Schwarzman Scholars Program for Future Leaders to Study in China 2019/20

Deadline: September 27, 2018

The Schwarzman Scholars Program for Future Leaders is now open. The scholars program designed to identify the most promising young leaders from around the world. Every year, up to 200 Schwarzman Scholars will represent the world’s next generation of leaders — high-caliber individuals with open minds and limitless potential.

Schwarzman Scholars will be selected on the basis of not only their academic aptitude and intellectual ability, but also their leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, ability to anticipate and act on emerging trends and opportunities, exemplary character, and desire to understand other cultures, perspectives and positions. All qualified candidates will have successfully completed their undergraduate degrees prior to enrollment and must be proficient in English.

Scholarship

The extraordinary students selected to become Schwarzman Scholars will receive a comprehensive scholarship. It will include:

• Tuition Fees
• Room and board
• Travel to and from Beijing at the beginning and end of the academic year
• An in-country study tour
• Required course books and supplies
• Lenovo laptop and smartphone
• Health insurance
• A personal stipend of $3,500

With a $450 million endowment, Schwarzman Scholars will be the single largest philanthropic effort ever undertaken in China by largely international donors.

Eligibility

• There are no citizenship or nationality requirements.
• Candidates must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of August 1, 2019.
  Applicants who are currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must be on track to successfully complete all degree requirements by August 1, 2019 before orientation begins. There are no requirements for a specific field of undergraduate study; all fields are welcome. 
• Applicants must demonstrate strong English skills, as all teaching will be conducted in English. If the applicant’s native language is not English, official English proficiency test scores must be submitted with the application. This requirement is waived for applicants who studied at an undergraduate institution where the primary language of instruction was English for at least two years of the applicant’s academic program.  The requirement will also be waived for applicants who have studied in English for two or more years at a Master’s degree level or higher.
• Married applicants may apply and will be at no disadvantage in the application process.
• Academic excellence will be a requirement for successful applicants, but there is no minimum GPA or class rank required to apply. Applicants are expected to have demonstrated excellence in their academic studies, and the most competitive candidates will be among the top students in their graduating class.

Schwarzman Scholars does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job or course of study requirements.

Application

Interested candidates will participate in a rigorous and thorough selection process, designed to identify the most promising young leaders from around the world. The process includes an online application and credentials evaluation as well as in-person regional interviews. Those selected will have demonstrated their potential to not only benefit from but also contribute to the Schwarzman Scholars program.

Required Documents

• A complete and successfully submitted online application, including the requested personal statement(s) and supplementary components below.
• Uploaded transcripts/academic records from every degree-granting college or university attended (undergraduate or graduate – must be combined into one PDF and then uploaded). If transcripts are not in English, official translations must be included.
• Three electronic letters of recommendation.  At least one of these letters must come from a recommender who can comment on the specific examples of leadership described in the candidate’s application, but the recommender must at least be able to comment on the candidate’s leadership qualities from direct knowledge of the candidate. Recommendations must be translated to English by a professional translator if written in another language.
• Video: Submission of a video is strongly recommended but not required.  The video  can be up to one minute in length, and candidates are invited to introduce themselves in any style or setting they think best conveys their interests and personality. Note: the file must be less than 20MB in order for you to upload it to the application.
• Current resume/CV: Please submit a resume or c.v. appropriate for any application for employment in your country. This can be no longer than 2 pages.
• Two Essays:
  • Essay One: Statement of Purpose and Leadership (750 words).
  • Essay Two: Current Affairs Essay (up to 500 words)

How to Apply

1. Applicants who hold passports from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, regardless of where they attended university or reside, will apply between January 1^st and May 31^st, 2018 through the portal available here. The selection process for Chinese nationals includes an online application and in-person interview at Tsinghua University in Beijing early July 2018. Candidates will be notified as soon as admissions decisions are reached, by October 1^st, 2018 at the latest.
2. Applicants holding a passport from any other country will apply between April and September. The application, including all supporting documentation such as references for currently enrolled undergraduate students, must be submitted by the deadline. Finalists will be notified in mid-October if they are to be invited to interviews. Interviews will take place in three locations around the world, with candidates being invited to the geographically closest location.

All other applicants should click here to begin application. See sample application and application instructions.

For more information, visit Schwarzman Scholars Program.