Frequently Asked Questions

The Fellowship Program is held annually, starting in early to mid-May and ending in early to mid-June. Please note that Fellowship start and end dates might change slightly.

The program is held in-person in the US. However, if there are COVID-19 or related travel restrictions, it will be conducted virtually.

There is one inbound exchange and one outbound exchange. The Inbound Exchange involves Fellows from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia traveling to the US to participate in a five-week Fellowship Program. This includes a four-week individual Fellowship placement at a US host site organization.

After the inbound exchange, interested host can apply to participate in an Outbound Exchange. If selected, US hosts will travel to their Fellows’ countries following the completion of the US-based Fellowship for two weeks. During this time, hosts will provide additional training, mentoring, and technical assistance to their Fellows. The Fellows and hosts can decide together on the dates of the outbound exchange, ensuring it takes place within six months of Fellows’ return to their home countries.

Inbound Exchange refers to Fellows from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia traveling to the US to participate in a five-week Fellowship Program. This includes a four-week individual Fellowship placement at a US host site organization.

Outbound Exchange refers to US hosts traveling to their Fellows’ countries following the completion of the US-based Fellowship for a two-week period. During this time, hosts will provide additional training, mentoring, and technical assistance to their Fellows.

Approximately four to five hosts will be selected through an open, competitive process for the outbound exchange. Hosts and their respective Fellow(s) will submit a joint application during the US-based Fellowship.

There is no guarantee that any one host applicant will be selected or given priority based on an existing relationship.

Approximately four to five hosts will be selected to participate in the outbound exchange.

There is no guarantee that any one host applicant will be selected or given priority based on an existing relationship.

The call for host applications for the outbound exchange typically opens about half-way through the Fellowship Program.

Hosts and their respective Fellows jointly develop and submit an online application.

The call for host applications for the outbound exchange typically opens about half-way through the Fellowship Program.

The call for host applications for the Spring 2025 cohort will open in the fall of 2024.

If you are interested in hosting and would like to learn more, please email us at [email protected]

We will match hosts and Fellows whose professional interests and goals align. This will provide the best opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and development of an impactful follow-on project.

Yes. US Embassies and US Department of State officials play a critical role in overseeing program outreach and are involved in the Fellowship application review, candidate interview, and finalist selection process.

Approximately 12 Fellows will be selected for the inbound exchange.

The distribution of Fellows will depend on the quality of applications from each country. We aim to have all four countries equally represented among the available Fellowship slots.

Each host must support one Fellow. Hosts may have the option to support more than one Fellow either concurrently or subsequently.

Yes, you can host more than one Fellow either concurrently or subsequently.

Hosts should have expertise in disability inclusion policy or practice. They should be able to provide a working environment as well as supervision and mentorship in a specialized area related to inclusive civic engagement for four weeks.

As a host, you gain access to valuable expertise, cross-cultural dialogue, and new collaborative opportunities. Benefits include:

• International Expertise: Benefit from the Fellow’s valuable skills and expertise. 
• Team Development: Enhance the professional capacity of your employees who serve as mentors and supervisors.  
• Showcasing Your Impact: Promote your institutional expertise on the international stage, extending your influence.  
• Partnerships: Explore new opportunities for future collaborations with professionals from different countries.  
• Diversity: Engage in cross-cultural dialogue and knowledge exchange, fostering mutual understanding.  
• Driving Global Change: Influence disability-inclusive civic engagement on a global scale, making a lasting impact.  
• Outbound Exchange Opportunity: Apply for a funded trip to your Fellow’s home country as an Outbound Exchange Fellow.  

Learn more about these host benefits in the poster "Promoting Disability Inclusion in East Africa through Professional International Exchange: Impact and Opportunities for the AUCD Network."

As a host, you play a crucial role in shaping the Fellow’s exchange experience. Your responsibilities include:

• Mentorship: Designate a staff member as a mentor to guide the Fellow throughout their Fellowship journey.  
• Learning Environment: Provide in-person supervision, training, and valuable work experiences that enhance the Fellow’s knowledge of inclusive civic engagement.  
• Follow-On Project: Guide the Fellow in developing an action plan for a follow-on project, incorporating their Fellowship experiences.   
• Community Engagement: Organize a one-hour volunteer or community service activity to strengthen the Fellow’s connection with the local community.  
• Workspace & Assistance: Provide a dedicated workspace for the four-week experience and assist in organizing suitable housing for the Fellow.  
• Cultural Immersion: Provide opportunities for the Fellow to experience US society and culture.  

When Fellows apply, they identify a key policy or practice issue related to disability and civic engagement in their countries. This policy or practice issue will provide a focus for Fellows’ individual Fellowship placement in the US and will inform the project that Fellows implement upon returning home. The project Fellows implement at home is called the Follow-on Project. During the US placement, Fellows develop an action plan for their follow-on project with input and guidance from their US host and colleagues.

Once we have matched Fellows and hosts, program staff will initiate and co-facilitate (if needed) a series of virtual meetings for each Fellow-host team. The purpose is for both parties to get to know each other and to work collaboratively on the Fellow’s Fellowship schedule.

We will provide hosts with a template schedule that lists the different types of activities that Fellows should engage in. We will also share some sample schedules.

Fellowship schedules must be finalized and submitted to the US Department of State for review and input at least three weeks prior to Fellows’ arrival in the US.

Hosts provide a four-week period of work experience, supervision, and mentorship in the Fellow’s chosen area of inclusive civic engagement while they are in the US. 

Hosts also have the opportunity to apply to for a two-week visit to their Fellows’ countries to provide additional training, mentoring, and technical assistance to their Fellows. This is called the Outbound Exchange..

Approximately four to five hosts will be selected on a competitive basis for outbound exchanges, and participants must be US citizens.

Yes, hosts are required to provide Fellows a workspace for the duration of the Fellowship.

Host are requested to help identify local housing for Fellows, which may include homestay (preferred), university dormitory, Airbnb, business hotel, or a combination thereof. We will work with you to arrange Fellows’ housing. 

With respect to housing costs, we will directly reimburse housing providers for Fellows’ housing costs.

Note: Homestay providers are not responsible for preparing Fellows’ meals or transporting them to the host site workplace. Each Fellow will receive a per diem stipend to cover their own food, local transportation, and incidentals.

A homestay is an overnight stay at the home of a host family. The homestay should be safe and clean and should include a private bedroom.

Homestay providers are not responsible for preparing Fellows’ meals or transporting them to the host site workplace. We will give each Fellow a per diem stipend to pay for their own food, local transportation, and incidentals.

We will directly reimburse homestay providers/host families for Fellows’ housing costs.

Hosts do not pay any fee to the Professional Fellow Program. The program provides support for the cost of the Fellow’s international and domestic flight travel, housing, meals, local transportation, and fees for cultural activities.

Yes, we will reimburse hosts for Fellows’ housing, but funds are limited. We encourage hosts to use homestays as much as possible to reduce costs, as this type of housing is less expensive than other housing types such as university dormitory, Airbnb, or business hotels.

Yes, we will reimburse hosts for these costs as needed.

No, we expect hosts to absorb these indirect costs.

We cover program-related flight costs to, from, and within the US as well as housing costs for all Fellows.

We will give each Fellow a per diem stipend to pay for their own food, local transportation, and incidentals. The stipend amount will vary depending on the location (city and state) where Fellows are pursuing their Fellowship placements. 

In addition to the per diem stipend, we will give each Fellow a one-time cultural allowance of $200 to use toward books or to participate in social and cultural events (e.g., visiting a museum, attending a football game, touring historical sites).

Yes. Each Fellow will receive a per diem stipend to pay for their own food, local transportation, and incidentals. The stipend amount will vary depending on the location (city and state) where Fellows are pursuing their Fellowship placements. 

Per diem amounts are based on official rates set by the US government.

For more information, please refer to the US government per diem rates.

In addition to the per diem stipend, each Fellow will receive a one-time cultural allowance of $200 to use toward books or to participate in social and cultural events (e.g., visiting a museum, attending a football game, touring historical sites).

Yes. Fellows will be covered by the US Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) for the duration of their Fellowship.

ASPE is a limited health care benefit plan designed to pay covered medical expenses related to accidental injury or illness. COVID-19 is treated like any other illness under ASPE. 

For more information, please refer to the ASPE guide.

Yes, COVID-19 is treated like any other illness under Fellows’ health care benefit plan.  

For more information, please refer to the ASPE guide.

Hosts can reach Fellowship Program staff 24/7 during the four-week Fellowship placement. They will coordinate with hosts to address any complications that may arise.

Fellows will have emergency health insurance provided through the US Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). 

Fellows will be encouraged to bring all necessary prescription medications with them to the US.

Yes. As the implementer of the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement, UMass Boston requires all Fellows to be fully vaccinated prior to the start of the US-Fellowship Program. Vaccines must be approved either by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO).

For more information, please refer to UMass Boston’s COVID-19 Policies.