U.S. Embassy in Singapore

The Community Solutions Program (CSP) is a year-long professional leadership development program for people who are working to improve their communities by addressing issues related to the environment, peace and conflict resolution, transparency and accountability, and women and gender. Community leaders will be selected to participate in the program that includes: 

• Four-month fellowship in the United States: Community Solutions fellows are matched with host organizations throughout the U.S. where they complete a four-month, hands-on professional experience
   
• Community Leadership Institute: Community Solutions fellows participate in the Community Leadership Institute, a leadership training program designed to strengthen their leadership and management skills. The Institute includes face-to-face trainings, online courses, professional coaching, and networking.
   
• Community-based initiatives: While in the U.S. and with the support of their U.S. host organization, Community Solutions fellows design and plan a community development initiative or project to carry out after they return home. Once the fellows depart the U.S., they put these projects into action in their home communities 

Note about COVID-19: IREX intends to implement the Community Solutions Program in-person in the United States from August to December 2023 if public health concerns abate. IREX, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and will adjust program implementation accordingly. Ensuring the safety and well-being of CSP participants, partners, and communities is IREX’s highest priority.    

Eligibility Requirements 

To be eligible for the Community Solutions Program, applicants must meet the requirements listed below. Applications that do not meet these eligibility requirements will be disqualified and will not be reviewed by the selection committee. 

• You are between the ages of 25 and 38 as of January 1, 2023 
• You are a citizen of Singapore 
• You are living and working in Singapore 
• You have at least two years of experience working on community development, either as a full-time or part-time employee or volunteer 
• You are not currently participating in an academic, training, or research program in the U.S. 
• You have a high level of proficiency in spoken and written English at the time of application. Semifinalists may be required to take or submit recent scores for a TOEFL or IELTS English language test 
• You are available to travel to the U.S. for four months from August to December 2023 
• You are not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and have not applied for U.S. permanent residency within the past three years 
• You are committed to returning to your home country for a minimum of two years after completing the program 

Program Benefits 

The program covers the cost of most expenses associated with: 

• J-1 visa support 
• Round-trip travel from participants’ home city to the U.S. 
• Monthly allowance to cover housing, meals, and other living expenses while in the U.S. and 
• Accident and sickness insurance 

Competition Schedule 

Application Instructions 

Detailed application instructions can be downloaded by the link below. Please review the program requirements prior to starting an application to ensure that you are eligible. Please note that eligibility requirements are determined by the U.S. Department of State and exceptions cannot be made. If, after reviewing the application instructions, you have additional questions, please e-mail cspapply@irex.org. 

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022.

Application Resources 

• Application instructions  
• Application FAQs 
• Apply: Begin your online application