Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program Guidelines for the Fellow-Elect Phase In welcoming you to this post-selection & cohort building meeting, I would like to congratulate all of you on being selected as award winners! You are now officially Fellows-Elect and at the start of the Fellowship journey! Over the following months, the focus will be on gaining entrance to a university in order to commence with your proposed studies, when your status will then be that of Fellow. There is much to be done during this transition period to ensure that you are ready to go back to full-time studies. The aim of this meeting is to provide you with information that will guide you through this transition period and prepare you for the Fellowship journey

Guidelines: Fellow-Elect Phase Purpose Duration Activities Obligations Termination/Suspension During this presentation we will discuss the following: The purpose of the Fellow-Elect phase The duration of the transition period Various activities that need to take place Your obligations during this phase The type of things that would result in the award being terminated/suspended

Fellow-Elect Phase - Purpose To provide sufficient time for a Fellow-Elect to: Identify up to 4 universities offering study programs that match his/her academic goals Complete & submit his/her application dossier via the International Partner Review and accept admission offers Attend Program activities & complete any pre-academic training required Make the necessary personal/family arrangements for the proposed study period The Fellow-Elect phase or transition period is designed to provide sufficient time for the following to happen: Fellows-Elect to identify universities that offer study programs that best match their study objectives. The Program allows for up to 4 universities to be identified, of which at least 1 must be at home. In addition, the other 3 universities must be in 1 of the other regions A comprehensive application dossier to be put together. The office will provide guidance and assistance with this task Submission of the application dossiers. All dossiers must be submitted via the IP office (AAI) who work with Placement partners in the different regions, even where a Fellow-Elect may have already applied & been accepted Fellows-Elect to review any offers of admission received to be able to select the university offering the best match Fellows-Elect to attend Program orientation meetings designed to prepare students for the different stages of their Fellowship journey Fellows-Elect to attend pre-academic training sessions designed to equip them with skills & knowledge deemed essential to the success of their study efforts Fellows-Elect to attend to personal matters that will be affected by their study period. Alumni/Fellows will be providing guidelines on this topic tomorrow based on their first hand experiences

Fellow-Elect Phase – Duration 1 year from the date of the Fellowship award letter A deferment would be subject to approval & only considered in the event of illness or family emergency As indicated in your award letter, the duration of the Fellow-Elect phase is limited to 1 year from the date of the award letter. This may seem like a long time, but the placement process takes time. Sorting out personal matters can also take time! Many Fellows-Elect will have gained the status of Fellow well before the year deadline but office staff will be there to assist each Fellow-Elect during the transition period with the placement process Any deferment would be subject to approval and only considered where a Fellow-Elect suffers an illness or is faced with a family emergency

Fellow-Elect Phase – Activities Program activities include: Post-selection Orientation & Cohort Building Meeting Pre-academic Training Workshops Pre-departure Orientation & To assist Fellows-Elect with their planning during the transition period, we have split activities into 3 broad areas: Program related Placement related Personal related The main Program related activities that need to be factored into your schedules are: This post-selection orientation meeting The PAT Workshop run by the WITS Writing Centre The pre-departure orientation meeting

Fellow-Elect Phase – Activities Placement activities include: Identifying universities offering study programs that match academic objectives Preparing application dossier Completing university entrance tests Completing the enrolment process Placement activities include: Researching universities to identify suitable study programs. The IFP Secretariat has developed relationships with several institutions that offer the type of study programs that meet study objectives of many Fellows and other SA Fellows can be contacted for information on programs available at the institutions in which they are studying Since placement is done through the IP and IPP, there is a standard format used for the application dossier and the office will assist Fellows-Elect in putting their dossier together University entrance tests apply largely to institutions in the other regions (USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia etc). These include the GRE, TOEFL & IELTS tests The final step in the placement process is accepting an offer and completing the enrolment process. Some of the things that need to be done include finding and securing suitable accommodation, undergoing a medical examination , obtaining a passport & VISA

Fellow-Elect Phase – Activities Personal activities include: Sorting out personal finances for the duration of the proposed study period Resolving employment options based on current contract/agreement Sorting out family commitments for the VISA/passport application if necessary The Alumni/Fellows attending this meeting will be providing you with guidelines for the personal activities that you will need to take care of during the transition period. Topics they will cover will include: Personal finances Employment Family commitments We will focus on VISA and passport requirements as these need to be attended to well in advance to ensure that those intending to study abroad have all the necessary documents in place before they are due to leave

Fellow-Elect Phase – Obligations To work closely with the IP to complete the university application & submission process, which includes: Conducting research to establish suitable universities & study programs that fit study objectives Completing admission tests and/or Pre-Academic training Supplying the necessary documents for the submission plan Accepting this award means accepting the terms and conditions that apply! During the Fellow-Elect period you are expected to work closely with the IP office in order to complete the placement process within the 1 year time limit. You are expected to conduct your own research to find the universities that offer a study program that matches your objectives. The office is there to assist and guide you in your choices You are also expected to provide whatever documents may be required to compile your application dossier and to submit these in good time so that application deadlines can be met You are also expected to take part in the PAT workshops and to identify and arrange for any additional training that you may need in order to succeed in your studies. The IP office will provide you with assistance in doing this where necessary

Fellow-Elect Phase – Obligations 2. To ensure the IP (AAI) is kept current with regards to the following information: Your contact details (telephone numbers & email address) Details of the person to be contacted in an emergency Details of any other funding/awards In order to work in close cooperation with the IP office, details that are vital for communication need to be provided. These include: Telephone numbers & email addresses and the office notified if and when changes to these occur The name and contact details of the person who is to be contacted in the event of an emergency The office also needs to be aware of any trips outside of the country that you may have scheduled. Although no funds are paid to Fellows-Elect, the Secretariat does not encourage extended travel during the transition period as it could hinder the placement process The office also needs to know about any additional awards/funds you may have won as these will impact on your IFP award

Fellow-Elect Target To summarise, the target of the Fellow-Elect is to become a Fellow! To achieve this target, various activities need to be completed, of which those related to placement are of paramount importance and as such, need to be factored into your schedule

Fellow-Elect Phase Time-line Placement Activities Prepare & Submit Applications Complete Admission Process Identify Universities Entrance tests Fellow-Elect Fellow! 12 months The time line provides a guide as to the sequence of the placement activities. Many of you will have already identified universities to which you wish to apply. Those who have not can contact the office for assistance. You should then focus on putting together your application dossier & submitting it to the IP office before the cut-off date applicable in the region in which the selected universities are located. These are: SA – USA & Canada - UK & Europe – Where entrance tests are required, the IP Office will make the bookings and other logistical arrangements on your behalf The final stage in the placement process will vary but again the office staff are there to assist you in completing this successfully Sept – SA Nov – USA & Europe Jan – SA April – USA & Europe

Fellow-Elect Phase Time-line Program Activities Post-Selection Meeting Pre-Departure Meeting PAT Workshop This time line relates to the Program activities that you are expected to attended and is provided so that you can include these activities in your diaries well in advance. The IP office will send you notification of the dates well beforehand. Each activity is designed to help you in your preparations for the study period ahead. They also provide you with an opportunity to network with each other 12 Months Sept 08 Nov 08 June 09

Fellow-Elect Phase Planner Activity July Aug Sept Oct Nov Placement Program Post Selection PAT Work shop Personal This planner is an example of an annual planner devised by a previous Fellow and used by others to ensure that they were able to schedule the key activities associated with the transition period. Having the key activities scheduled in this way allowed them to plan, organise and implement the activities within the given time frame and their other commitments

Fellow-Elect Phase – Termination/Suspension Failure to gain admission to an academic program within 1 year Failure to observe satisfactory professional standards Misrepresentation in application materials and/or other IFP documents Physical/Mental inability to proceed with your study program Violation of any laws/regulations of SA Actions that could jeopardize the Program’s goals and/or the Donor’s reputation/work Finally, in terms of your award letter, the points listed are considered grounds for terminating/suspending the award and are largely self-explanatory