The Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program is a professional development program funded by the U.S. Department of State. Since 2015, it has provided emerging leaders of the Fulbright Program from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia with the opportunity to gain real-world experience that both complements and enriches their graduate studies in the United States. Muskie Fellows show a commitment to developing practical skills and a deeper understanding of U.S. work culture, and a readiness to use this experience to implement positive changes and make a long-lasting impact in their home countries. Participating host organizations are not only at the forefront of bringing innovative talent to the U.S. workplace, but also play a critical role in fostering mutual understanding.
Program Details
The Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program invites participants to:
- Create relationships that support professional and personal development, stimulate creativity, and lead innovations in various industries around the world
- Learn about new trends, opportunities, and challenges emerging in key global and local issues
- Experience different work styles in the public, private, and non-profit U.S. work sectors
- Learn how different U.S. government agencies, NGOs, and businesses work together to address complex challenges in the U.S. and abroad
- Sharpen the ability to develop independent opinions, make informed decisions, and reach compromise in cross-cultural settings
- Become cultural ambassadors promoting mutual understanding between the U.S. and Eurasia
- Learn how to advocate for issues that help foster democratization, the transition to market economies, and the establishment of strong civil societies
*Costs to participate in the program are covered by the grant, and participants will receive a stipend to cover living expenses in the cities in which their internship takes place*
- Assistance securing a full-time summer internship in the participant’s field of study
- Professional development support during internship search and summer internship
- In-person events in Washington, D.C. in May and August
- Three-month professional internship in the participant’s field of study
- Community service activity to learn more about their host communities and gain a deeper understanding of civil society in the U.S.
All participants must agree to actively participate in the program, including the internship placement process. While Cultural Vistas provides assistance for each participant in search of their summer internship, it is each participant’s responsibility to secure their internship. Various organizations in the U.S. have different hiring practices, and some of them require applicants to go through their own selection process. We highly recommend starting your internship search as early as possible and applying for various positions that fit your professional interests before the Muskie Program result announcement. Cultural Vistas understands that students have many responsibilities during their academic year; however, the rewards are worth the effort. You will get the chance to gain hands-on experience in a U.S. organization, expand your professional network, and gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. and its people.
The Muskie Program is funded via a grant from the U.S. Department of State, The Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) and The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA). Financial support provided by the grant will cover the following costs:
- Travel from campus to the program orientation in Washington, D.C
- Lodging, meals, and program activities during the program orientation
- Travel to cities in which internships are located
- Monthly stipend to assist with cost of living including housing, meals, and transportation
- Travel from cities in which internships are located to the program closing seminar
- Lodging, meals, and program activities during the closing seminar
- Return travel from the closing seminar to university campuses for fellows continuing their academic studies in the U.S. on a Fulbright Scholarship
*Cultural Vistas will make all travel arrangements*
How to Apply for the Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship
Step 1
Check Eligibility
- Applicants must currently be a Fulbright Foreign Student and must be currently studying towards a graduate degree at a U.S. college or university.
- Applicants must be a citizen of one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan.
Step 2
Submit An Application
Applications go live for a month starting in mid-October through mid-November every year. If you do not see the application link, the application is not live. For any questions, email muskie@culturalvistas.org.
Step 3
Application Evaluation
Once you submit your application, readers receive and review applications in late November. They have about two weeks (until early December) to get back to the Muskie team with their scores.
Step 4
Interviews
If an application is scored very lowly, they may not be invited to the second round of the application process. If they are selected to proceed to the second round, interviews with the Muskie team occur in mid-December.
Step 5
Final Decision
Once interviews are done, the Muskie team will notify applicants of their final decision. This will likely occur in early January.
Eligibility and Application Frequently Asked Questions
No, the Edmund S. Muskie Professional Fellowship Program (officially called the Edmund S. Muskie Internship Program from 2015 until 2021) is a revised program from the former academic program that was discontinued. It focuses on practical internship training opportunities where participants can apply academic principles learned in the classroom and build skills that can be applied to their careers in their home countries.
No, the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program is only open to current degree-seeking Foreign Fulbright Student Program grantees from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
No, only current Foreign Fulbright Students still in the U.S. are eligible for the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program. If you have already returned home from your Fulbright Program, you are not eligible to apply.
Yes, you are eligible to apply for post-degree academic training. If you are selected to the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program this year, your visa will be extended with academic training approval through the duration of your Muskie Fellowship. Please check with your IIE advisor regarding the length of your post-academic training.
Yes, the letter of recommendation can be submitted by a professor from your U.S. university or a university in your home country, or a current or previous employer in the U.S. or your home country. All letters of recommendation must be in English. You can either upload your letters through the online application or have them emailed to muskie@culturalvistas.org.
No, participating in the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program will not affect your two-year home residency requirement. You will still be subject to the 212e requirement after you return home from your Fulbright Program.
Semi-finalists will be notified in early December. Program finalists are selected by mid-January. We will be in contact with all applicants after their application has been submitted regarding their application status.
Internships Frequently Asked Questions
Selected Muskie Finalists will work with the Muskie Program team to find an internship opportunity that matches their current studies, interests, and career goals. While we assist each participant in search of their summer internship, it’s a participant’s responsibility to secure their internship. Finalists who already have an internship offer or find one on their own for the summer are still eligible for the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program and will still partake in all of the program activities. We will work with those finalists to ensure their internship meets the requirements for the Muskie Program. It is strongly recommended for you to start applying to internships that are of interest to you. Do not wait to receive notification of participation in the Muskie Program if the deadline to apply for an internship is before the official program announcement timeline.
Cultural Vistas works with government, non-profit, and private organizations every year to place interns. Cultural Vistas will both leverage these relationships and create new partnerships in order to place Muskie Finalists in internships that benefit both the participant and the host company. Please check our Alumni tab on the website to see previous U.S. organizations that hosted Muskie Fellows. If you would like to reach out to alumni of the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program regarding their experiences, please send a request to muskie@culturalvistas.org.
Cultural Vistas cannot guarantee placement with a host company that provides a paid internship. The Muskie Professional Fellowship Program is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of State. With their support, the program will provide each participant with a three-month stipend to cover the cost of living during their summer internship.
Muskie internships are expected to be full-time (between 32-40 hours per week) and three months in length (10-12 weeks during the summer). If your IIE advisor states that you are eligible for a longer post-academic training, please note that your Muskie stipend will only cover three months of summer internship. It is your responsibility to find a position that provides financial compensation for the whole duration of your post-academic training if you make arrangements to continue your internship beyond your Muskie Program participation.
Please email muskie@culturalvistas.org with any additional questions you may have regarding the Muskie Professional Fellowship Program or the application process.