NOTE TO ALL APPLICANTS TO OAS SCHOLARSHIPS

PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING

The application must be completed in its entirety before exiting the site or submitting the form. The information you enter can be saved as you are working on it during this session. However, information cannot be saved for another session before the application is submitted. We strongly suggest that you print the blank application form (FORM AND LINK HERE), prepare the narrative information in a separate Word document which you can copy and paste into the on-line application form, and fill out the other data by hand on the application form before you begin to fill out the form on line. Once you access and open the form, it can remain open (without exiting or submitting it) indefinitely, so you will have time to fillout the form and check your information before submitting it. No changes will be permitted after you submit the form.

This application must be completed on-line.

Course on International Law: “Universalism and Regionalism at the Beginning of the 21^st Century”

OAS/DHD/CIR.014/2009

1.         Venue:            Convention Center of Everest Rio Hotel, Rua Prudente de Moraes 1117, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro

2.         Date:               August 3^rd to August 21^st, 2009

3.         Modality:        On-site

4.         Length:           Three (3) weeks.

5.         Languages:    English and Spanish

6.         Objectives:    Study, discussion of and update on topics related to Public and Private International Law.

7.         Program:        The program of the Course is designed by the Inter-American Juridical Committee and the Department of International Law of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs  of the OAS. The main topic of this year´s course will be “Universalism and Regionalism at the Beginning of the 21^st Century”.  The course will consist of two morning sessions from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and one session in the afternoons from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.  A certificate of attendance will be issued to participants attending at least 90% of classes and who pass two of three tests administered within the three weeks.  Each participant may present a written paper on one of the specific topics addressed during the course program, within six months of its conclusion, previous presentation of a hypothesis and work sketch before the end of the course.  If the final paper is considered satisfactory, the participant will receive a certificate of approval. Classes are given in Spanish or English.

8.         Requirements:

Applicant must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of one of the OAS member states;
• Have a professional degree in Law or International Relations.  Candidates must submit a copy of their professional credentials and certification of courses taken, as well as their respective grades
• Have professional experience on international law and international relations;
• Be no more than 40 years old;
• Be nominated by a government agency, an institution of higher learning, or by a public or private institution directly related to international law and international relations, which must guarantee that the services of the fellow will be utilized upon his/her return;
• Have good comprehension of Spanish and English;
• Be physically fit to fulfill the obligations of the course;
• Submit a duly completed request before the deadline established by the National Liaison Organization (ONE)[1]. The candidate is responsible for finding out the deadline set by the ONE in his/her country of residence.

9.        OAS Scholarship Selection Criteria:  In accordance with article 4.2. of the Manual of Procedures of the Scholarship and Training Programs of the OAS, OAS scholarships shall be granted based on the following criteria:

·         the objectives and priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development;

• the training priorities of the member states;
• the merits and overall credentials of the candidate, including his/her academic and professional background;
• the financial need of the candidate; and
• An extensive and equitable geographic distribution for the benefit of all member states and that takes into account the greater needs of the smaller and relatively less developed economies.

10.       Benefits: 

• The OAS provides roundtrip air fare, economy class, from the fellow’s place of residence to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil2
• Health insurance.
• Subsistence allowance in the amount of US$650.00.

No subsistence allowance will be paid to selected fellows who reside in Rio de Janeiro’s metropolitan area.

Selected fellows will receive information about the places in which other fellows have been hosted in the past, as well as the names of other selected fellows from the same nationality, in case they wish to share accommodations.

11.       Responsibility of the Selected Candidates:

·         It is estimated that the cost of living for each student in Rio de Janeiro will be approximately US$2,500.00 (calculated November 30th, 2008).  Each student should plan to be responsible for US$1,850.00. (These data may suffer variations by August 2009).

• The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance to the OAS General Secretariat Office in their respective countries and through the ONE in order for the OAS to proceed with making the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between their country of origin or residence and the study location or, if the scholarship is refused, to appoint another candidate. They must also confirm their acceptance to the Department of International Law of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs through the coordinator of the Course, Mr.  Diego Moreno, at:  [email protected]
• The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance of the scholarship by signing and returning to DHD their completed “form of acceptance of the scholarship award”; only after this has been done will the OAS proceed with the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between the scholarship recipient’s country of origin and the study location.
• Upon selection, candidates must accept the scholarship by confirming their availability to follow the course during the period indicated and their acceptance of the duly provided conditions of study.        
• Selected scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa(s) to enter the country of study and the corresponding transit(s). The OAS will not be responsible for any costs related to obtaining visas or transfer documentation.
• Each scholarship recipient is responsible for arriving in time for the commencement of activities on the date established by the institution offering the course or program.   
• If the scholarship recipient fails to travel on the scheduled dates, or change routes, after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has purchased his/her travel ticket, he/she will be responsible for paying the difference in ticket costs in order to arrive at the course site in time. The scholarship recipient will furthermore have to reimburse the GS/OAS the total cost of the airfare for his/her travel from his/her country of residence to the site where the Professional Development Course will take place and back if, after the ticket has been purchased, he/she declines the scholarship without written authorization from the Department of Human Development.
• The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the GS/OAS, such as extra costs for accommodation during the scholarship recipient’s travel to and from the country where the course will be held.
• If the fellow declines, cancel or terminates the Scholarship after the course or program has started without giving enough proof to the OAS/GS, he or she must reimburse OAS/GS the total amount of incurred costs/expenses.

12.      Presentation of Candidates Applications:

Please Notice:  If you were awarded an OAS Professional Development Scholarship in the past twelve (12) months or if you currently hold an OAS Scholarship for Academic Studies, you are not eligible to apply for another Professional Development Scholarship.

The online application form must be completed on-line and can be accessed at:  http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/onsite.aspx?culture=en&navid=282  here you’ll find the announcements of all the onsite courses, click in the one you are interested in, go though the end of the page, and then you’ll find the Continue button which will direct you to the online application form.

Once the applicant has completed the online application form and submitted it, a copy will be sent automatically to his/her e-mail account. This completed form must be printed, signed and submitted to the National Liaison Office (ONE) with all other forms that you’ll find in the following link:  (http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/formspd.aspx?culture=en&navid=282)

All the additional forms must be completed electronically or in typewritten format.

The following is the list of National Liaison Organizations (ONEs) in the OAS Member states:  http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/ones.aspx?culture=en&navid=282

Any questions regarding submission of applications for this course should be sent to: [email protected]