Acm Costa Rica Scholarship Program

ACM COSTA RICA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

ASSOCIATED COLLEGES OF THE MIDWEST

ACADEMIC YEAR 2017-2018

Website: www.acm.edu/tico (download application form and visit links to individual colleges)

Please hand in your complete application to the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation (OAICE) in the STUDENT MOBILITY SECTION, 7TH FLOOR of Administrative Building Sept 19th, 2016.

No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.

Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales y Cooperación Externa (OAICE), Universidad de Costa Rica

Tel: 2511-1135 // 2511-1136 // 25111099 E-mail: Este e-mail está protegido contra robots de spam, necesita habilitar el Javascript de su navegador para poder verlo.

Please take in consideration that a high English level
is very important for applying to this scholarship.
Full Name / ID (Cédula):
Major & Campus : / University ID:
Phone(s):
Home: Work:
Mobile: / E-mail (s)1:
PLEASE BE SURE YOU ADD THESE DOCUMENTS TO YOUR APPLICATION 2
Curriculum Vitae
Complete official grade transcript.
Cover Letter
ID Copy (cédula/DIMEX)
2 Letters of Recommendation. They must be from university professors and one from
a third professor or a person who has supervised your work, volunteering, sports or other activities. Please do not submit recommendations written by family members.
Written Proof of your participation on extracurricular activities.
Scholarship statement provided by “Oficina de Becas y Atención Socioeconómica”
Written proof that all financial obligation with UCR have been honored (provided by www.oaf.ucr.ac.cr).
Others (specify):
1 All communications will be through e-mail, therefore is very important you check your e-mail account at regular basis.
2 Please add this documentation in the same order as indicated on the list. Do not use folders. Please just staple all the requested documentation.
Note: Hand written applications are accepted as far as they can be legible.
The information provided in this application is complete and accurate
______
Signature / ______
Date

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday Sept 19, 2016 ------Application due in the Office of International Affairs & External Cooperation (OAICE)

October 4-13, 2016 ------Pre-selection of candidates (applicants will be notified)

Week of October 17, 2016 ------Written exam (applicants will be notified)

Week of November 3, 2016 ------Interview (applicants will be notified)

Week of November 7, 2016 ------Notification of Selection Committee decision

November-December, 2016 ------Selected candidates register and take the TOEFL

February 20, 2017 ------Recommendation of candidates to colleges by ACM

Costa Rica

April 2017 ------Candidates show bank statements proving financial

support (approximately $3,000)

April-May 2017 ------Notification of acceptance by colleges

March-August 2017 ------Communication with the colleges, completion of forms,

visa application, purchase of plane ticket and pre-

departure orientation

August 2017-May 2018 ------Academic year in the U.S.A

Dates are subject to change.

APPLICATION DUE DATE: Sept 19th, 2016

ACM Part I: General Information______

Name (as it appears on your cédula): Female Male

______

Last 1 Last 2 First Middle

Preferred Name: ______

Costa Rican Identification number (¨cédula¨): ______

Mailing Address (if different from home address): ______

______

Permanent Home Address: ______

______

Cell phone: ______Home phone: ______E-mail: ______

Additional phone (where we can reach you or leave a message): ______

Date of birth (m/d/y): ______Marital Status: ______

City & Country of birth: ______

In case of an emergency, please notify:

Name: ______

Relationship to applicant: ______

Cell phone: ______Home phone: ______E-mail: ______

::Education:: Please provide this information for all universities where you have studied.

University: ______

Academic major/career: ______

Expected date of graduation (m/d/y): ______

If you have been out of school for a semester or longer, or have taken a reduced course load (less than 12 credits), explain why and briefly describe your activities during that period.

______

Have you applied for an ACM scholarship before? yes no

If yes, in what year? ______

Are you applying for another scholarship? yes no

If yes, what scholarship? ______

::English Language::

How much formal study of English have you had and where?

______

Have you ever traveled or lived in an English-speaking country? If so, when, where and

for how long? ______

______

::Family Background::

Mother Father

Name: ______

Education: ______

Present Occupation: ______

Employer: ______

Check if appropriate: Mother deceased Father deceased

Parents separated Parents divorced

Mother remarried Father remarried

Brothers and Sisters

Name Age Education

______

(Please use an additional page if necessary.)

::Finances::

How are you financing your university studies this semester? Please indicate to the best of your knowledge the amount of money you receive from each source.

Amount / Source / Comments (type or grant, etc.)
Loan / $

Scholarship

/ $

Parents

/ $

Job

/ $

Other

/ $

TOTAL

/ $
Example: / $100 / UCR / Type5 need-based scholarship

Additional Comments: ______

______

Note: This information is for use by the ACM Costa Rica Scholarship Selection Committee and the college to which

you may be recommended. The scholarships include room, board and tuition for one academic year, but do not

include airfare, health insurance, books or personal expenses for the year (which can amount to approximately

$3,000-4,000. However, it is often possible to reduce these expenses by $1,000-$2,000 with Spanish language assistantships, other on-campus jobs and funds from the Vicerrectoría de Vida Estudiantil. Please start thinking about different ways in which you might be able to supplement a scholarship award (e.g. work, loans or gifts). If you are accepted by the college in April or May of 2017, you will need to provide bank statements that show a sum of approximately $3,000 in your personal bank account or in the bank account(s) of your parent(s).

:: Work Experience::

Please specify your work experience and provide your employers’ name, phone number and

e-mail address so that we can contact them:

Job Description

/ Employer
(name, phone number, e-mail) / Dates of Employment
(month and year) /

Days per

week

Hours per

week

(Please use an additional page if necessary.)

::Extracurricular Activities::

What extracurricular activities do you participate in during a typical week? For each one,

Briefly describe the activity, state where you practice it and for how many hours per week.

(Example: modern dance, UCR dance class, 4 hrs/wk)

______

To which organizations or clubs do you currently belong and what is your role in them?

(Example: Modern Languages Film Club, coordinator, 2 hrs/wk)

______

What types of extracurricular activities and or clubs would interest you at a university in the

U.S. if you were granted a scholarship?

______

ACM Part II: Essay Responses ______

Please present a cover letter, which should be no more than 2 pages long, double spaced, and Times New Roman 11. This letter will be used by the selection committee here in Costa Rica as well as at the US colleges to determine the top candidates for these scholarships.

This cover letter must include 1) who you are, 2) why you want this scholarship, 3) why you consider yourself a good candidate to apply for the scholarship, and 4) how this scholarship would benefit you and the college.

ACM Part III: Recommendations ______

Please list the names of those completing the Recommendation Form. Please do not include recommendations from family members.

1. Name: ______

Relationship to applicant: ______

(e.g. Professor, Supervisor,…)

Email:______

2. Name: ______

Relationship to applicant: ______

Email:______

My signature below indicates that all the information contained in my application is correct, complete and honestly presented.

______

Name Signature Date

ASSOCIATED COLLEGES OF THE MIDWEST COSTA RICA

Evaluación del candidato(a) a una beca de la ACM

La ACM necesita una evaluación sincera de la capacidad académica y de las cualidades personales del (la) recomendado(a). La información que usted nos proporcione constituye un elemento muy importante en la selección de los (las) candidatos(as). Esta evaluación será del uso del comité de selección y será enviada a la universidad correspondiente en caso de ser seleccionado(a) e l(la) candidato(a) para una beca de la ACM.

Por favor, devuelva el formulario en un sobre cerrado al estudiante y con su firma, para que éste proceda a presentarlo con el resto de la documentación solicitada.

Nombre de (la) solicitante:

1. ¿En qué capacidad conoce Ud. al (la) solicitante?

2. ¿Cómo describiría Ud. la habilidad académica, curiosidad intelectual e iniciativa personal del

(La) solicitante?. ¿Cómo se compara con otros estudiantes universitarios?

3. ¿Por qué lo recomienda para obtener una beca en el extranjero?

Por favor clasifique en una escala del 5 al 1 las siguientes características del (la) solicitante, en relación a su desempeño como solicitante a beca, donde 5 representa la máxima calificación y 1 la más baja:

Característica / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Liderazgo
Desempeño Académico
Personalidad
Creatividad
Responsabilidad
Profesionalismo
Recomendación

Por favor, agregue cualquier comentario que Ud. cree podría ayudar al comité de selección.

Nombre: ______Firma: ______

Puesto: ______Institución: ______

Correo electrónico: ______Fecha: ______

LA FECHA LÍMITE DE ENTREGA ES El lunes 19, DE SETIEMBRE DE 2016. LAS SOLICITUDES QUE NO TENGAN SUS RECOMENDACIONES COMPLETAS PARA ESTA FECHA SERÁN DESCALIFICADAS.

LE AGRADECEMOS SU COLABORACIÓN.

ASSOCIATED COLLEGES OF THE MIDWEST COSTA RICA

Evaluación del candidato(a) a una beca de la ACM

Por favor, devuelva el formulario en un sobre cerrado al estudiante y con su firma, para que éste proceda a presentarlo con el resto de la documentación solicitada.

Nombre de (la) solicitante:

1. ¿En qué capacidad conoce Ud. al (la) solicitante?

2. ¿Cómo describiría Ud. la habilidad académica, curiosidad intelectual e iniciativa personal del

(La) solicitante?. ¿Cómo se compara con otros estudiantes universitarios?

3. ¿Por qué lo recomienda para obtener una beca en el extranjero?

Característica / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Liderazgo
Desempeño Académico
Personalidad
Creatividad
Responsabilidad
Profesionalismo
Recomendación

Por favor, agregue cualquier comentario que Ud. cree podría ayudar al comité de selección.

Nombre: ______Firma: ______

Puesto: ______Institución: ______

Correo electrónico: ______Fecha: ______

LA FECHA LÍMITE DE ENTREGA ES EL LUNES, 19 DE SETIEMBRE DE 2016. LAS SOLICITUDES QUE NO TENGAN SUS RECOMENDACIONES COMPLETAS PARA ESTA FECHA SERÁN DESCALIFICADAS.

LE AGRADECEMOS SU COLABORACIÓN.

Por favor, no imprimir esta sección.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM INFORMATION

The ACM is a consortium of 14 private, liberal arts colleges in the Midwest of the USA that maintain 17 academic programs in 11 countries around the world. Two programs were created in Costa Rica in 1964 to offer ACM college students the opportunity to live and study in Latin America for a semester while earning credits towards their bachelor’s degree. As a way of expressing gratitude towards Costa Rican society, and in accordance with the ACM’s goal of fostering global awareness, a scholarship program was implemented in 1979.

Since that time, over 225 scholarships have been awarded to qualified Costa Rican university students. The experience of studying abroad serves to enrich personal development, to enhance the student’s résumé and future professional prospects, to develop fluency in English and to form long-lasting friendships, cultural awareness and an overall global perspective in a diverse setting.

Interested Costa Rican university students are invited to apply for a year long scholarship to study at a college that participates in the ACM scholarship program. The selection committee, comprised of representatives of the ACM Costa Rica program, the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation and the School of Modern Languages of the University of Costa Rica, is responsible for carrying out the selection process that includes the application, a written exam and an interview. Applications of selected candidates are then sent for review by the participating colleges. It is important to note that the ACM Costa Rica program serves as a ¨bridge¨ between the candidates and the colleges. The final decision of admission is that of the individual colleges.

The academic year of study in the U.S. will be from the end of August 2017 until May 2018. Students are expected to complete the entire year of study on the awarding college’s home campus in the US. Failure to do so will adversely affect the relationship between the colleges and the ACM Costa Rica, as well as limit possibilities for future candidates.

All of the scholarships are different; however they all include tuition, room and board. While there is no direct cost for participating in the ACM Costa Rica scholarship program, every scholarship recipient is responsible for paying for the TOEFL exam ($185), the U.S. student visa application (approx. $180), the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System or SEVIS fee ($200), a return plane ticket ($800-$1000), personal expenses while in the U.S., books and in some cases medical insurance. These costs may change at any time. These expenses can be estimated at approximately $3,000-4,000. However, it is often possible to reduce these expenses by $1,000-$2,000 by means of stipends for Spanish language assistantships, other on-campus jobs and funds from the Vicerrectoría de Vida Estudiantil. When the scholarship candidate is accepted by the college in April or May of 2017, he/she will need to provide bank statements that show a sum of approximately $3,000 in his/her personal bank account or in the bank account(s) of his/her parent(s).

Once in the U.S., students are not required to follow a specific field of study, they are free to choose among the variety of courses offered by the college. Each college has policies regarding the number of courses a student must take per semester (3 or 4) and minimum grade requirements (approx. C+ or 78%).

While living and learning in an English-speaking environment, students will have the opportunity to share their Costa Rican culture with the college campus, and, in some cases, they will be expected to collaborate with the Spanish Department.