MEPI Graduate Scholarships for Master degree, Lebanese American University

The Lebanese American University (LAU) has launched the Tomorrow’s Leaders Graduate (TLG) Scholarship Program funded by the U.S. Department of State U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

The program offers 18 students from the Middle East and North Africa region a unique scholarship opportunity to pursue quality higher education and earn a master’s degree in one of the following fields:

1. A. in Applied Economics – 30 credits (Beirut Campus)
2. A. in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies – 30 credits (Beirut Campus)
3. A. in International Affairs – 30 credits (Beirut or Byblos Campus)
4. A. in Migration Studies – 30 credits (Beirut Campus)

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible to apply, you must:

1. Be committed to complete your Master’s degree within two-years – starting Fall 2018.
2. Be committed to pursue hands-on public policy research and work as a part of your Master’s program.
3. Demonstrate academic excellence.
4. Be a citizen of: Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza, or Yemen.
5. Demonstrate financial need status per MEPI and LAU’s Financial Aid policies. Applicants should be underrepresented or economically disadvantaged students and should submit the relevant Financial Aid application as per the below.

Note: American citizens and Green Card holders are not eligible to apply.

What Does the TLG Scholarship Cover?

If you are accepted, the scholarship will cover the following:

1. Full tuition fees
2. Medical insurance
3. A $500 USD monthly stipend while registering on a full-time basis
4. Student housing during school months
5. Laptop
6. Internship opportunity
7. Annual round-trip economy air ticket from home to campus

How can one apply to the TLG Scholarship Program?

To apply, complete and submit parts A & B below by March 31, 2018:

A. Email the below required documents to: graduateadmissions.mepi@lau.edu.lb

1. Completed LAU-TLG admission application
2. A recent passport-size photo.
3. Identity card or passport (should be the same as the nationality to be used in the registration process at LAU).
4. Educational certificates or diplomas (Bachelor, License, etc).
5. Official transcript(s) of grades from all colleges or universities attended.
   Upon acceptance, applicants will be requested to present the official transcript(s) in a sealed envelope(s). Failure to declare enrollment at other institutions could result in an invalidation of admission, and any credits or degrees earned.
6. Personal Essay, of at least 1,000 words, describing your background and your reasons for wishing to pursue graduate studies, how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the department but the academic discipline as a whole. Provide details of social, educational, cultural, or economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives. Please highlight what is unique about you and how you will advance diversity within the institution.
7. A research statement describing your research interests and professional goals, how you plan to accomplish them, and why one of the four programs is best suited for you to do so. Be specific about your specialized interests within your major field and how it relates to the description listed in the below programs description and research focus.
   Be clear about the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan connects with your previous training and future goals.
8. Recommendation letters from two professors who are familiar with your academic performance.
9. Certificate(s) of employment with a CV, if you have relevant work experience(s).
10. Official scores of English proficiency test (depending on the university/college attended) by submitting one of the below:
    1. Internet-based TOEFL (IBT), with a minimum score of 90. The code for LAU is  2595. The institutional TOEFL is not accepted.
    2. Academic IELTS with a minimum score of 7.

Applicants with Internet –based TOEFL (IBT) scores between 80 and 89 and IELTS scores of 6.5, have to register for ENG009 Remedial English, a three-credit course, or retake and pass the English test within the first year of enrollment. IBT and IELTS scores below 80 and 6.5 respectively are not acceptable.

N.B. English proficiency exams may not be required from applicants from universities recognized by LAU where the language of instruction is English.

B. Download and complete the compulsory financial aid application

1. Fill out the financial aid application
2. Email it with all financial aid supporting documents to: beirut@lau.edu.lb(make sure you indicate “TLG-MEPI applicant” in the subject line).

Application deadline: March 31, 2018

Programs Description and Research Focus

Applicants who demonstrate academic excellence should express how they wish to develop their knowledge in one of the four fields, obtain substantial advanced practical experience, and further their capacity to be community or business leaders who make a contribution on the regional level. For each of the proposed area, opportunities are limited to the following focus:

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies

Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Affairs

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Migration Studies

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Applied Economics

Note: For any enquiries please contact graduateadmissions.mepi@lau.edu.lb