ISPO

How to apply for a Scholarship award


Please download the application guidline in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese.

Firstly, candidates must apply to one of the following ISPO Category I or ISPO Category II recognised education providers supported by the grant: 

Please note that only applications submitted by the above ISPO Category I or ISPO Category II education providers will be accepted. Direct candidate application will in no case be considered.

Individual candidates should apply for intake to the relevant education provider in accordance with usual procedures and without notification to the ISPO Grant Manager or ISPO Coordinator in Scotland or Brussels. They should include a covering letter to the education provider explaining that they wish to be considered for a USAID-funded scholarship from ISPO.

We realize that many NGOs and IOs assist candidates or education providers assist with applications and also with cost sharing arrangements and may wish to act as referees for candidate applications.

The Board or equivalent body of the education provider decides which students fulfill the entry criteria and decide whom to accept and present to the ISPO Grant manager. The ISPO Grant Manager with the USAID-ISPO Steering Committee will examine the applications and endeavor to accept or reject the proposal for funding.


Essential information

Candidates seeking scholarship funding should endeavor to submit full information to the education provider in the form of a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and associated papers.  They should indicate that they wish to seek an ISPO scholarship in their covering letter to the education provider.

Applications must include:

Information from the prosthetics/orthotics education provider (who is the scholarship applicant):

1. A covering letter or email from the education provider

2. Listing of current intake (places available and list of offers made)

3. Listing of rejected applicationsfor relevant intake to date (not qualified, no funding available; other reasons)

    Information from candidates:

4. Given name, family name

5. Home country

6. Age and gender

7. School background, year and level of graduation, copy of academic results/transcripts. Please note that candidates with very good results in mathematics and science subjects are preferred.

8. Result of entry examination, tests or interview set by P&O training provider

9. Details of practical experience, if applicable

10. Military affiliation

11. Current employment

12. Candidate statement to include:
                           a)   A description of their motivation for proposed study on the course
                           b)   A commitment to go back to region/country working for at least 3 years

       Other letters and references:

13. Letter from a government or a future employer stating they will employ the candidate for at least 3 years after graduation.

14. Letter from a sponsor stating their commitment to cost share and cover the costs of at least one annual round-trip travel home for vacation (this could be from government, the future employer, NGO or the candidate themselves). Please note that ISPO will require a copy of proof of travel cost (receipts) during the scholarship period to prove cost sharing as this is a condition of the program.

15. Two types of reference letters about the candidate are required:
                       >  academic reference(s)
                       >  character reference(s)

Country information:

Applicants/education providers should provide a description of the grading structure for their school leaving certificate and a note about their education system.

Click here to download the applicant checklist.

Procedures:

• The normal rules for student application must be followed.
• If full scholarship is applied for a request must be attached.
• If partial scholarship is applied for a request must be attached, including a clear statement regarding the size and duration of the cost sharing and its origin.