The Rotary Foundation's oldest and best-known program is Ambassadorial Scholarships, established in 1947. Since that time, more than 30,000 men and women from 100 nations have studied abroad under its auspices. Today, the Ambassadorial Scholarships Program of The Rotary Foundation is the world's largest privately-funded international scholarships program. More than 1,300 scholarships were awarded for study in 1998-99. Through grants totaling approximately US$24 million, recipients from some 65 countries will study in more than 50 different nations.

Types of Scholarships

Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships provide funding for one academic year of study in another country. This award is intended to help cover round-trip transportation, tuition, fees, room and board expenses, and some educational supplies up to US$23,000 or its equivalent. The most common type of scholarship offered, more than 1,000 Academic-Year Scholarships were awarded for study in 1998-99.

Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships are for either two or three years of degree-oriented study in another country. A flat grant of US$11,000 or its equivalent is provided per year to be applied toward the costs of a degree program. Mainly offered by Rotary districts in Japan and Korea, 138 Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships were awarded for 1998-99.

Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships are for either three or six months of intensive language study and cultural immersion in another country and provide funds to cover round-trip transportation, language training expenses, and home stay living arrangements, up to US$10,000 and US$17,000 respectively. Applications are considered for candidates interested in studying Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, and Swedish.

Some Rotary districts may only offer one type of scholarship; applicants must check with the local club regarding availability.

Ambassadorial Scholarships Eligibility Criteria 

• All applicants must be citizens of a country in which there are Rotary clubs 

• Applicants must have completed at least two years of college-level coursework or equivalent professional experience before commencing their scholarship studies.

• Initial application must be made through a local Rotary club in the applicant's legal or permanent residence, or place of full-time study or employment.

• Candidates cannot be Rotarians, Honorary Rotarians, or employees of a club, district or other Rotary entity or of Rotary International. Spouses, lineal descendants (child or grandchild by blood or legal adoption), spouses of lineal descendants, and ancestors (parent or grandparent by blood) of persons in the foregoing categories are also ineligible. Please note that Rotarians and their relatives remain ineligible for scholarship awards for 36 months after a Rotarian has resigned from club membership.

• Persons with disabilities and members of Rotaract clubs are eligible and encouraged to apply.

• In addition to the criteria listed above, applicants for Academic-Year and Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships must be proficient in the language of the proposed host country. Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarship applicants must have completed at least one year of college-level coursework or equivalent in the proposed language of study.

For more information visit: http://www.rotaryintl.org/