2023 USTL Fellows

The United States-Timor-Leste Scholarship Program (USTL) is excited to welcome its newest USTL fellows: Sedeligia Maria Da Conceicao Guterres, attending Fox Valley Technical College; Igor de Carvalho da Costa and Lucas Cornelio Xavier, attending West Virginia University; and Ivo Da Conceicao Tilman Ribeiro, attending the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. The fellows will attend their respective host universities and community colleges for two to four years of academic study, culminating in either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree.

The fellows arrived in Washington, DC for a three-day arrival orientation on August 7. The orientation was held at the office of American Councils for International Education, the USTL Program administrator, and consisted of sessions on topics such as higher education in the U.S., USTL program components and policies, visa regulations, and money management. Finalists were able to meet not only with American Councils staff but were also visited by representatives from the U.S. Embassy-Dili, the U.S. Department of State, and experts on the topics of Timorese culture and diversity in the United States.

While in the U.S., each student will be pursuing classes required for their respective majors, which include Business, Economics, and Nutrition. The students are looking forward to taking back new knowledge from the classroom to their home communities in Timor Leste. The students departed Washington, DC for their respective host institutions on August 10 to begin their academic studies.

To apply for the USTL scholarship, interested applicants must submit an application, available either electronically through the USTL website ( https://ustlscholarship.org/ ) or via hard copy. An official announcement will be made via the USTL website and the USTL Facebook page when the 2024 USTL Application is released in the coming month.

Congratulations and welcome to the newest USTL cohort!