UNESCO/Sri Lanka Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme 2017/2018

Application Deadline: 11 July 2017 

With the view to enhance the strategic objective of UNESCO and promoting the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 Agenda, the Government of Sri Lanka has placed at disposal of UNESCO for the academic year 2017-2018, under the co-sponsorship with UNESCO, two (2) fellowships for selected students from Kenya and Saint Kitts and Nevis to pursue undergraduate study in Sri Lanka.

Beneficiaries of these two fellowships will undertake their first year of study, which will commence in November 2017, under the scheme of UNESCO/Sri Lanka Co-sponsored Fellowships Programme. From the second year until the completion of the study programme, the fellows will be sponsored solely by the Government of Sri Lanka under the Government Scholarship Scheme. The medium of instruction of the courses will be in English.

Invited Member States

• Kenya
• Saint Kitts and Nevis

Programmes of Study

• BSc in Agricultural Technology and Management, University of Peradeniya (4 year) for candidates from Kenya
• BSc in Environmental Conservation and Management in the direction of Climate Change Studies, University of Kelaniya (3 year) for candidates from Saint Kitts and Nevis

Eligibility

(i) Candidates must have impressive results at an examination deemed equivalent to G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination of Sri Lanka or qualifications required for admission to a university in their home country to follow a bachelor’s degree. All required passes should be obtained in one and the same sitting.
(ii) English proficiency is required.
(iii) Between 16-22 years of age.
(iv) Be in good health.

How to Apply?

All applications must be endorsed and channeled through relevant government bodies (National Commission or Permanant Delegation to UNESCO). Applicants should consult the National Commission for UNESCO of thier home countries in advance about the specific procedures of application at the national level.

Applicants should complete the application form as prescribed and attach the following application documents in duplicate:
(i) Duly completed application;
(ii) Certified copies of academic transcripts of G.C.E.A/L (General Certificate of Education Qualification, Advanced Level) and G.C.E.O/L (General Certificate of Education Qualification, Ordinary Level) or their equivalents in the relevant field of study in which the scholarships are offered;
* Candidates are advised to attach the original letter obtained from the Board of Examinations to prove that his/her educational qualification are equivalent to the G.C.E.(A/L) Examination in Sri Lanka, or qualifications required for admission to a university in their home country to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
(iii) Certified copies of educational certificates and the statement of results of the corresponding qualifying examinations;
(iv) Certified copies of School Leaving Certificates;
(v) For non-native English speakers: a certificate of English language proficiency (i.e. achieving no less than 525 in TOFEL or 6.5 in IELTS), or a letter from competent authorities of the respective countries confirming that the medium of instruction of the applicant’s previous education is English;
(vi) Three photographs;
(vii) Birth certificate;
(viii) Certified copies of data pages of the applicant’s passport (the validity of the passport shall remain 1 year after the applicant’s arrival in Sri Lanka);
(ix) Health certificate completed in English.

Please note: All applications must be prepared in English. Documents in languages other than English must be attached with notarized English translations.

Submission and Selection of Candidates

Letters of nomination and the hard copies of all application documents should be addressed in duplicate to Mr Stoyan Bantchev, Chief of the Participation Programme and Fellowships Section, 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France and reach UNESCO imperatively by 11 July 2017 at the latest. An advanced copy of the application documents should be sent as early as possible by email to s.bantchev(at)unesco.org and b.qin(at)unesco.org.

Candidates who do not fulfil the qualification mentioned above, or submit incomplete application or submit application after the deadline will lose their eligibility in the selection.

UNESCO and the authorities concerned in Sri Lanka will select the two (2) most qualified candidates. The National Commissions for UNESCO of the beneficiaries will be duly informed by UNESCO.
Candidates who do not receive the result of their application by 31 August 2017 should consider that their applications are rejected.

Facilities Offered by the Government of Sri Lanka

(i) Exemption from paying tuition and registration fees for the entire duration of the study programme;
(ii) A monthly living allowance of LKR 10,000 (ten thousand Sri Lanka rupees) during the first year of study to cover expenses related to food and accommodation;
(iii) Free-of-charge medical facilities at government hospitals other than dental-related diseases;
(iv) An advisor or study director from the host institution to supervise the studies of the beneficiaries; and
(v) Visa on gratis basis for the entry to Sri Lanka

* From the second year until the end of the study programme, the fellows will be solely sponsored by the Government of Sri Lanka under the Government Scholarship Scheme, and the fellows will be offered a monthly living allowance of LKR 30,000 (thirty thousand Sri Lanka rupees) and a one-way ticket from Sri Lanka to their home country after the successful completion of their study.

For more information about Sri Lanka Government Scholarship for Foreign Students, please visit the webpage of Sri Lanka Ministry of Higher Education and Highways: mohe.gov.lk/index.php/en/scholaships/foreign-students/100-scholarships-for-foreign-students.

Facilities Offered by UNESCO

(i) The expense of a round-trip international travel to and from Sri Lanka for the academic year 2017-2018;
(ii) A one-time allowance of US$ 350 (three hundred and fifty US dollars), which will be paid prior to the fellow’s departure to Sri Lanka, to cover their immediate expense;
(iii) A monthly allowance of US$ 150 (one hundred and fifty US dollars) for eleven (11) months; and
(iv) A termination allowance of US$ 200 (two hundred US dollars) to cover excess luggage charges at the time of return to home country.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO/Sri Lanka Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme