PASS IT ON-Student Exchange West Bank/Gaza and USA

Tip to DP for this, would be a great opportunity for American kids and kids from Gaza/West Bank pass it on to anyone interested in participting:

Educational Exchange

Abraham Lincoln Incentive Grants Program West Bank/Gaza 2009-2010

Investing in the Future of Young Palestinian

AMIDEAST is now accepting applications for the Abraham Lincoln Incentive Grants Program, funded by the United States Department of State through the Middle East Partnership Initiative and the Consulate General in Jerusalem. The program will provide grants (financial assistance) to promising, academically qualified but economically challenged students who will be in grade eleven in the academic year 2009/2010 from both Gaza and the West Bank to assist them in competing successfully for scholarships to pursue their undergraduate studies in the United States. The program will assist the selected students to become competitive applicants for U.S. college and university admissions and scholarships. This program is the first of its kind in terms of providing direct assistance to students who would otherwise not be able to realistically consider the idea of U.S. study because of the expenses required during the preparation process – testing, preparation courses and application fees, visa fees, etc.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
AMIDEAST will provide students with the following range of educational advising, test preparation and testing services:

AMIDEAST Student Advising Membership, which includes:

Two hours of private, customized one-on-one advising consultations
Two hours of in-center internet use each week
20 photocopies of application-related documents
Use of AMIDEAST mailbox exchange with prospective U.S. colleges
Review by AMIDEAST staff and submission online of up to six U.S. college applications
Requests through AMIDEAST on the student’s behalf for information from specific institutions not already available at our advising library

College Application & Essay Writing Workshop (18 hours)
Test Preparation Courses for iBT/PBT TOEFL and SAT I ( 30x2 hours) in addition to Online Practice Tests for iBT-TOEFL and SAT I
Travel subsidies in the form of partial or full reimbursement of the cost of local transportation incurred in order to attend advising sessions, take preparation courses, sit for tests, etc.
Payment of application fees at up to six U.S. colleges or universities.
Visa application fees, SEVIS fees and travel allowance for visa interview at the U.S Consulate General in Jerusalem, if admitted to a U.S. university.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
In order to be considered for the Abraham Lincoln Incentive Grants Program, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

My family is unable to meet the costs of applying to a U.S. college or university
Be a Palestinian resident of the West Bank, East Jerusalem or Gaza Strip
A average overall and A in English
Will be in grade 11 in the academic year 2009/2010
Excellent attendance records
Submit AMIDEAST English language placement test results (30 NIS)

Deadline to submit an application by hand or e-mail to AMIDEAST: August 02, 2009

Fore more information, contact: AMIDEAST

Ramallah/El-Bireh
Al-Watanieh Towers, 1st Floor
34 El-Bireh Municipality Street
El-Bireh, Ramallah
Tel.: 02-240-8023 ext 102 or 103

Gaza
Omar Mukhtar St. No.8/704
Bseiso Building, 8th Floor,
Opposite the Arab Bank of Rimal
Tel.: 08-282-4635 ext 102

Jerusalem
Shufat Road, Jerusalem
02-582-9297

Nablus
Trust Building, 3rd Floor
Amman Street
Nablus, West Bank
09-238-4533

westbank-gaza@amideast.org

www.amideast.org