjury, that:
“I understand and agree to the limitations of the allowable costs for the fellowship funds as defined in this Notice of Funding Opportunity and that I am aware of the data sharing stipulation policy applicable to all ITA federal funding opportunities. This statement serves as my “Data/Information Sharing Plan” insofar as it expressly states that no funds associated with this award will be used for the collection or creation of any trade related information or data. If I engage in fraudulent conduct or fail to comply with any term or condition of the Fellowship my funding may be withdrawn, or I may be required to repay the amount of funding already received. I understand that if determined by the selecting official that satisfactory progress towards a market research and Fellowship paper is not completed within the timeframe of the award, I may be required to repay any expenses borne by the government for my participation in the US & Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program.”
All statements and information in my application are true and correct at the time of this application.
Executed on [insert date]:
Print or type name:
Signature: [insert handwritten signature]
Failure to include the exact statement above, signed in pen by the applicant, will result in disqualification.
Funds provided under this program cannot be used toward research costs.
Each application package must include the items listed in the Application and Submission Information section. Failure to submit all items, excluding the SF-424, which can be uploaded individually, in the single Adobe PDF document as described in the Application and Submission Information section and in the above outlined order or if any item is omitted will disqualify the application from consideration. Individual documents uploaded to Grants.gov will not be accepted and the applicant is likely to result in disqualification.
If the applicant has difficulty obtaining any of the above components of the application in electronic copy form, the applicant may submit a single paper application. If submitting a paper application, the application packet must also include a completed SF-424 and the SF 424 must be signed and dated with pen and ink. The paper application must be postmarked by the due date as outlined in the NOFO.
Submission Deadline
We encourage all applicants to begin the application process several days before the July 7, 2024, deadline. All applicants should be aware that adequate time must be factored into applicant schedules for delivery of the application. It may take both Grants.gov and eRA Commons up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please keep this in mind in developing your submission timeline. Electronic applicants are advised that volume on Grants.gov and eRA Commons can be extremely heavy, resulting in further delays. Paper applications are only allowable for the following reasons: 1) Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion; 2) the applicant does not have access to the internet; or 3) the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter. Otherwise, all applications must be submitted via Grants.gov.
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Q. Who can apply for the Scholarship?
A. Individuals who are U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals and are in the first year of an eligible Master’s degree program, or will complete their first year in the spring or summer of 2024, in the fields of International Affairs, International Relations, International Studies, Economics, Business, Trade, Public Administration, or Public Policy, at a U.S. accredited institution, may apply. Given the structure of the Program, individuals enrolled in Master’s degree programs of less than a two-year duration are not eligible to apply. Fellowship selections are based on academic excellence, letters of recommendations, a personal statement, relevant experience, skills demonstrated during interviews, and financial need. Applicants must have either 1) a cumulative 3.30 grade point average (GPA) in their graduate program or 2) have earned a cumulative 3.30 grade point average from undergraduate studies to be eligible to apply. Applicants must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 per either semester or quarter for the duration of their award.
The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program particularly encourages students from underserved communities, including members of minority groups, to apply.
Q. May I apply if I am currently applying to graduate programs?
A. Only individuals who are U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals and either accepted at or are enrolled in a U.S. accredited graduate institution to pursue a Master’s degree in the fields of International Affairs, International Relations, International Studies, Economics, Business, Trade, Public Administration, or Public Policy are eligible for an award under this Fellowship program.
Q. May I upload more than two letters of recommendation?
B. Only two signed letters of recommendation should be included with your application materials. Applications with more than two letters of recommendation may result in the application being disqualified.
Q. How do I fill out the Standard Form 424 (SF-424)?
A. Detailed instructions on how to complete the SF-424 form (download SF-424 form).
Q. How can I submit my application?
A. All applications MUST be submitted on Grants.gov. Submitting a paper application is only acceptable for the following reasons: 1) Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion; 2) if the applicant does not have access to the internet; or 3) if the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter.
Q. Should all of the application items be uploaded to Grants.gov?
A. All material outlined in the Application Package should be uploaded to Grants.gov in a single Adobe PDF in the correct order, except for the Standard Form 424, which should be uploaded to Grants.gov separately. All material mailed in must be postmarked by the due date as outlined in the Federal Funding Opportunity.
Q. Grants.gov isn’t taking the zip code of my city and state?
A. Make sure to enter your zip code in the 00000-0000 format.
Q. I am trying to upload my application onto Grants.gov, but I can’t. What should I do?
A. It may take both Grants.gov and eRA Commons up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please keep this in mind in developing your submission timeline. Electronic applicants are advised that volume on Grants.gov and eRA Commons can be extremely heavy, resulting in further delays. Paper applications are only allowable for the following reasons: 1) Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion; 2) the applicant does not have access to the internet; or 3) the person providing the letter of recommendation does not wish for the applicant to see the contents of the letter.
The ITA/GM Office of Global Talent Management may allow more time for application submission due to a “systems issue” with Grants.gov that takes place at the time of application submission and is beyond the control of the applicant. In these limited circumstances where there is a systems issue, the applicant must contact the help desk for the relevant system (i.e., Grants.gov, eRA Commons) and obtain a help desk ticket number. The applicant must contact the ITA/GM Office of Global Talent Management immediately upon discovering the issues and must still submit the required application documents in order for their application to be considered for review.
Q. When does my application need to be received?
A. Your application must be received by the due date as outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) through Grants.gov or postmarked by the due date. Adequate time must be factored into applicant schedules for delivery of the application. It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application.
Q. I was able to send my application to Grants.gov after 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date, will it be accepted?
A. Application received with a timestamp indicating it was submitted after 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date will be disqualified.
Q. How do you calculate GPAs to ensure eligibility for this scholarship?
A. In order to make sure the application process is equitable for all applicants we must strictly follow the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). In the NOFO, it states “Applicants must have either 1) a cumulative 3.30 grade point average (GPA) in their graduate program or 2) have earned a cumulative 3.30 grade point average from undergraduate studies to be eligible to apply. Applicants must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 per either semester or quarter for the duration of their award.”
The GPA for eligibility will be calculated the following ways:
- If you have not received your graduate school cumulative GPA yet, we use your most recent undergraduate cumulative GPA awarded, and it must be a 3.30 GPA or higher to be eligible to apply.
- If you have completed at least one year of graduate school, we use your current cumulative GPA, and it must be a 3.30 GPA or higher to be eligible to apply.
Q. How do I calculate my GPA if some or all of my coursework comes from an international institution?
A. If your GPA includes coursework from an international institution that does not align with the U.S. system for grades following a 4.0 GPA system, please have an advisor or independent reviewer confirm that the student met the GPA equivalent requirement of a 3.30 GPA. Please include a GPA or equivalent in your pass letter from your international institution, otherwise your undergraduate GPA will be used as the determination for eligibility.
