FY17 U.S. South Pacific Scholarship Program and FY17 United States Timor-Leste Scholarship Program

for approximately three (3) participants from the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific (eligible nations are listed below in the Overview section) and/or approximately three (3) participants from Timor-Leste. Working closely with U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Sections in the region, the award recipient(s) will be responsible for the administration of the programs, including publicity and recruitment, review of academic credentials, convening review panels and assisting with merit-based competitive selection and nomination, placing students at appropriate U.S. institutions for academic degree study leading to a bachelors or masters degree, facilitating student travel to the United States, providing orientation, enrichment activities, and pre-return activities, providing monitoring and support services, conducting on-going evaluation and follow-up with program alumni. The duration of the cooperative agreement(s) will be up to five years, beginning approximately on August 1, 2017 and ending on July 31, 2022. This program will be implemented pending the availability of FY 2017 funds.