Information Sessions: The Embassy will hold an info session on Dec 12 at 15:30. For registration please click here
Program Dates: June 28th to July 26th, 2023
Application January 3th, 2023 ,
The U.S Embassy in Tel Aviv is now receiving applications for the 2023 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Student Leaders Program!
The MEPI Student Leaders Program is a fully-funded intensive 5-week training program in U.S.-based universities for about 60 undergraduate and graduate students (age 20-24) from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Students learn about leadership, civil society, and government processes and how they may apply these skills in their home countries.
Student Leaders Program
The Student Leaders Program (SLP) is a rigorous leadership and civic engagement program for competitively selected undergraduate and graduate students between the ages of 20 and 24 from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Students are placed in U.S. universities where they complete academic coursework, develop leadership and project management skills, and expand their understanding of civil society and participatory governance processes in the United States and MENA region. The cornerstone of the program is the development of Community Engagement Plans (CEP), where each student identifies an issue/opportunity that they would like to improve in their communities. During the program, students will have the opportunity to meet their American peers, engage in community service activities, and meet civil society organizations.
The Student Leaders Program (SLP) is a yearlong three-part program: pre-summer, summer, and post-summer with the most intensive part taking place during the summer. The summer program is an intensive 4-week program, and is tentatively scheduled to take place from June 28 until July 26, 2023. The summer program will either be a virtual, hybrid, or in-person program. Upon completion of the summer program, students will implement their Community Engagement Plans (CEPs) and receive follow-on support, training, and professional networking opportunities, including joining the 2,000 strong MEPI Alumni network. A competitive follow-on Accelerator Workshop may be held in the region.
Applying to the US Embassy in Israel
Who is eligible?
- Citizenship: Applicants must be Arab citizen of Israel currently living in Israel and studying at Israeli universities/colleges. Dual American-Israeli citizens, permanent residents of the United States are noteligible to apply
- Return to Country of Residence: Applicants must be committed to returning to or remaining in their home country/community following completion of the program.
- University Enrolment: Applicants must be currently attending an undergraduate or graduate university program at an Israeli University/College. Applicants may also have recently graduated from an undergraduate program within 6 months or less from the program state date of June 28, 2023 or will commence graduate studies in the Fall 2023 academic semester in their home country. Applicants should not be commencing study in an undergraduate or graduate degree program in the USA during the Fall 2023 academic semester.
- Academic Achievement: Applicants must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
- Commitment to Leadership and Civic Engagement: Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to leadership and civic engagement in their communities.
- Ages: Applicants must be between the ages of 20 and 24 with birth dates falling between July 26, 1998 and June 28, 2003.
- English Proficiency: Applicants should have high English-language proficiency skills to participate in U.S. university academic classes in English.
- Availability: Applicants must have ability to fully participate in the Student Leaders Program, particularly the intensive summer program that will tentatively take place from late June 2023 to the end of July 2023.
- Flexibility and Participation: The program will either be a virtual, hybrid, or in-person program depending on the state of the global pandemic. Please only apply to the program if you are willing to commit to participating in the program regardless of its modality.
- In-Person Program: In the case of an in-person program, applicant must be comfortable living with another program participant of the same sex in a shared dormitory room as well as travel to the USA and participate in the program without any accompanying friends or family members. Applicant must be comfortable and willing to adjust to campus life, sharing dormitory living accommodations with a multinational group of participants from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and with U.S. citizens. Applicant will need to adjust to new cultural and social practices different from those of their home countries/communities.
- Hybrid or Virtual Program: In the case of a fully virtual or hybrid program, applicant must be able to balance competing obligations of the intensive program with home circumstances of family, school, work, etc. Applicant will need to participate in all virtual sessions, exhibit time management skills, demonstrate a flexible and positive attitude to want to learn and engage with a multinational group of participants from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and with U.S. citizens.
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: SLP is committed to attracting diverse applicants representing a myriad of social identities from nationalities, ethnicities, race, religions, gender identities, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, and socioeconomic status, among others. We aim to create a diverse, inclusive, and multicultural environment with a gender-balanced pool of candidates.
- Preference will be given to those applicants from households with limited family income, no prior travel experience in the United States or Canada, and limited to no study or travel experience outside their home country.
- Applicants with an interest in environmental and climate needs are highly encouraged to apply.
Ineligibility:
Department of State, USAID or any other USG employees and their immediate family members (spouses and dependent children) are NOT eligible to apply to MEPI exchange programs. If a State Department Officer or Locally Employed Staff and/or his/her immediate family members would like to apply to a DOS-funded MEPI exchange program, the applicant(s) may only do so after a period of one year after termination of DOS employment. Current employees (and immediate family members) of any private or public agencies under contract to DOS to that perform administrative, implementation, and/or screening services on behalf of DOS for the exchange program are also NOT eligible to apply to participate in the exchange program.
Who funds the program?
The Student Leaders Program (SLP) is sponsored by the U.S Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Assistance Coordination, U.S.- Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and has operated continually since 2003. Georgetown University is the prime implementer and works with the consortium of U.S. partner universities including University of Delaware, Montana State University, and Portland State University.
Application Timeline
Applications will be accepted starting on October 19, 2022, and the application deadline January 3, 2022, 23:59 GMT.
Interested applicants can learn about the MEPI Student Leaders Program, review the Frequently Asked Questions, watch the SLP Application Video Tutorial, and apply here.
Interviews
The U.S. Embassy will conduct personal interviews for selected candidates. Participants travel to the U.S. on a J-1 visa to be facilitated by the Embassy upon acceptance.
All Applicants will be notified by February 2023, whether they’ve passed the first stage or were rejected. PLEASE NOTE: Incomplete or late applications will NOT be accepted.
Information Sessions:
The Embassy will hold an info session on Dec 12 at 15:30. For registration please click here
For more information about MEPI Student Leaders you can send an email via this link
