DUSHANBE, September 7, Asia-Plus — Secondary school students from Tajikistan are invited to participate in an open competition for FLEX scholarships for the 2007 –08 academic year.
According to information from the Dushanbe Office of the American Councils for International Education, FLEX scholarships are awarded by an independent panel of American professionals in education and international relations. Selection will be based on merit as evidenced by a comprehensive application; teacher reference; and demonstrated preparedness for a year-long exchange experience. FLEX scholarship recipients must return to Tajikistan in May-June 2008.
The FLEX program was created by the United States Congress to extend the hand of friendship from the people of the United States of America to the people of the countries of Eurasia. It established the first large-scale, long-term exchange program for secondary school students to travel to the United States for a year. FLEX is fully funded by the U.S. Government and administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State. Recruitment, selection, orientation, and travel arrangements for the program are organized by the American Councils for International Education.
Now in its fifteenth year, the FLEX academic year program has provided scholarships to more than 15,000 secondary school students from Europe and Asia.
In 2006-07, 50 students from Tajikistan are studying in the U.S. on the FLEX program, according to the source. All in all, 1,200 students from the CIS states, including some 20 students with disabilities, are studying in the U.S. on the FLEX program in 2006-07.
Each scholarship recipient will live for a year as a member of a U.S. host family and study in an American high school.
Representatives from American Councils will visit regional centers in Tajikistan to conduct testing this fall. All eligible students are invited to take part in Round One. Students who pass Round One (a short English test) will be invited to Round Two, a comprehensive English test and written essay. Only applicants who pass Round Two will receive application materials and will be interviewed.
Secondary school students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to participate in the competition. Selected students with disabilities meet the same criteria as other participants in the program.
