Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program

The United States Embassy in Estonia is pleased to announce the annual competition for the non-degree Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program for mid-career professionals  https://www.humphreyfellowship.org/

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (established in 1978) is a Fulbright exchange that brings mid-career professionals with demonstrated leadership potential to the United States for one academic year of non-degree graduate-level study, leadership development, and substantive professional collaboration with U.S. counterparts in fields that are crucial to foreign policy goals. Applicants must have a proven track record of leadership, a public service commitment, and the capacity to take full advantage of a self-defined program of independent study at a leading U.S. university assigned by the program. The program awards a certificate from the U.S. Government; it is not designed to deliver an advanced degree. During their fellowship academic year, Humphrey Fellows are placed by IIE in non-degree study programs at approximately 13 host campuses across the United States and complete at least six weeks of a professional affiliation at a U.S.-based governmental, non-governmental, private sector or international organization.

Fields of Study 

Human and Institutional Capacity:

  • Economic Development
  • Finance & Banking
  • Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
  • Technology Policy and Management

Rights and Freedoms:

  • Communications and Journalism
  • Law and Human Rights

Sustainable Lands:

  • Agricultural and Rural Development
  • Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change
  • Urban and Regional Planning

Thriving Communities:

  • Public Health Policy and Management
  • Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention *
  • Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy

Eligibility Requirements:

About 140 posts and Fulbright Commissions worldwide are eligible to nominate candidates.

To be eligible for a Humphrey Fellowship through the U.S. Embassy in Estonia, applicants must have:

  • Estonian citizenship
  • Commitment to public service and the potential for professional advancement
  • A university degree (at least B.A., or a higher degree)
  • Five years of full-time professional experience by the deadline of applications (i.e. prior to August 2023) in the relevant field and should be interested in the policy aspects of their field of specialization
  • Demonstrated leadership qualities and a record of public service
  • Proficient in both written and oral English. Candidates selected by the Embassy based on the interview will get a free TOEFL iBT voucher and the test must be taken no later than in September 2023 (TOEFL iBT score between 61-120; IELTS score in the range 6.0-9.0).
  • Limited, preferably no prior experience in the U.S.
  • Have both the need to participate in the program and the potential to benefit from it.

Ineligible Candidates:

  • Recent university graduates (even if they have significant positions)
  • University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities (except NIDA and EFL)
  • Individuals who have attended a graduate school in the U.S. for one academic year or more during the seven years prior to August 2023
  • Individuals with other longer than six months stay in the U.S. during the five years prior to August 2023
  • Individuals with recent third-country study and work experience in developed countries may have a less compelling need to attend the Humphrey Program
  • Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status
  • S. Embassy employees or their relatives, or individuals who otherwise work with an organization nominating or selecting individuals for participation in any U.S. State Department exchange programs.

Terms and Conditions:

The Humphrey Fellowship provides international travel, tuition and university fees, accident/sickness insurance, monthly maintenance allowance and funding for books and professional activities. Although dependents are allowed to join the Fellow on J-2 visas after the Fellow has settled in in the U.S., the Humphrey Program does not provide financial support for accompanying dependents, but health insurance for dependents is required and it may cost USD 200 per month per dependent. Dependents may arrive after the nominating Embassy has provided concurrence to IIE.

Application Procedure:

Interested applicants must submit electronic applications through the on-line system Slate.at https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey. Interviews with technically eligible applicants will be held virtually in August. Finalists of the interview batch will be provided vouchers for TOEFL iBT to be taken at Tallinn Tech University testing center in September.

After the national selection, the U.S. Embassy will submit nominations to IIE by, where independent review committees make recommendations to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Results will be announced in February or March.

On-line Application:  https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey
Documents to be uploaded in addition to the on-line application:
• Letters of recommendation (one employer’s, one regular)
• Copies of degree diplomas and transcripts of studies

Note!

  • The English Language Assessment form in the Application package will be filled in by the interview panel at the U.S. Embassy
  • Medical exams are not required as part of the initial application process. Medical evaluation forms must be submitted only by principal candidates following approval by the Humphrey Program Office at the U.S. State Department.

*Information about NIDA-Funded Humphrey Fellowships:

Candidates in the field of Substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention either must have a research background in the field or demonstrated ability to learn the results and policy implications of current research. The candidates will be recruited and ranked together with candidates in other fields and must complete a supplementary field-specific application page.

The drug abuse component of the field of Public Health Policy and Management emphasizes drug abuse education, treatment, and prevention. Fellowships funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) target more specialized candidates. Appropriate candidates for NIDA-funded Humphrey Fellowships include mid-level researchers, research managers and policy makers in universities, drug abuse prevention or treatment programs, health or social services industries or medical facilities. Candidates preferably should have a doctoral degree or equivalent in medicine, health, behavioral or social science. Professionals employed by social welfare, education or community-based organizations would be appropriate if they meet the general eligibility criteria. Law enforcement candidates are not eligible unless they have a public health focus on drug abuse epidemiology, education, treatment and prevention, and meet the requirements to follow a program based in a school of public health.