Apply for Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship Program (Slovakia)

The Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship is an intensive short-term exchange program, created to foster relationships among young Europeans and Americans to build strong linkages and an awareness of shared values.  The program will enable students to explore U.S. foreign policy priorities such as youth engagement, support for democracy and civil society, and economic prosperity.

Program Description

• The program will consist of a series of lectures, seminar discussions and presentations, and a broad assortment of practical, faculty- and mentor-led workshops.  The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by community service activities, site visits, social and cultural activities, and homestays with American families to deepen participants’ experience of U.S. society during their exchange.
• During the program, participants can expect to discuss a wide range of topics such as democratic practices, tolerance and respect for diversity, and disinformation.  Participants will have opportunities to build their communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
• Upon their return home, participants will implement service projects in their communities and present an alumni project plan to a youth-serving or youth-centered organization in their home country.  These organizations may include U.S. Youth Councils, American Spaces, and exchange alumni associations.

Duration

• The program is scheduled to take place in-person from June 22-July 20, 2024.

Program Logistics

• Visa Issuance and Travel Arrangements: All foreign participants will travel to the United States on J-1 visas.  Participants are not allowed to arrive in the U.S. prior to the start date of the program or to remain in the U.S. after its end date.  Violations of program rules, host institution rules, or local, state, or federal laws can be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.  The U.S. Embassy in Bratislava will work with the finalist candidate to secure their visa.
• The U.S. Embassy in Bratislava will be responsible for making all travel arrangements and providing international airline tickets for their participants to fly round-trip to Indianapolis, Indiana and return from Washington, D.C.  Purdue University will provide adult chaperones to accompany participants who do not wish to fly overseas alone on pre-selected flights between one or two selected European airports to the United States and back.
• Health Benefits:  Participants will be covered by ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefits program; Purdue University is responsible for enrolling participants.  ASPE is a limited, health benefit program (not insurance) that covers medical expenses associated with each illness or accident up to $100,000 per occurrence.

Eligibility Criteria

• They are looking for candidates who:
  • Were born between June 23, 2005, and June 22, 2008 (i.e., be 16, 17, or 18 years of age at the time of the program start).
  • Are highly proficient in English, as demonstrated in a personal interview or the results of a standardized test.
  • Are committed to enrolling in high school or university in their home countries in Fall 2024, following completion of the program.
  • Demonstrate strong leadership potential and interest in transatlantic relations and diplomacy.
  • Demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, as indicated by academic grades, awards, and teacher recommendations.
  • Have had little or no prior U.S. study or travel experience in the United States.
  • Demonstrate a genuine interest to learn about the United States, its people, society, and institutions.
  • Are ready for campus life, including shared living accommodations, travel and interaction with a multinational, co-ed group of participants from across Europe and the United States.
  • Are ready to step outside their comfort zone and adjust to cultural and social practices different from those of their home countries, including engaging and sharing their culture with the Americans they meet in the host communities.
• This program is only open to Slovak citizens and legal permanent residents of the Slovak Republic.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Slovakia.