Instructions for Applicants

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for the program, students must certify that they meet the eligibility requirements outlined below. If the student passes to the next level of the competition, he must provide documentation of eligibility.

I certify that:

• I am currently enrolled in 9^th grade or 10^th grade;
• I was born on or after January 1, 1994, and on or before June 1, 1995;
• I have an academic standing of “good” or better;
• I have previously studied English, and speak and read English; and
• I am a citizen of Belarus and am eligible to receive a Belarus passport.

How to Apply for the Youth Cultural Opportunity

Applicants must:

• Complete the application form and essay questions on-line and submit the required documents listed below by mail,

email or to the U.S. embassy in Minsk;

-OR Complete

the application form, including the essay questions, print it, and submit it and the required documents by mail

or to the U.S. Embassy in Minsk. (Please note that the PDF application cannot be saved unless you have Adobe Acrobat.)

• Submit:

o The application form, including the essays questions by mail, e-mail, or in person to the U.S. Embassy in Minsk

o A visa photo or an electronic version of a photo taken within the last six months (photo should contain head and shoulders, only). You can also submit

an electronic version of this photo instead.

o A copy of your birth certificate

o An academic transcript on the form provided

Applicants must provide all parts of the application, visa photo, birth certificate and transcript or they will not be considered for the program. Semi-finalists will be notified of their status after December 15, 2009 and will be invited for an interview and further testing in December 2009 and January 2010. All testing will be conducted in English.

Where and When to Submit Your Application

Applications must be received by the Youth Cultural Opportunity program office by November 30, 2009. Applications may be submitted: