Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program Competition 2023-2024

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from citizens of Serbia for participation in the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for the 2023-24 academic year. This is a competitive, worldwide competition. If you are interested in broadening your perspectives, becoming a global leader, and giving back to Serbian society upon your return, the Humphrey Fellowship is for you.

The Humphrey Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. Over 6,000 Fellows representing 162 countries have participated in the program since its inception in 1978. That has included 20 Serbians in the past decade.

Successful candidates are accomplished, young, mid-career professionals in leadership positions who have a demonstrated commitment to public service and have the potential for further advancement in their fields. Candidates should be interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge and views with the Americans and with Fellows from other countries they meet during this program about issues of common concern. Practical experience in the U.S. gained through this program, plus greater familiarity with American society and culture, will provide Humphrey Fellows with the basis for lasting, productive ties with their American counterparts in the years to come.

PROFESSIONAL FIELDS

The Humphrey Fellowship is granted competitively to public and private sector candidates from Serbia with strong leadership potential and a commitment to service who are focused on the following fields:

  • Economic Development.
  • Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration.
  • Technology Policy and Management.
  • Law and Human Rights.
  • Trafficking in Persons Policy & Prevention.
  • Agricultural and Rural Development.
  • Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change.
  • Urban and Regional Planning.
  • Public Health Policy and Management.
  • Higher Education Administration.

THE HUMPHREY PROGRAM EXPERIENCE

The yearlong Fellowship offers valuable opportunities for non-degree graduate level university study, leadership development, networking, and substantive professional collaboration with U.S. counterparts through practical work experience.

The freedom from the requirements necessary to obtain a degree gives each Fellow greater flexibility to pursue a self-directed, individualized program. Though Humphrey Fellows are hosted at American universities, we would like to stress that this is a professional, non-academic exchange program. Certain universities will host Fellows in the same field of interest, so candidates are unable to request placement at particular academic institutions. Humphrey Fellows may not transfer from non-degree to degree status at their host university under any circumstances.

Beyond the graduate level courses, professional enrichment activities include participation in conferences, training programs, site visits, and a “professional affiliation,” i.e., practical job experience on a full-time basis in an American work environment for a minimum of six weeks. Early in the academic year, with assistance from the Humphrey coordinator and faculty advisors at the university, each Fellow will develop a detailed plan of practical professional activities geared toward his/her Humphrey Program objectives.

During the year, Fellows both pursue their individual program goals and work closely with their Humphrey colleagues in workshops and seminars. The Program also encourages Fellows to travel away from their host campus to learn more about American culture and to network with their American peers.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Appropriate candidates are young, mid-career professionals in leadership positions in either the public and private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to public service and the potential for further advancement.

  • We strongly encourage both men and women to apply, as well as persons with disabilities and individuals from other underserved groups.
  • The technical eligibility requirements are:
  • Serbian citizenship and eligibility to obtain a U.S. visa.
  • An undergraduate university degree.
  • A minimum of five years of full-time, professional experience in the relevant field by June 2023.
  • Limited or no prior experience in the United States.
  • Demonstrated leadership qualities.
  • A record of public service in the community.
  • Proficiency* in written and spoken English. Candidates will normally have a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 525 (paper-based) or 71 (internet-based). If you have taken a TOEFL exams in the past, scores are valid for two years. The TOEFL exam is not a requirement at the time of application. Candidates who pass the interview will receive the instructions how to register for the TOEFL exam.

* Note: In addition to the pre-academic language training traditionally available to all selected candidates, the Humphrey Program offers Long-Term English (LTE) language training opportunities to facilitate participation of individuals who might lack sufficiently advanced English language skills at the time of application. Candidates for LTE typically have TOEFL scores in the 440-500 range (paper-based test) or 42-61 (internet-based test). LTE participants will travel to the U.S early for intensive language training lasting 20-25 weeks to improve their English skills before transitioning to their host university campuses at the start of the 2020-21 academic year.

Please be aware that the following individuals are ineligible to apply for the Humphrey Program:

  • Recent university graduates (even if they now hold significant positions in their organizations);
  • University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities;
  • 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;
  • Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status may not apply to the program; they are ineligible for a J visa;
  • Local employees of U.S. Missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State and members of their families as well as individuals who work for or are otherwise associated with an organization that is responsible for nominating or selecting individuals for participation in any Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) exchange program are ineligible for grants during the period of their employment and for one year following the termination of employment.
  • Priority will be given to candidates with no recent experiences in a third country, especially in a developed country.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Beyond demonstrating the required experience, skills, and a commitment to public service, candidates will also need to explain through the application process how they might benefit from the unique opportunities offered in the Humphrey Program. The key questions to answer are: Why exactly do you need this experience at this point in your career? How exactly will you and how will Serbia benefit from your participation in this program?

Applications are due June 30, 2022. Information on how to apply is below.
Within 30 days, we will contact short-listed applicants to attend an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade in the first half of September, 2022.

Candidates who pass the interview will be registered for the TOEFL exam. We will then forward the application packets with TOEFL results to Washington.

The final selection of candidates will be announced in Washington, DC in February 2023.

Finalists will then need to apply for a visa. The Embassy will assist the candidate with that process and other paperwork requirements, including the medical exam.

DEPENDENTS (FAMILY MEMBERS)

The Humphrey Fellowship covers air travel, a stipend, and other costs, but all expenses are budgeted only for the Fellow himself/herself. The award does not include additional allowances or funds of any sort for dependents, i.e., family members. Candidates who are planning to have dependents join them during all or part of the fellowship year in the U.S. should bear in mind the high cost of living. They must furthermore receive prior approval from the Humphrey Program that they have adequate personal funds to cover living expenses and dependents’ health insurance and (if applicable) child care. Dependents absolutely may not come during the ELT period when the Fellow is engaged in intensive study of English in preparation for the Fellowship year.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2022

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should apply online at https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey

You will need to gather additional documents:

  • Copy of passport (bio data page);
  • Evidence of your employment in Serbia (letter from employer confirming employment, and certified translation if the letter is in Serbian);
  • Copy of university diploma(s);
  • Certified university transcript(s), including course listings and grades received;
  • Curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé;
  • TOEFL scores (if available).

These additional documents must be mailed by June 30, 2022 to:

U.S. Embassy Belgrade
Public Diplomacy Section
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica 92
11000 Belgrade

For additional information about the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship:

The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program is administered by the Institute of International Education (www.iie.org).

For more information on the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program, you can visit:

If you have further questions, please contact U.S. Embassy Belgrade’s Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) via email at belgradehumphrey@state.gov

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