Scholarships are awarded for specialization studies, master’s degrees, doctorates, and medical specialties, postgraduate research and postdoctoral visits, visits for artistic creation and for visiting professors and experts, high-level lecture visits, professional internship programs for visiting professors and postgraduate mobility.
This Call for scholarships and grants shall be open from April 22 through August 31, 2009, and online registration of candidatures shall be done from July 15 to August 15, 2009, with the exception of the following Programs: “Genaro Estrada” Program for Specialists on Mexico; High-Level Lecture Program; Special Internship Program; Studies on Mexican Independence and the Mexican Revolution; Program of Visits for News Media Collaborators; the Mexican Program to Improve the Quality of Mexico’s Higher Education Institutions; and the “Daniel Cosío Villegas” Programs of El Colegio de México. The foregoing shall remain open until October 30, 2010. Online registration for these programs is not required..
The general conditions of the scholarships offered by the Foreign Ministry through its General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation are contained in the Rules Applicable to Foreign Grantees of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarships, the text of which can be found at the end of this Call.
Scholarships or grants are not open to persons residing in Mexico nor are they available to foreign diplomats accredited in Mexico or members of their families. Persons who have acquired dual nationality through naturalization will not qualify as eligible candidates.
Scholarship Characteristics
Scholarships are awarded for specialization studies, master’s degrees, doctorates, and medical specialties, postgraduate research and postdoctoral visits, visits for artistic creation and for visiting professors and experts, high-level lecture visits, professional internship programs for visiting professors and postgraduate mobility.
Scholarships are not granted for preparatory courses, distance studies (virtual mobility), supported open learning, or for Direct Doctorates (Master’s and Doctorate integrated programs).
The vast majority of the supply offers come from Mexican public institutions and some private institutions are likewise participating in this Call, including: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey [Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education]; Universidad de las Américas, Puebla [University of the Americas, Puebla]; Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana [Claustro de Sor Juana University]; Universidad Iberoamericana [Ibero-American University]; and Universidad La Salle [La Salle University].
Scholarships are offered in the disciplines stated in this Call, except for odontology, plastic surgery, marketing, accounting, advertising, and business administration. In the field of medicine, scholarships are granted only in the public health institutions, hospitals and institutes established under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Ministry of Health cooperation program.
Scholarships are granted for a period of up to one year. In the case of masters’- level studies, scholarships may be renewed for up to 12 months while doctorates and medical specialties and subspecialties, scholarships may be renewed for up to an additional 24 months, in accordance with what is established in the scholarship award. The postgraduate mobility scholarships are granted for a maximum period of 6 months in school system..
Scholarships or grants for postgraduate research and postdoctoral visits shall have a maximum duration of one year and under no circumstances will they be extended beyond that period.
Scholarship grantees must ensure the conclusion of their theses within the regular period of their study programs since no additional extensions are granted for concluding theses or for taking final examinations once the program has been completed.
Scholarships may begin on the date authorized by the General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation.
Types of Programs in the Call
Of the programs offered by the Mexican receiving institutions, in collaboration with the SRE, there are three types: Bilateral, which stem chiefly from Agreements and Programs signed between the Government of Mexico and the government of another country; Multilateral, originating from Mexican Government commitments assumed with international bodies or under multilateral mechanisms; and, Special, which encompass topics of considerable importance for Mexico’s international agenda.
The institutions and programs which comprise this Call can be viewed at the following webpage:
http://becas.sre.gob.mx
Candidate Profiles
Preference will be given to persons who:
* Intend to take studies which focus on themes of priority for their country’s development.
* Will work in areas of particular importance for the institutional development of their country.
* Will take postgraduate studies that are registered in the Programa Nacional de Posgrados de Calidad (PNPC) (National Quality Postgraduate Program).
* Will take postgraduate studies not available in their own countries.
* Will take studies or conduct research at institutions located in states throughout the Mexican Republic.
* Are professors or researchers at public higher education institutions and scientific research centers in their own countries.
* Are government officials in charge of areas or programs of special interest to their countries.
* Work on projects for human, social, or economic development that target marginalized groups or areas which are socially or economically depressed.
General Requirements
* Submit candidature on the corresponding application form (Application Form A or B) within the specified deadline. Both forms are included in this Call. (1)
* Have the official proposal from the government of the candidate’s country that forms part of Application Form A.
* Have a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or doctorate, depending on the type of studies for which they are requesting the scholarship or grant.
* Have a minimum GPA of 8, on a scale of 1 to 10, and in the event of a different scale, they must submit the equivalent.
* Have the academic acceptance of the receiving Mexican institution. (2)
* Meet the requirements specified in this Call. Neither incomplete dossiers nor original documents shall be received.
* Return to their home countries upon termination of the scholarship and remain there for at least a time period similar to the duration of the scholarship in Mexico.
* For postgraduate-level research scholarships, the candidate must submit the letter of acceptance issued by the Mexican institution with curricular credit acknowledgement.
The specific requirements are established in each of the Programs. It is recommended that they be very carefully read. (2)
(1) These Application Forms can be found at the following website:
http://becas.sre.gob.mx
(2) It is possible to receive a letter of contact from an institution at the time of applying for the scholarship or grant and then to later continue with the processing and requirements of the receiving institution. Once the latter have been met and the letter of academic acceptance has been obtained, it must be signed by the Head of the School Services Department, the Coordinator of Postgraduate Studies, and/or by the Head or Academic Secretary of the Faculty, School, Institute or Center selected. In the case of medical areas or fields, the acceptance letter must be signed by the Head of the Specialty and the Head of Teaching at the hospital or institute of the Ministry of Health. It is important to mention that the definitive letter of acceptance must be sent – through the receiving institution and/or the respective Mexican Consulate or Embassy – to the SRE at least one month prior to the date the studies are to begin.
In the case of postgraduate studies, the document must indicate the study program in which the candidate was accepted, as well as the program duration and the starting and finishing dates, according to the school calendar, and program modality (six-monthly, four-monthly, or quarterly). In addition, in the case of research visits, the document must specify the name of the academic tutor of the project, the place where it is to be conducted, and the time period it will take.
Regardless of the opening of the Call, applicants must establish contact with the academic institution in order to process their acceptance.
Reception of Dossiers
All scholarship processing formalities must be expedited before the Mexican Embassy in the applicants’ home country or before the concurrent corresponding Embassy, through the applicants’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Education and/or the local governmental institution designated for said purpose. When the application calls for the official proposal signature of the government of the applicants’ country by virtue of being an intergovernmental offer and generally reciprocal, the documentation must carry said signature, otherwise the application shall not be taken into consideration.
Dossiers shall be received at Mexican Embassies between April 22 and August 31, 2009.
Candidatures must be submitted, as required, on either Application Form A or B, properly filled out, together with copies of the documents stipulated. Only applications fully completed and meeting all requirements will be processed. Original documents will not be received.
Documents will need to be notarized or carry an apostil if so requested by the receiving Mexican academic institution as a condition for accepting an applicant.
Candidates must conduct the necessary formalities directly with the Mexican institutions of their interest and must have the latters’ acceptance before candidatures can be officially considered. If at the time of handing in a dossier an applicant does not yet have academic acceptance, said candidature shall only be received conditionally.
Selection Criteria
* Academic excellence of the candidate in the area intended to be studied at a Mexican institution.
* A congruent relationship between candidates’ academic and professional backgrounds and the area in which they wish to specialize in Mexico.
* Importance of the studies and their direct influence on the development of the candidate’s country.
* Reintegration of candidates into their countries’ labor market on completion of the scholarship.
* Connection between the studies and specific projects underway or already approved, as well as their impact on the development of candidates’ countries.
* A projection of the specific application of the knowledge acquired.
Applications meeting all requirements shall be reviewed by a Preselection Committee in the applicants’ respective country.
The final decision regarding scholarship awards rests with the Government of Mexico and shall not be open to appeal.
Scholarship Benefits
* Enrollment and school fees, where applicable.
* Monthly allowance, equal to:
1) 4 D.F. (Federal District-Mexico City) minimum wages for a specialty, Master’s or Master’s-level research, as well as for studies in the Spanish language and Mexican culture. This currently amounts to $6,576.00 pesos.
2) 5 D.F. (Federal District-Mexico City) minimum wages for a doctorate or doctoral research, as well as postdoctoral visits, medical specialties or subspecialties, and expert and artistic visits. This currently amounts to $8220.00 pesos.
* Medical insurance coverage from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), effective as of the third month of the scholarship, as long as scholarship grantees comply with the delivery of the documentation requested in due time and manner in order to proceed with their admission into the IMSS system.
* At the beginning of the scholarship, transportation from Mexico City to the location of the academic institution where the grantee is to study, and transportation from there back to Mexico City upon termination of the scholarship.
* International air travel costs will only be paid to nationals of countries with which Mexico has a reciprocal agreement covering the international air travel of scholarship grantees, and, to grantees whose program in this Call includes said benefit.
Any expenses not stipulated in the foregoing shall be payable by the scholarship grantee, including: costs involving study incorporation and revalidation costs; costs for printing of the thesis; graduation and degreeprocurement processing fees; costs of registration in the National Register of Foreigners; and visa renewal fees.
Scholarship Awards
The scholarships for 2010 will be awarded by the SRE, through its General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation. Scholarship grantees shall be notified between December 1 and 17, 2009. The results will be delivered in writing at the corresponding Mexican Embassy.
The terms and conditions of the scholarship awards shall be made known to applicants through the Mexican Embassy in their countries.
Scholarships are non-transferable to other individuals and may not be deferred for any school years other than those for which the scholarship was originally granted.
Persons granted a scholarship from this Call must sign a written pledge to return to their native countries upon completion of their scholarship studies.
Regulations for Scholarship Grantees
Scholarship grantees shall be documented as non-immigrant students at the Consular Section of the Mexican Embassy in their countries. They must not travel to Mexico as tourists.
Scholarship grantees who hold dual nationality must enter Mexico as scholarship grantees and accredited citizens of the country which proposed their candidature.
Scholarship grantees must agree to sign the document entitled “Rules Applicable to Foreign Grantees of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarships”, which is included in this annual Call. Signing this document, as well as the Award Contract, constitutes acceptance of the scholarship and of the conditions governing the grantee’s stay in Mexico.
Once a scholarship is awarded, no changes of either educational institution or studies will be permitted. In the event a scholarship grantee were to abandon his/her studies, become involved in activities contrary to the provisions of Mexican law, fail a subject or unjustifiably obtain grades below a GPA of 8.5 (eight-pointfive), on a scale of 0 to 10 in each study period, the scholarship shall be cancelled.
Scholarship grantees must abide by the rules of the Mexican academic institution where they are studying. Should they directly or indirectly participate in any hostile movement or act, inside or outside their academic surroundings, or should the academic institution discharge or expel a grantee, the scholarship shall be cancelled automatically.
Scholarships are granted to pursue studies in Mexico, therefore, candidates may not be absent from the country for a period exceeding 30 days per scholarship year. Should this occur, the scholarship allowance shall be suspended but may be reinstated and/or cancelled definitively.
Permits to leave the country cannot be accumulated from one year to another. The year shall be counted as of the date on which the scholarship begins. Those grantees receiving a scholarship for a period of less than 12 months shall be analyzed on case-by-case basis.
Preference shall be given to candidatures whose thesis or research can be done in its entirety in Mexico, to prevent setbacks for students who, because of their chosen subjects, might need to return, halfway through studies, to their native countries to gather information. When this occurs, the scholarship shall be temporarily suspended upon the students’ departure from Mexico and reinstated upon their return, in accordance with the timeline granted by the Directorate for Academic Exchange (DIA) of the General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation.
Formalities
a) Immigration
Once candidates have received official written notification of the scholarship award, they must then proceed with all formalities stipulated before the corresponding Mexican Embassy or Consulate. Grantees must be documented as scholarship students with Immigration Form 3 (FM3) not as tourists.
Scholarship grantees may not travel on diplomatic or official passports. The costs of registration and visa renewal shall be borne by the scholarship grantees.
b) Travel to Mexico
If international air travel forms part of the scholarship benefits, the airline ticket will be arranged by the Directorate for Academic Exchange. The Mexican Embassy in the respective country shall notify grantees of the flight and ticket details. In the event international air travel is not included in the scholarship benefits, grantees must travel to Mexico at their own expense.
Before the trip to Mexico, grantees must be sure to have international medical insurance to cover their expenses in the event of illness, accident, or hospitalization for the first three months of their stay in Mexico, given that the IMSS medical insurance does not come into effect until the third month of the scholarship.
c) Arrival in Mexico
Upon arrival in Mexico City, scholarship grantees must report in person to the offices of the Directorate for Academic Exchange of the General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation located at: Plaza Juárez N°20, Piso 4 (Fourth Floor), Col. Centro, 06010, México, D.F. between 09:00 and 13:30 hours, Monday thru Friday, to complete the necessary formalities for their registration as SRE scholarship grantees. We recommend that you consult your scholarship grantee guide.
d) First Allowance Payment
The first allowance will be paid to scholarship grantees during the last days of the month in which the scholarship begins and in accordance with the annual calendar they will be given by their local Mexican Embassy before traveling to Mexico. Consequently, it is essential that grantees bring enough living expenses to last for at least the first 30 days. Scholarship grantees who fail to report to the DIA and be documented within the first ten days of the month in which the scholarship begins shall forfeit the first allowance payment.
e) Payment of Monthly Allowance
In the annual calendar schedule, the monthly-allowance payment day and the payroll-list signing dates are stipulated. Scholarship grantees accredited with institutions in the metropolitan area (Mexico City) must go to sign the corresponding payroll list at the offices of the Directorate for Academic Exchange. Scholarship grantees studying in the interior of the Republic must send – via e-mail – confirmation of receipt of their allowance payment. For said purpose and at the moment of being documented, they will be given a simple form prepared by the Directorate for Academic Exchange.
f) Intermediate Formalities
Scholarship grantees must familiarize themselves with the document entitled Rules Applicable to Foreign Grantees of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarships, as well with the processes they must observe as grantees during their stay in this country so as not to omit any formality.
g) Final Formalities
Upon completion of their studies or research, scholarship grantees must hand in to the Directorate for Academic Exchange of the General Directorate for Academic and Cultural Cooperation a copy of the graduating-exam proof document, as well an electronic version of their thesis or final paper and a letter signed by the tutor confirming attainment of the objectives of the project. If applicable, they must also request the airline ticket for return to their home country and be informed of the departure date.
In the event of failing to comply with the foregoing requirements, the last monthly allowance payment and the airline ticket shall be cancelled, if applicable.
Obligations of Scholarship Grantees
These can be found in the document entitled Rules Applicable to Foreign Grantees of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Scholarships, which grantees must sign at the moment of receiving the scholarship award and thereby promise to abide by its provisions and respect its contents
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