ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
USTL PROGRAM
Thank you for your interest in the USTL Program. The 2023 application for the USTL Program was available until 11:59 PM (EST) on November 29, 2022. The application will be made available in the coming Fall.
USTL is a merit-based, open competition. Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, national origin, or gender; persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
An eligible candidate for the USTL Program:
- Is a citizen, national, or permanent resident qualified to hold a valid passport issued by the government of Timor-Leste;
- Has completed or is in the process of completing his/her final year of secondary school;
- May be enrolled in an undergraduate study;
- Is able to begin the USTL Program in the United States in August 2023;
- Will be at least 18 years old when the program starts;
- Is eligible for admission to a U.S. undergraduate degree program or will become eligible upon completion of an ESL program;
- Is able to receive and maintain a J-1 visa;
- Is proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application;
- Is able to demonstrate leadership skills and an interest in cross-cultural understanding; and
- Is committed to returning to his/her home country after completion of the program;
- Meets any additional requirements of the host institution in the U.S; and
- Agrees to submit a complete application with all required documents by the application deadline.
Individuals in the following circumstances are NOT eligible for the USTL Program:
- U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Employees of the U.S. Embassy and their immediate family members, for a period of one year following termination of such employment;
- Persons arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a crime (excluding minor traffic violations);
- Candidates in their final year of undergraduate study and those with bachelor’s degrees, obtained either in Timor-Leste or abroad.