The Native Leadership Scholarship (NLS) programme aims to create educational opportunities for women around the world who are grassroots leaders, organisers and activists demonstrating financial need. Scholarship recipients enroll in programmes of study that cover a range of human rights and development issues at the non-doctoral graduate level including gender, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, child exploitation, human and drug trafficking, infant and maternal mortality, microbial diseases, conflict resolution, environmental justice, global fair trade, agroecology, and sustainable development. NLS is a secular programme and does not support programmes of study that promote specific religious beliefs.

The NLS awards four to six scholarships per year, up to US$25,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years. The awards help the recipients meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, educational supplies, housing, maintenance, and travel to and from the home country and the educational institution. NLS awards are paid directly to the institution in a student's account.

An eligible candidate is a woman leader who:

• Is committed to grassroots organising and the needs of her community or indigenous group
• Has proof of a bachelor's or a higher degree
• Has at least three years of work experience dealing with critical human rights concerns, and other social, educational, environmental, health or economic conditions.
• Is accepted into a non-doctoral graduate programme at an accredited university for full-time study/research related to her work experience
• Can show evidence of financial need for educational support
• Intends to return to her home country to work, utilising training and research acquired in the study programme

Click here for more information in English.

Click here for more information in Spanish.

Click here for more information in French.

NLS pre-applications for the 2007-2008 academic year will be available January 1 through March 23 2007 on the NLS website or by request from
info@nativeleaders.org

After the pre-application period ends, all candidates will be notified about their application status. Incomplete pre-applications will not be considered for review. Unsolicited additional documents provided by the pre-applicant will not be reviewed. Only a small group of candidates will be invited to complete a full application.