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U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2025

By May 7, 2024June 11th, 2024No Comments

The U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2025 is a Fully Funded worldwide exchange program aimed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional development, as well as build lasting sustainable partnerships between mid-level emerging leaders from foreign countries and the U.S. The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) for Europe and Eurasia is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This program which is being administered by the American Councils for International Education is a two-way global exchange Program. PFP participants are put in intensive 5-6 weeks fellowships in non-profit organizations, private sector businesses, and government offices across the U.S. for an individual professional development experience.

Benefits of the U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2025

There are numerous benefits of the PFP program as follows:

  • International travel cost coverage
  • Visa cost coverage
  • Living expenses in the U.S. covered
  • Meet other professionals from different cultures and backgrounds.
  • Live in a multi-cultural community
  • Development of leadership skills through hands-on experience and mentorship
  • Opportunity to connect with other professionals
  • There are no required costs to fellows.

See Also RIPS Summer Internship in USA, 2024.

Program Elements U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2025

  • Professional Fellowship
    • Fellows will spend 4 weeks working in an individually tailored fellowship experience working in a U.S. placement host organization.
    • Fellows will participate in a Virtual Pre-Departure Orientation as well as an arrival orientation in Washington, DC
    • Fellows will have a home hospitality experience with an American family.
    • Fellows will develop a follow-on Reciprocal Project proposal to complete a project that meets a specific objective and builds on their participation in the PFP.
    • The U.S. based exchange component will conclude with a capstone three-day Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, DC.
  • Alumni Engagement
    • Fellows will design follow-on Reciprocal project proposals to address challenges encountered in their home communities.
    • Fellows will be eligible to participate in Regional Alumni Accelerator Workshops when available.
    • Fellows will be eligible to invite a U.S. placement host from the fellowship placement to implement a Reciprocal Exchange Project in the Fellow’s home community.

Eligibility Criteria for the PFP in the U.S.

It should be worthy of note, that the U.S Department Professional Fellows Program 2025 is not all countries and citizens in the globe are eligible for the PFP. What qualifies you to apply for the PFP is as follows:

  • Be a citizen and current resident of one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Serbia, Turkey, or Ukraine
  • Be an emerging leader in government, Civil society, or a private sector who has demonstrated expertise pertaining to the respective theme under which they are applying.
  • Be currently employed with at least two years of professional experience at the time of the application.
  • Be a professional fit for the PFP theme that the applicant’s country participates in
    • Governance and Society – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine*
      • *Citizens of Ukraine residing outside of Ukraine are eligible to apply, provided they left Ukraine no earlier than February 2022
    • Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Belarus**
      • **Citizens of Belarus living outside of Belarus are eligible to apply provided they left Belarus no earlier than August 2020
  • You must be between the ages of 25 and 35 years old at the start of the program. Anyone who turns 25 at the first day of the fellowship or anyone who turns 36 during the course of the program is eligible.
  • You need to be self-directed, forward thinking, open-minded, and be able to work effectively and cooperatively in a cross-cultural and multinational setting.
  • Be able to identify an objective or project of their own selection that the applicant would like to implement in their home workplace or community.
  • You need to demonstrate proficiency in both written and spoken English. Therefore, IELTS maybe required.
  • You need to demonstrate leadership and collaborative skills.

Read also: Transilvania Academica Scholarship 2024, Romania

PFP Eligible Regions: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine

PFP Application Process

The application process for the U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program 2025 is easy and straight forward.

  • The selection process is through a competitive nationwide search that involves a merit-based selection process.
  • This includes an extensive written application and an in-person interview.
  • The selection of finalists is determined in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State
  • Starting your Application
    • The PFP application can be accessed online in the Application Information System (AIS) Forms Portal.
    • The applicant will complete and submit their application through this portal. It will allow them to directly upload supplemental materials and request recommendations.
    • Instruction on how to use the form, save changes, and submit the application is provided withing the application.
    • It is important to complete the application in one sitting. The applicant will be able to save their work and log out of this portal. They can then log in at any time thereafter until the application deadline
  • Program Cycle
    • The applicant will mention which of the two program cycles they would like to participate in.
    • They will need to indicate the dates of each cycle in the application.
  • Submitting the Application
    • To submit the online application, the applicant must press the SUBMIT button on the last page of the application.
    • If you fail to press the submit button, your application will be incomplete. Therefore, will not be in line for selection.
    • You will not have the opportunity to make any changes to the application after you submit it.
    • You will receive a confirmation email once you submit your application
    • So therefore, make sure you submit your application before the application deadline.

Documents you need to apply for the PFP.

As part of the application process, the applicant must submit the below materials to be eligible for the program.

  • Confirmation of Eligibility
  • Comprehensive work Experience
  • Educational History
  • Applicant’s CV. Must be in English.
  • 3 essay questions to address the applicant’s motivations for applying, how their application will impact their community. And also, how they intend to use their experience to support a follow-on project in their home country. Exact prompts will be provided in the application.
  • Two professional Recommendations
  • A signed copy of the participant Terms and Conditions Agreement
  • A signed copy of the American Councils Privacy Policy Statement

For any further queries, please contact them through email at pfp@americancouncils.org.

For any further information about the PFP, please click on the

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