Fellowships

Eligibility | Selection | Participating Countries | How to Apply | More Information

Effective policy, education, fieldwork, and other conservation initiatives depend on sound technical knowledge and skills. Through Russell E. Train Fellowships, EFN invests in the academic training of conservationists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America in a wide variety of disciplines so that they may gain the knowledge and skills necessary to manage natural resources in complex contexts.

Train Fellows receive financial support for education-related costs for a period of up to two years. Study can be at the master's or doctoral level and can take place anywhere in the world. Train Fellowships are highly competitive—in 2003 EFN awarded 36 fellowships from a pool of over 700 applicants in 13 countries.

BENEFITS

In addition to supporting educational costs, EFN offers a full-range of services to its grantees. As part of their awards, Train Fellows receive:

Financial support for tuition, books, travel (to and from training institution), and room and board for their academic programs for up to two years;

Costs for field research when required by the academic institution;

Complimentary copies of EFN News and the WWF publication Focus;

Networking opportunities to meet with other EFN grantees, alumni, and WWF staff through periodic regional gatherings; and

Ongoing professional development support through the EFN Alumni Program.

Because funds are limited, Train Fellows are encouraged to contribute to their educational expenses with personal or family funds when possible. In addition, EFN also strongly advises applicants to seek funding from other sources. Applicants whose total annual educational costs exceed $20,000 must show that they have requested or secured funding from additional sources, or can contribute personally to their education costs.

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ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for a Train Fellowship, applicants must:

• be a citizen or legal resident of a participating country
• have a minimum of two year's work experience in conservation
• be enrolled, admitted, or have applied to an institution of higher education
• begin their studies within one year from the application deadline for their respective countries (may vary depending on your country)

Individuals who have received a fellowship from EFN in the past and who wish to pursue a second degree are NOT eligible. WWF staff members, including long term consultants to WWF, are not eligible for Train Fellowships. Eligibility criteria may vary slightly among countries. Write to efn@wwfus.org for more details.

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SELECTION

Train Fellows are selected through a competitive, merit-based process. Eligible candidates must submit a completed application form along with two letters of recommendation and other supporting documents to the appropriate location for their respective countries. An independent, interdisciplinary panel of experts is convened in each country to review applications and to identify the top candidates based on the following criteria:

Professional qualifications as evidenced by previous and current conservation-related positions, references from colleagues in the field, publications, and other sources.

Leadership through involvement in community and volunteer activities, the workplace, local and national government, and other areas.

Prior academic achievement as shown by grades, academic awards, references from teachers and professors, and so on.

Motivation and commitment to contribute to conservation in a participating country and to share what is learned with others in their field and in their home communities.

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PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

If your country is not listed, there is no funding for fellowships at this time.
Please check back in the future for changes in funding availability.

Mozambique

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HOW TO APPLY

Please visit Where to Apply to learn more about your countries application guidelines and where to request an application. Guidelines and deadlines vary slightly among countries. Check with your EFN representative or send a message to efn@wwfus.org for more details.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more education on Russell E. Train Fellowships and other opportunities through the Education for Nature Program, send an email message to efn@wwfus.org. Please include your country of origin. Written inquiries may be sent in English, French, or Spanish to:

Education for Nature Program
World Wildlife Fund
1250 24th Street NW
Washington, DC 20037, USA

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