We are pleased to share a list of professional and academic fellowships that offer the chance to study, research and work in Latin America! Some of the opportunities include fully-funded intensive language study, working as a medical missionary, teaching English in Colombia, and helping Latin American entrepreneurs as they establish their companies. The fellowships are listed according to the amount of experience required, beginning with those for current undergraduates.
If one of them catches your eye, be sure to bookmark it to your ProFellow account!
Princeton in Latin America
Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) seeks to connect recent college graduates with one-year, service-oriented positions at NGOs and community-based service organizations in Latin America. For all positions, basic professional competency in Spanish or Portuguese is required. In addition to Spanish, French may be helpful for some placements in the Dominican Republic, for those projects serving the Haitian immigrant population. Application interviews are conducted partly in Spanish or Portuguese, and a language-competency evaluation is part of the application. Applications to PiLA are open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are recent graduates of U.S. and Canadian universities.
Peace Revolution Fellowship
We provide fellowship programs that are open to all young peace activists who believe that inner peace + outer peace = sustainable world peace. Include venues in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Central America and the Carribean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East and North Africa. The fellowship offers a 2-week intensive training program. The fellowship includes: full or partial sponsoring of airfare, accommodation, catering, local transportation, and meditation retreat fee. Candidates should be 20-32 years old at the time of submitting the application in order to receive airfare support. Multiple programs – check the website for deadlines.
Boren Scholarships
Boren Scholarships provide funding to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages. Max scholarship awards are $8K for a summer program (special initiative for STEM students only), $10K for a semester and $20K for a full academic year. Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least 1 year after graduation.
Medical Missionaries Global Health Fellowship
The Medical Missionaries Global Health Fellowship offers two recent college graduates, graduate students, or professionals interested in global health an opportunity to gain experience in health care delivery in a developing country. Fellows spend one year in rural Thomassique, Haiti, working at St. Joseph’s Clinic. The Fellowship is not intended to be a clinical experience, but rather an introduction to global health in a resource-limited setting. All living expenses and travel are covered by the fellowship. Medical Missionaries is a non-profit, non-religiously affiliated organization.
Kleinhans Fellowship for Community Forestry Research
The Kleinhans Fellowship provides a two-year stipend of US$20,000 per year to support research that addresses one of the following topics: markets for lesser-known species and non-timber forest products, biodiversity management practices, social organization and governance, or multi-community enterprises. Fellows participate in workshops with community members and regional Rainforest Alliance staff and submit a final report. Applicants must have a master’s degree in forestry, ecology, botany, environmental science, or a related field; PhD’s are preferred. Researchers of any nationality are eligible, but the research must be conducted in Latin America.
Atlas Corps Fellowship
Atlas Corps offers two fellowships. One seeks global nonprofit/NGO professionals age 22-35 to apply for a paid 6-18 months, overseas fellowship program in the U.S. Atlas Corps engages nonprofit leaders in fellowships at organizations to learn best practices, build organizational capacity, and return home to create a network of global leaders. The other is an English Teaching Fellowship in Colombia for U.S. applicants up to age 50. Fellowship benefits include a living stipend to cover basic expenses (food, local transportation, and shared housing) and health insurance. There are different deadlines by country, check the website for deadlines.
Latin American Fishery Fellows (LAFF) Program
The Latin American Fishery Fellows (LAFF) Program at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara provides full fellowship support to earn a 2-year Master of Environmental Science & Management degree (MESM) specializing in Coastal Marine Resources Management. The program seeks students dedicated to impactful careers and leadership in Latin America. The fellowship includes full tuition, a living stipend, $5,000 to cover costs associated with a summer internship, and RT airfare to home country and internship site in Latin America each year, among other benefits.
Boren Fellowships
Boren Fellowships provide up to $24,000 to U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. Boren Fellowships support study and research in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East, with a focus on studying less commonly taught languages. Boren Fellowship awards are made for a minimum of 12 weeks and maximum of 24 months.
PEW Latin American Fellows Program
The Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides support for young scientists from Latin America to receive postdoctoral training in the United States. The program gives these individuals an opportunity to further their scientific knowledge by promoting exchange and collaboration between investigators in the United States and Latin America resulting in advances in research in Latin America. The 2-year fellowship provides an annual stipend of $30,000. Participants who return to Latin America and establish independent labs receive an additional $70,000 grant from PEW to purchase equipment and supplies.
Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)
The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) empowers entrepreneurs to strengthen their capacity to launch and advance their entrepreneurial ideas and effectively contribute to social and economic development in their communities. Professional Fellows from Latin America and the Caribbean will expand their leadership and entrepreneurial experience through fellowships at businesses and organizations across the United States, learning skills to bring back to their home countries. The fellowship is for 4 weeks which includes skill development workshops, covers all expenses and offers support in obtaining a J-1 visa.
Inter-American Foundation Grassroots Development Program
The IAF Grassroots Development Program is the process by which disadvantaged people organize themselves to improve the social, cultural, and economic well-being of their families, communities, and societies. As funders of sustainable development, IAF invests in community-led development projects across Latin America and the Caribbean. IAF partners with local organizations that identify innovative, yet viable solutions to local development challenges—particularly in disadvantaged or excluded communities. IAF invites your organization to apply for a grant from them. Currently, fund requests for amounts between US $25,000 and $400,000.
Agora Partnerships’ Consulting Fellowships
Agora Partnerships’ Consultants act as advisors, strategists, connectors, community builders, and executors to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs in Latin America access the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to grow their businesses. Consultants form the core of the Agora Accelerator program, typically working with 4-6 companies on their growth and investment plans. Fellowships are 7 to 11 months and provide a monthly stipend of $1,750 and other benefits. Ideal candidates have a graduate degree, 3-5 years of work experience, and are looking to transition into the impact investing industry.
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