Opportunity for young Jordanian professionals: Apply for Cohort Three of the U.S.-Jordan Leadership Exchange Program (UJLEP)
Applications for Cohort Three of the U.S.-Jordan Leadership Exchange Program (UJLEP) will be accepted between May 1, 2024 and May 31, 2024. For UJLEP Cohort Three, fellows be able to complete the exchange in Arabic or in English. Fellows with proficient working English will be able to complete their U.S. Exchange in English, and Fellows who have conversational English will be able to work with an Arabic-speaking host organization in the U.S. The Leadership Training in Amman will be in Arabic. All Fellows must however have basic conversational English in order to be eligible.
Applications must be submitted online before the deadline to be eligible for the program. Applications that are mailed, faxed or emailed to IREX will not be accepted. Please direct any questions after reading this document to Contact.UJLEP@irex.org .
Selected fellows with demonstrated high potential in eight key economic and social development disciplines will participate in leadership training in Jordan, travel to the U.S. for a tailored practicum and cultural experience with a U.S. host organization, and engage in projects in their home communities in Jordan.
Eligibility requirements
Competition for UJLEP is merit-based and open to emerging civil society and community leaders who meet all of the following criteria:
- Age 21-35;
- Citizen of Jordan;
- Completed their bachelor’s degree by June 2024;
- Currently living and studying/working in Jordan at the time of application;
- Has a minimum of one-year of professional experience including internships, volunteer work, or initiatives in one of the eight UJLEP disciplines: Business and entrepreneurship; civil society; community engagement; women’s empowerment; diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility (DEIA); civic participation; public health; and environment and climate change) at the time of application;
- Able to begin the program in June 2024, and travel to the United States September/October 2024;
- Eligible to receive a U.S. J-1 Visa;
- Commitment to returning to Jordan after completion of the program and implementing a community-based project;
- To complete the exchange in English: Proficient in spoken and written English. Finalists should be able to fulfill most communication goals, even on unfamiliar topics. They should understand the main ideas of both concrete and abstract writing and should be able to interact with proficient speakers fairly easily.
- To complete the exchange in Arabic: Must have at least basic conversational skills in English.
Individuals in the following circumstances are NOT eligible for UJLEP:
- You are not eligible to apply if you are not between the ages of 21 and 35 on September 1, 2024.
- U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States;
- Individuals who have participated in an exchange visitor program sponsored or funded by the U.S. government (e.g., U.S. Department of State Public Affairs Section of U.S. embassies, or other U.S. government agencies);
- Individuals who are locally employed by the U.S. Government and their immediate family members at the time of application;
- Individuals residing or working outside Jordan at the time of application;
- Individuals who have applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years.
General Application Instructions and Tips
- UJLEP uses an online application system. You will need access to a computer, tablet, or mobile device, and an internet browser to apply. The online application system works with low bandwidth and can be used on all devices. It is also accessible and compatible with screen readers.
- You do not have to finish your application in one session. You may save your work and return to complete your application as many times as necessary. Once you have submitted your application, however, you can no longer add any additional information or make any changes. All information and documents must be uploaded prior to your final submission. Be sure to carefully check your entire application and confirm that any supplemental documents are uploaded correctly. You must submit your completed application through the online application system by the deadline.
- All application questions must be answered in English. If you have a supplemental document in another language, you must also include a full English translation.
- All fields marked with a red asterisk (*) must be completed.
- All answers in the application, including written responses to essays, must be your own original work. Using language copied from other sources (including other applicants, your own submissions from previous years) or from websites, articles, or publications is considered plagiarism and will result in your application being disqualified. Please note the application will be run through plagiarism detection software.
- You may wish to review the application fully before completing any responses. Some applicants find it helpful to draft their responses offline (for example, in a separate Word document) and then paste their responses into the appropriate sections of the application.
- Individuals may only submit one application per cohort. If an applicant submits two applications using different email addresses, then the individual will be disqualified.
How to apply
General Application Instructions (PDF, 670 KB)
IREX Universal Privacy Consent (PDF, 779 KB)
Information for Fellows with Disabilities (PDF, 158 KB)
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 297 KB)
Recruitment Flyer Arabic (PDF, 1.05 MB)
Recruitment Flyer English (PDF, 5.83 MB)
Eligibility Criteria (PDF, 245 KB)