Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program for Sub-Saharan African Students

Deadline: 6 April 2016

The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (Borlaug LEAP) is seeking applications from sub-Saharan African students conducting research on topics related to the US Government’s global hunger initiative — Feed the Future.

The Borlaug LEAP offers fellowships to enhance the quality of thesis research of graduate students from developing countries who show strong promise as leaders in the field of agriculture and related disciplines. The program supports engaging a mentor at a US university and a CGIAR center.

Funding available

The award level is US$20,000 for a maximum of one year.
Grant funds can be used to support a variety of research needs including student’s travel to the research site, research support at the CGIAR or US university, and US faculty member travel to the research site to mentor the student in collaboration with a CGIAR scientist.

Eligibility Criteria

An eligible candidate for a Borlaug LEAP fellowship must be
- A citizen of a USAID-assisted country. Currently we are only accepting applications from citizens of USAID-assisted countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Applicants cannot hold citizenship or permanent residency in the US and/or any non-USAID assisted country. This includes applicants with dual citizenship.
- Currently enrolled as an MS or PhD student at a US or sub-Saharan Africa developing country university. Candidates must maintain student status for the duration of the fellowship.
- Fluent in reading, writing and speaking English. All semi-finalists must provide a TOEFL or IELTS score taken within the past year. Only applicants enrolled at U.S. universities.
An eligible US mentor must be:
- A faculty member at a US graduate level university.
- Conducting research related to or complementary of the student’s research topic.
- Eligible at his/her institution to supervise graduate students.
- Eligible at his/her institution to serve as Principal Investigator on the fellowship award.
- Willing to make the time commitment to mentor the student.