George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship for Maine-Ireland Post-Secondary Student Exchange Program in USA

University of Maine System offers Maine-Ireland Post secondary student exchange scholarship in the USA. The University of Maine System will award one full scholarship or two one-semester scholarships per year. During the 2014-2015 academic year, students from Maine will be in residence in the city of Cork on the south coast of Ireland at the University College Cork of the National University of Ireland. Each student selected for this exchange will be named a George J. Mitchell Exchange Scholar. The application deadline is February 3, 2014.

Study Subject (s): The University College Cork offers an extensive list of modules (courses) for visiting US students. The Irish modules are listed in the ECTS system (European Credit Transfer System).
Course Level: Scholarship is available for one year and one semester at the University level.
Scholarship Provider: The University of Maine System
Scholarship can be taken at: USA

Eligibility: -Be age 18 or older and be eligible for international travel at the time of the exchange.
-Be a U.S. Citizen.
- Be a Maine resident for at least one year by the application deadline (paying instate tuition).
- Have demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to community service.
- Be a full-time, matriculated, undergraduate student in the University of Maine System (UMS) and enrolled in a degree program.
- Have successfully completed 24 credits in residence at a UMS institution by the application deadline. AP and transfer credits are not considered.
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Scholarship Open for International Students: The students of the USA can apply for the scholarship.

Scholarship Description: The George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship honors the Northern Ireland peace accord brokered by Senator Mitchell between the governments and peoples of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The accord was reached on Good Friday, April 10, 1998, and accepted by vote of the citizens of Ireland and Northern Ireland on May 22, 1998. The Peace Scholarship is an agreement between Maine and Ireland for a student exchange at the University level. During the 2014-2015 academic year, students from Maine will be in residence in the city of Cork on the south coast of Ireland, at the University College Cork of the National University of Ireland. The first Peace Scholarship exchanges took place during the 1999-2000 academic year. The University of Maine System will award one full scholarship or two one-semester scholarships per year.

Number of award (s): The University of Maine System will award one full scholarship or two one-semester scholarships per year.

Duration of award (s): Scholarship recipients will participate in the exchange at the University College Cork (UCC) in Cork, on the south coast of Ireland, within one year after receiving the award. For example, if you are announced as a Peace Scholarship awardee in spring 2014 for a one-semester period, your exchange period would begin either in fall 2014 or spring 2015 for one academic semester only. If you are awarded a full-year scholarship, your exchange period would begin in fall 2014 and last through spring 2015.

What does it cover?  The scholarship covers:
-tuition and fees for a minimum of 12 credits and maximum of 15 credits per semester
-housing in a residence hall
-a partial meal stipend
- airfare up to $1,000
Students who are awarded the scholarship should budget for:
-additional meal expenses
- textbooks
- international travel and health insurance
- Irish immigration card
- personal expenses

Notification: Selection of scholarship recipients will be made by April 10, 2014.      

How to Apply: All application materials must be received by the Chair of the George Mitchell Peace Scholarship Committee by post. Electronic applications will be accepted. All electronic application materials, including reference letters, must have handwritten signatures should be send electronically (e-mail) in PDF format to the committee chair.

Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is February 3, 2014.

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application