International Education Office is pleased to inform you that applications for the Community Engagement program are now open The CEE Program is a dynamic global network of innovators working with communities to address critical 21st Century issues. CEE equips dedicated visionaries with the expertise, skills, and resources to develop multisector approaches and build healthy and engaged communities in over 100 countries.
Eligibility Requirements
Competition for the CEE Program is merit-based and open to emerging civil society and community leaders who meet the criteria below. Applications that do not meet these eligibility requirements will be disqualified and will not be reviewed by the selection committee.
- You are between the ages of 21-28 at the time of application
- You are a citizen of one of the eligible countries listed below
- You have a minimum of two years of professional or volunteer experience at the time of application
- You are living and working in your home country
- Individuals with refugee status working on behalf of their home community may be given special consideration
- You are working on a community engagement initiative in your home country, either in a professional or volunteer capacity, with a vision to pursue a career working to support civil society
- You have a high level of proficiency in spoken and written English at the time of application
- Semifinalists will be required to take or submit recent scores for a TOEFL or IELTS English language test
- You are available to travel to the U.S. for three months
- You are committed to returning to your home country to complete a Community Engagement Project (CEP)
- You are not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and have not applied for U.S. permanent residency within the past three years
- You are eligible to receive a U.S. J-1 visa
- Applicants who have participated in an exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Government must have fulfilled their two-year home residency requirement by the time of application
- You are committed to returning to your home country for a minimum of two years after completing the program and
- You are not a current IREX employee or consultant, or their immediate family member
Financial Support
The program covers the cost of most expenses associated with:
- J-1 visa support
- Round-trip travel from participants’ home city to the U.S.
- Monthly allowance to cover housing, meals, and other living expenses while in the U.S. and
- Accident and sickness insurance
