2020 GW UNESCO Fellows Program

The GW UNESCO Fellows is a unique fellowship program, supported by the GW UNESCO Chair in International Education for Development, which is housed in the International Education Program. The program supports 6-8 current graduate students per year who participate in internships (minimum 3 months in length) at a UNESCO field office or institute, gaining valuable experience in international education development.

The program begins with pre-departure orientation sessions and individual meetings during the 2020 spring semester. The in-country internship takes place during the summer semester 2020, during which fellows are enrolled in the GW UNESCO Fellows 3-credit course. As part of the fellowship, students will be expected to take part in all UNESCO required activities and act according to UNESCO professional standards and guidelines.Additional requirements for the course include a journal component, blog writing, and a final portfolio featuring the work completed as part of the internship.

Each fellowship includes:
  • Roundtrip airfare up to $1500 to field office placement
  • Living stipend up to $2500
  • Insurance coverage for the duration of the internship
Possible placements may include (subject to change): Amman,Jordan; Bangkok, Thailand; Dakar, Senegal; Hamburg, Germany; Jakarta, Indonesia; Paris, France (headquarters and IIEP); New Delhi, India; Santiago, Chile; Yangon, Myanmar.

Please note that there is flexibility in the assignment of location. If selected,students may be placed in an office that was not originally in the following list of options or part of an applicant's ranked selections. We work directly with the various UNESCO field offices and aim to match the office’s needs and preferences with individual student interests, as well as skills and attributes.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 1, 2019 11:59 pm

A complete application includes:
  • Complete online application
  • Resume (to be emailed directly to iep@gwu.edu)
  • Unofficial Transcript (to be emailed directly to iep@gwu.edu)
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation (to be emailed directly to iep@gwu.edu)
For more information, please email Dr. Laura Engel at LCE@gwu or Miranda Sieg at iep@gwu.edu.

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* 1. Name:

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* 2. Email Address:

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* 3. Program and Year (ex: International Education, Second Year)

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* 4. Please describe a situation where you had to take initiative and work without much direction. How did you deal with this situation and what did you learn? (250 word limit)

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* 5. Please describe a time when you felt isolated culturally or linguistically. How did you deal with this situation and what did you learn? (250 word limit)

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* 6. Statement of Purpose: Please describe your interest in the GW UNESCO Fellows Program and include your relevant experience, what you will bring to the program, and how your time in your placement will benefit you in your future career. Please touch on any specific topics and/or themes in international education you are interested in focusing on. (500 word limit)

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* 7. Language Proficiency:  In which languages, other than English, are you proficient? Please list each language and rank your proficiency on a basic-moderate-fluent scale in each of the following areas: 

a) Comprehension b) Reading c) Speaking d) Writing e) Professional Capacity

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* 8. UNESCO Office Preference: Please rank your top three preferences for possible placement and your reasons for each in the following question.

We are currently working with offices to secure placements. Please note French is strongly recommended for Paris and required for Dakar. Spanish is required for Santiago. 

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* 9. Is there anything else you think we should know about you?

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* 10. Please confirm you have sent your resume and transcript directly to iep@gwu.edu.

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