CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENERGY (COE)

COE Exchange Program

1. Program overview:

Arizona State University (ASU-US) has established the Center of Excellence for Energy (COE) in Egypt with funding and support from USAID. The COE project is a partnership between ASU-US and three Egyptian partner universities (EPUs): Ain Shams University, Aswan University, and Mansoura University. The COE’s goal is to improve the capacity of Egypt’s higher education institutions to drive public and private sector innovation, modernization, and competitiveness; strengthen government policy to stimulate economic growth, and contribute solutions to Egypt’s development challenges in the energy sector.

2. Exchange Program Overview

The COE is launching its exchange program for undergraduate and graduate students from ASU-EG, AU, and MU to study and conduct research at ASU-US for one term. Visiting students will conduct research in a state-of- the-art energy laboratory, in collaboration with ASU-US faculty, researchers, and students. Visiting students will take courses at ASU-US and receive credits transferable to their degree programs at their home university in Egypt. They will also conduct research and participate in workshops and classes related to energy policy, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and other academic activities at ASU-US. The program will cover travel and lodging costs, all academic and equipment costs, and a living stipend.

3. Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible for the exchange program, student applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• Be an Egyptian citizen and have a valid Egyptian passport.
• Be at least 18 years of age by the start date of the exchange program.
• Be currently enrolled in an energy-related fields at ASU-EG, AU, or MU. This includes undergraduate or graduate students in the energy engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, other engineering programs related to energy, or other energy-related fields such as architecture, policy, sustainability, climate, water, environmental sciences, etc.
• Have a GPA of 2.75 or above.
• Be proficient in oral and written English and possess proof of language proficiency (see details in section VII).
• Have not been previously enrolled in any USAID scholarship or exchange program.
• Have completed the application package in its entirety, according to the proscribed guidelines.
• Undergraduate students: must have completed their first year of study at their home university and have at least one year remaining in their program by the start date of the exchange program.
• MS or PhD students: be enrolled in an energy-related programs as listed above.

1. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENERGY (COE)

4. Application and Selection Process

Candidates will go through four steps during the application and selection process.

1. Application: Interested applicants should submit an application package via the online form available on the COE website. Departments and faculty are encouraged to refer specific students to submit their own applications.
2. Screening: An exchange committee will screen all submitted applications for eligibility. Those that satisfy the requirements will progress to the next step. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.
3. Evaluation: An exchange committee will review all application materials from eligible candidates. Applicants will be evaluated and ranked based on selection criteria below.
4. Interview: Applicants that successfully pass screening and evaluation will then go through an interview panel to finalize the selection of exchange candidates.

Please pay close attention to the timeline included below; adherence to the schedule is very important so that immigration documents are not delayed. To accommodate the early start of selection, a conditional admission will be given to the selected candidates.

5. Selection Criteria

Student applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Academic merit.
• Extracurricular/professional activities (e.g. internships, energy-related clubs).
• Research experience, if any.
• English proficiency.
• Personal statement.
• Letters of recommendation.
• Interview results.

Priority consideration will be given to women, persons with disabilities, and financially needy students, without compromising eligibility criteria.

6. Application Package

Exchange applicants should submit an application package through the online form (https://airtable.com/shrqqqqSnsmpZmrk5) on the COE website (https://live-coee2.pantheonsite.io/) by AUG 1, 2022. Please read all instructions and information carefully and review all fields before making any submission- only complete applications will be considered. All forms in this application are to be completed in English.

Student application packages will consist of:

2. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENERGY (COE)

1. Completed student application form, including

• Full name, gender, contact information, home university, specific degree program, department, GPA

2. Copy of passport bio page
3. Academic transcript for undergraduate or graduate education (with English translation)
4. Three letters of recommendation from faculty (with English translation, one page each maximum)
5. Proof of language proficiency (see details below)
6. Personal statement on their interest in the energy area, their academic goals, and their motivation for the exchange program application (one-page maximum)

7. Additional Details on Language Proficiency:

Selected students must show one of the following to be part of the Exchange Program:

• Completed an English Placement Exam with the following marks:

TOEFL: score of at least 550 (PBT) or 80 (iBT). ASU’s institutional score is 4007.  IELTS: overall band score of at least 6.5.

8. Key Dates:

Aug 1, 2022 Aug 15, 2022 August –December Jan/Feb 2023 2022

9. Next Steps and Further Information:

Successful candidates will be notified of their acceptance status by August 15, 2022, and Arizona State University will provide placement and tentative arrival information following selection.

For detailed information please visit the COE website and Facebook page. The exchange program description, program eligibility, and a link to the online application are available there.

If you have questions, please contact COEE@asu.edu.
Please submit your application via the application form, also available on the COE website.