Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships: Fostering International Understanding

The Rotary Foundation sponsors the Rotary Scholarship to promote international understanding and friendly relations among people from different countries. This program relies on enthusiastic and responsible scholars who are willing to share their experiences abroad. Rotary International offers several scholarship programs, with Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships being the most common. These scholarships provide grants for one academic year of study in another country.

Eligibility and Ideal Candidates

Applicants should be scholars with excellent academic records. Strong candidates are outgoing, articulate, committed to international humanitarian service, and able to adapt to other cultures, reflecting the ambassadorial role they will undertake. Spouses, children, and grandchildren of Rotarians are not eligible. Rotarians and relatives of Rotarians are also ineligible to apply for a Rotary scholarship.

Application Process

The initial application is made through a local Rotary club, which endorses candidates to compete at the district level. Individual clubs set the deadlines, which may vary from March to July, more than a year in advance of the proposed study abroad. Application deadlines are set by individual Rotary Clubs. Screening occurs at both the local and district levels. District-endorsed applications are forwarded to the Rotary Foundation, which grants final approval. Applications must be filed through the Forest Grove Rotary Club or through the applicant’s hometown Rotary Club.

Scholarship Details and Availability

The scholarships provide for study abroad in one of the more than 160 countries and 34 geographical regions where Rotary clubs are located. Around 1,200 scholarships of various types are available from clubs worldwide. The value of each scholarship and local availability varies from one Rotary district to another.

Responsibilities of Rotary Scholars

During their studies abroad, Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholars act as ambassadors of goodwill. If studying abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of goodwill to the people of the host country and give presentations about their homeland to Rotary clubs and other groups. If studying in the USA, scholars are expected to be ambassadors for Rotary International and their sponsoring District. The program depends upon enthusiastic, responsible scholars who will talk about their experiences abroad.

District Ambassadorial Scholarships

District Ambassadorial Scholarships are awarded for one academic year of study abroad in a specific academic field. Recipients may not be able to complete the requirements for degrees, certificates, or diplomas during the study period because this scholarship is limited to one academic year of study.

Global Scholarships

Global Scholarships are supported jointly by District funds and by a Global Grant from the World Fund of the Rotary Foundation. Scholars may qualify for a grant of $30,000 to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, educational supplies, and round-trip transportation to/from the study site. Scholars must account for all expenditures and must provide funding to cover all costs that exceed the amount provided by Rotary. Also Global Grants Scholarship every year for two foreign students to attend Clinton School of Public Service.

Funding and Eligible Expenses

The program provides for a grant in the amount of up to $25,000 to pay for tuition, fees, room and board, educational supplies, and round-trip transportation to/from the study site. Scholars must account for all expenditures and must provide funding to cover all costs that exceed the amount provided by Rotary.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants seeking a Global Scholarship must complete a two-step process, initially at the District level and then later through the Rotary Foundation. Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree program prior to departing for study abroad and plan to pursue graduate study and a career in a clearly defined area of humanitarian need. Applicants may be a graduate student, or may have completed one or more degrees and/or be engaged in the early stages of a career. There is no upper age limit, but applicants must have completed their Bachelor Degree prior to submitting an application.

Application Timeline

The deadline for submitting the completed application to a local club in District 6060 may vary, but will be no later than January 31 of each year. Completed applications should be submitted to the president of a local Rotary club for review and Club Support approval. Applicants are typically interviewed by a small committee of club members. If the applicant is approved at the club level, then the club president will send the endorsed application to the District Scholarship Chair no later than February 28 of each year.

Read also: Cultivating Peace Through Rotary

Humanitarian Focus

District-supported scholarship is available for study in any academic field, but preference is given to those whose field of study is related to one of the areas of humanitarian need listed below.

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