Frequently Asked Questions

Please review the Fellowship Eligibility Checklist [PDF].

This program targets mid-career professional individuals, not organizations.

Yes. We strongly encourage people with disabilities to apply. If you need an alternative format (e.g., Braille, electronic, large print) of the application form, please contact [email protected]

Your disability status and accommodation needs will not impact the evaluation of your application. If you are selected for this program, we will use this information to inform accommodation support, if needed. You do not have to disclose your disability to request accommodation support.

Yes. The Fellowship opportunity is open to all applicants with and without disabilities.

Yes, individuals with diverse disabilities have previously participated in the Professional Fellows Program.

No. The age limit is a guideline provided by the US Department of State and applies to all Professional Fellows Programs. It is not negotiable.

You must be between the ages of 25 and 40, meaning at least 25 years old and no older than 40 years old, as of the first day of the Fellowship Program (May 8, 2024).

Mid-career professionals refer to individuals who have two or more years of professional or volunteer experience working in the disability field or on issues related to disability inclusion.

While we do not require proof of professional or volunteer experience, we hope that the letters of recommendation that applicants submit as part of their application speak to their relevant experience.

Yes, self-employed individuals are eligible.

Yes, students are eligible to apply. You can apply as long as you meet the other eligibility requirements, which include having a minimum of two years of professional or volunteer experience in the field of disability inclusion.

No, this Fellowship is for individuals only.

There are no specific degree requirements for this Fellowship opportunity.

We evaluate English proficiency based on the quality of the application (particularly, the responses to the essay questions) and your English speaking and listening skills exhibited during the semi-finalist interview.

If you are Deaf and your primary language is American, Kenyan, Tanzanian, Ugandan, or Ethiopian Sign Language, we will provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or cover the cost for arranging interpretation in any of the other sign languages.

We recognize that grammar may vary between sign language and spoken and/or written language. This is something we consider when evaluating applications.

Furthermore, if you are Deaf and your primary language is American, Kenyan, Tanzanian, Ugandan, or Ethiopian Sign Language, you can request interpretation services in any of these sigh languages for your interview.

No. You do not need to have an international passport when you apply. However, if you are selected as a semi-finalist and do not have a valid international passport, we will encourage you to apply for an international passport at that time. The program does not cover passport application fees.

If you are selected as a semi-finalist, please ensure your international passport is valid for six months beyond the end date of your travel to the US.

Yes. You can reapply to a Professional Fellows Program if you were not selected in a previous cycle.

Yes, PFP alumni are eligible to apply. However, we will give preference to finalists who have not participated in a PFP Program. This applies to both past participants/alumni of in-person and virtual PFP Programs.

You do not need to be vaccinated to apply for the Fellowship. However, if you are selected into this program, you must be fully vaccinated prior to the start of the US Fellowship Program. Vaccines must be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Fellowship application is a two-step process:

• Step 1: You need to submit an application (online is preferred), along with 2 letters of recommendation. A panel of program staff and US and African disability professionals will review and evaluate your materials.
• Step 2: If you are selected as a semi-finalist, you will be invited to an individual interview conducted by a panel of US and African experts in disability and civic engagement.

Finalists are selected based on recommendations from the interview panel and submitted to the US Department of State for final review and approval.

You can find information on J-1 visa eligibility here.

A panel of program staff and professionals working in the disability field in the US and in Africa will review and score all eligible applications. We will score applications based on a set of Evaluation Criteria. Applicants with the highest scores will be selected for semi-finalist interviews.

No, your proposed project must relate to disability and civic engagement.

Professional Fellows are required to design a disability-inclusive civic engagement project to be implemented within six months of returning to their home countries. In the application, you will describe the project. An excellent candidate will explain a thorough project concept that is both ambitious and achievable with a clearly integrated set of goals, objectives, outcomes, activities, and collaborators.

Professional Fellows are responsible for implementing their follow-on projects, preferably with support from their affiliated organizations. We encourage you to propose a project that aligns with your current professional or volunteer organization.

You must submit two recent letters of recommendation with your application.

Recommendation letters must be written specifically for this Fellowship opportunity. We will not accept letters written for other applications. Transcripts of educational degrees or professional certifications are not acceptable.

Recommendation letters must be recent, that is written and dated within one year of the application date.

One letter of recommendation must be from your employer or professional colleague, if self-employed or a volunteer. The other letter of recommendation must be from a person whom you have interacted academically (such as an academic mentor) or professionally (such as a professional colleague or business client).

Recommendation letters must be written specifically for this Fellowship opportunity. Letters written for other applications as well as transcripts of educational degrees or professional certifications are not acceptable. Recommendation letters must be recent, that is written and dated within one year of the application date.

You are required to submit one letter of recommendation from your employer. If you are self-employed, you can provide a letter from a professional colleague. If you hold a leadership position within your organization, a letter from a Board member, for example, would also be acceptable.

Yes. We accept handwritten letters, but they must be legible and submitted to us electronically as a scan or picture. Letters must also be officially signed/stamped by the person who is providing the recommendation.

Yes. You can submit a letter of recommendation in a language other than English, but you must include an English translation of the letter.

You can make changes to your application prior to the application deadline. Send an email to [email protected] with information about when you completed the application, the names you used in completing the application, and a request to make changes to your application.

Yes, you can start an application and resume later if you are using the same device and the same browser. You may also request a Microsoft Word version of the application to complete offline, by emailing [email protected].

Please send a message to [email protected] and briefly explain the issue.

No. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individualized feedback.

Candidate interviews can be held in-person or virtually depending on the need of the semi-finalist and the interview location. We will provide disability-related accommodations for the interview process upon request.

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.

Yes. If you are selected into this program, we will assist you with applying for a J-1 Visa to travel to the US for the Fellowship Program. However, the program cannot guarantee that you will be granted a visa as this decision is made by the Consular Section of your local US Embassy.

The program supports approximately 12 Fellows to participate in each program cycle.

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.

The core of the program is an individual Fellowship placement training with a US host organization. During the Fellowship training, Fellows participate in a variety of activities, such as site visits, stakeholder engagements, academic lectures, and hands-on workshops. Fellows work alongside their US host and colleagues to study policies and practices in inclusive civic engagement. Fellows design an action plan for an individual project that they will implement upon returning home (this is called the follow-on project). The Fellowship training also includes weekly seminars, mentorship, and community service.

For more information, please refer to the Key Program Activities.

As a Fellow, you will receive funding and support for:

• Round-trip travel between home country and the US 
• Fellowship-related travel within the US 
• Travel interruption insurance 
• Accident and health insurance for the duration of the Fellowship in the US 
• Living accommodations in the US 
• Living allowance to cover meals, local transportation, and incidental expenses 
• Cultural allowance to spend on books and attending cultural events 
• Disability-related arrangements, if needed 
• An Internet hotspot 

Yes, Fellows will have accident and health insurance for the duration of the Fellowship in the US. Note that this covers emergency care only.

The Fellowship Program does not fund Fellows’ follow-on projects.

We encourage applicants to propose projects that are in line with the inclusive civic engagement work they are currently doing within their organizations. This will allow Fellows to leverage resources available within this space and sustain their follow-on projects without additional funding.

We encourage applicants to propose projects that are in line with their current professional or volunteer experience. This will allow Fellows to leverage resources available within this space and sustain their follow-on projects without additional funding.

The Fellowship Program does not provide funds for Fellows’ follow-on projects.

We encourage applicants to propose projects that are in line with the inclusive civic engagement work they are currently doing within their organizations. This will allow Fellows to leverage resources available within this space and sustain their follow-on projects without additional funding.

Fellows are asked to implement their follow-on project within six months after completing their US-based Fellowship training and returning to their home countries.

Yes. The University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) requires all university personnel, students, and visitors to have received two COVID-19 vaccinations and a booster vaccine (if eligible). As the implementer of the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement, UMass Boston requires all Professional Fellows to be fully vaccinated prior to the start of the US Fellowship Program. Vaccines must be approved 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.

If COVID-19 or related travel restrictions occur, we will conduct the program virtually.

Yes. We provide disability-related accommodations upon request for the application and interview process.

If you need an alternative format (e.g., Braille, electronic, large print) of the application form, please contact [email protected].

Your disability status and accommodation needs will not impact the evaluation of your application. If you are selected for this program, we will use this information to inform accommodation support, if needed. You do not need to disclose your disability to request an accommodation support.

If you are selected into this program, we will work with you to arrange accommodations (if needed) to support your travel to and from the US as well as during your stay in the US.

If you are selected into this program, we will work with you to arrange disability-related accommodations (if needed) to support your travel to and from the US as well as during your stay in the US.

The ability to bring a service animal to the US is dependent on US Customs and Border Protection. If you are selected into this program, we will work with you to arrange disability-related accommodations (if needed) to support your travel to and from the US as well as during your stay in the US.

If you are selected into this program, we will work with you to arrange disability-related accommodations (if needed) to support your travel to and from the US as well as during your stay in the US. This includes sign language interpretation, personal care assistance, and other types of supports.

No, this Fellowship is for individuals only.