National deadline: November 1, 2011

Eligibility requirements: All prospective PPIA Fellows are expected to dedicate themselves to the traditions and objectives of the PPIA Fellowship Program, have an abiding commitment to public service and contribute to more diverse perspectives in public policy and international affairs. The following are more specific criteria and guidelines:

• must have completed junior year of college by the start of Junior Summer Institute (JSI) and have at least one full semester or two quarters of coursework remaining before graduation
• must not have attained a Bachelor's Degree prior to start of Junior Summer Institute
• must be committed to completing a Master's Degree in public and/or international affairs at one of the PPIA Consortium graduate schools
• must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a professional career associated with public service such as government, nonprofits, humanitarian and international organizations and other related programs
• must contribute to the diversity of perspectives
• economic need is considered
• any academic majors are welcome to apply

Additionally: International students may apply to Princeton and Carnegie Mellon.

If you select UC Berkeley among your potential JSIs, please note the following:

• Required: You must specifically demonstrate involvement in working to improve historically underserved or underrepresented communities, including African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino/as, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.
• Optional: If you are interested in being eligible for selection as a UC Berkeley PPIA Law Fellow, you must also explain your interests for wanting to pursue a joint law and public policy degree, what skills you would be seeking to acquire and how you could apply such skills to further your public service career goals.

If you select the Maryland Leadership Institute, please note the following:

• There is only one PPIA Fellow that will be admitted to Maryland. The rest of the summer institute consists of fellows from other, non-PPIA fellowship programs.
• The Maryland Leadership Institute typically caters to students who have a particular interest in international affairs.

Award summary and conditions: The PPIA Junior Summer Institutes (JSI) have been the hallmark of the PPIA Fellowship Program for over 20 years. JSI is an intensive seven-week summer program that focuses on preparing students for graduate programs in public and international affairs and careers as policy professionals, public administrators and other leadership roles in public service. The JSI curriculum includes economics, statistics, domestic/international policy issues and leadership topics, all designed to sharpen the students' quantitative, analytic and communication skills. Extracurricular activities are also included. These skills are vital for admission into the top graduate programs in public and international affairs. The successful completion of a summer institute is a requirement for PPIA Fellows.

As a PPIA Fellow you are entitled to the following benefits:

• Full tuition at a PPIA Junior Summer Institute.
• Eligibility to receive assistance with travel expenses.
• Minimum of $1,000 stipend.
• University housing with a meal plan.
• Books and related course materials.
• GRE prep.

Application materials:  PPIA encourages applicants to apply to at least three JSI’s in order to improve chances for admission.  While each JSI may feature some unique features, they are all part of the PPIA Fellowship Program and are meant to serve students with a broad range of public service interests, both domestic and international. You are encouraged to consider all PPIA JSI’s in your application.

Application requirements—the following will need to be uploaded:

• A multiple part personal statement
• A current copy of your resume
• Unofficial academic transcript(s) from ALL of the colleges and universities you have attended and have listed on the application — it is acceptable to print transcript information provided online by each college and university for this purpose (Note: Students who are selected as Fellows will be required to submit official academic transcript(s) from ALL of the colleges and universities they have attended and have listed on the applications directly to their Junior Summer Institutes by a deadline to be determined by the Junior Summer Institutes)
• Student Aid Report (SAR) and a copy of your financial aid award letter for 2010-2011 or parent/guardian's tax forms if you are not receiving financial aid (this requirement CANNOT be waived under any circumstances)
• Two letters of recommendation.  You will be asked to provide the name and email address of two people who will submit letters of recommendation. Your letters of recommendation should evaluate your general qualifications, academic aptitude, commitment to public service and potential to succeed in a rigorous, graduate level educational setting.

• One letter should be from someone familiar with your education (e.g. a professor)
• One letter should be from someone familiar with your public service activities or interests

PPIA will e-mail recommenders directions immediately after you submit the application.  Please ask and confirm that this person is willing to write your recommendation before submitting the application.  It is your responsibility to confirm that the recommenders have received email messages from PPIA with instructions for uploading the letters with ample time to submit letters by deadline.

Faculty Representative: Keith Raether

National committee interview: No

Selection process: Selected students represent PPIA's diversity goals and have records of high academic achievement. The summer institutes seek to engage students who demonstrate a strong commitment to solving economic, social, political and environmental problems in the United States and abroad. Variety of life and work experiences, volunteer interests, study abroad and participation in campus or community organizations are evaluated. Successful applicants are culturally aware, socially sensitive, committed to public service and likeminded in their vision about making the world a better place.

Contact information: http://www.ppiaprogram.org/programs/jsi.php