Ford Foundation to offer 40 scholarships for 2010

The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program has invited applications for its fellowships programmes for 2010. The Foundation is offering 40 scholarships and the candidates have to undergo a four-stage selection process.

In the first two stages, the pre and final application forms will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel of experts from the academia and the social development sector. The next two stages will be regional and national interviews. The Ford Foundation will assist the selected fellows in the university admission process, and will pay for travel, tuition fees, living costs and logistical arrangements related to their study programmes.

“Our outreach particularly in Orissa has been very effective. This can be testified from the fact that in the past we have interviewed candidates from some of the most remote places in Orissa in the districts of Kalahandi, Bolangir and Koraput.

The concentration of return rate has also been very high in this state which demonstrates the success of the programme mandate which is to have fellows come back and contribute to their communities”, Neera L Handa, deputy director, Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (India) said in a release. The applicants need to hold a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree from a recognized Indian university with at least 55 per cent aggregate marks to apply for the fellowships.