Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (Albania)

The Humphrey Program sends accomplished mid-career professionals with demonstrated leadership potential to the United States for one year of graduate-level, non-degree academic coursework and professional development activities. Fellows are nominated based on their potential for leadership and commitment to public service.

The Humphrey Fellowship is a 10-month program. Fellows are required to return to Albania for at least two (2) years at the conclusion of their fellowship. Family members may be eligible to accompany fellows on a case-by-case basis. The Humphrey Fellowship stipend is sufficient only to support the Fellow. All expenses for dependents must be covered by the Fellow. Family members are also subject to the two-year home residency requirement.

Focus Areas

• Human and Institutional Capacity: Economic Development, Finance & Banking, Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration, Technology Policy and Management
• Rights and Freedoms: Communications and Journalism, Law and Human Rights
• Sustainable Lands: Agricultural and Rural Development, Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change, Urban and Regional Planning
• Thriving Communities: Public Health Policy and Management, Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention, Educational Administration, Planning and Policy

Benefits

• The Humphrey Fellowship provides tuition and university fees, a monthly maintenance allowance, a book and supplies allowance, a computer subsidy, round-trip international travel to the host institution (and to the Fellow’s English-language training program when applicable) and domestic travel to Washington, D.C. for a special seminar.
• Supplementary funds are available for professional activities such as field trips or attendance at conferences. Humphrey Fellowships are not renewable.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be citizens of the Republic of Albania
• Applicants must have a four-year university degree of full-time studies (or three + one, three + two in the Bologna system)
• Applicants must be currently employed in Albania
• Applicants must have a minimum of five years of full-time professional experience in the relevant field of study
• Applicants must be proficient in oral and written English (equivalent to the B2 level; include TOEFL or IELTS test scores if available.)
• Applicants must have a valid TOEFL or IELTS score (minimum of 82 pts IBT for TOEFL and a score range of 6.0-7.0 for IELTS) by August 15, 2024
• Applicants must demonstrate leadership qualities and a commitment to public service.
• Applicants must be eligible for a J-1 visa
• Applicants must receive a satisfactory medical clearance

Ineligibility Criteria 

• Recent university graduates;
• University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities (except in the fields of Substance Abuse Education, Prevention, and Treatment and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language);
• Individuals who have attended a graduate school in the United States for one academic year or more during the seven years prior to August 2024.
• Individuals with substantial in-country U.S. experience of any kind lasting more than six months during the five years prior to August 2024
• Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status
• Immediate family members of U.S. Embassy employees
• Local employees of U.S. Missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State and members of their families
• A candidate with recent third-country experience, especially in developed countries, may have a less compelling need for the Humphrey Program than a candidate who has never had a significant professional opportunity abroad.

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