ITTO Fellowship Programme

ITTO provides fellowships for students to develop human resources and enhance expertise in member countries in tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, promoting sustainable management of tropical forests, efficient utilizing and processing of tropical timber.

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) provides fellowships through the ITTO Fellowship Programme for students to develop human resources and enhance expertise in member countries in tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, promoting sustainable management of tropical forests, efficient utilizing and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information on the international trade in tropical timber. Only nationals of ITTO Member countries are eligible to apply.

Level of study

1. Participation in international/regional conferences, short-term training courses, training internships at industries, research and educational institutions, study tours, and lecture/demonstration tours;
2. Technical document preparation, publication and dissemination, such as manuals and monographs;
3. Small grants for post-graduate studies.

ITTO gives preference to short-term activities.

Field of study

Human resources, tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, sustainable management of tropical forests, utilization and processing tropical timber.

Scholarship value

The maximum amount for a fellowship is US$10,000. ITTO Fellowships provides tuition/training/conference fees, transportation fees, daily subsistence allowance, book allowance and other allowances. For post-gradate studies, only a partial tuition fee or a small research grant can be provided. Approved Fellowships are non-transferable to other programmes or institutions.

Application requirements

Fellowship applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria (in no priority order):

1. Consistency of the proposed activity with the Programme's objective and priority areas;
2. Qualifications of the applicant to undertake the proposed Fellowship activity;
3. The potential of the skills and knowledge acquired or advanced under the Fellowship activity to lead to wider applications and benefits nationally and internationally;
4. Reasonableness of costs in relation to the proposed Fellowship activity.

Additional consideration will be given to:

1. Geographic and gender balance;
2. Balance among the ITTO priority areas;
3. Competency in the language in which the training will be given, where applicable (eg courses, conferences, study tours).

The ITTO Fellowships are awarded mainly to nationals of developing countries. However, ITTO may award Fellowships to nationals of consumer developed countries when: (a) the activities for which the awards are made are carried out in Producer Member countries and the activities tend to benefit Producer Member countries; and/or (b) there is evidence of technology transfer for activities to be carried out in developed countries.

How to apply

Please read the following instructions carefully before completing your application.

1. Applications must be submitted on-line at: www.itto.int/feature20/. The application will open June/July of each year.
2. Applications must be received by the Secretariat before the advertised deadline.
3. Applicants must attach the following documents in PDF file when submitting applications.
   1. Scanned copies of two letters of recommendation signed by referees (The form is available on the on-line application site.)
   2. Official letter(s) of acceptance from host institutions
   3. Provide Supporting documents for the following:
      1. Short-term training courses and training internships: documents showing the course description and the course fees.
      2. Conferences: documents showing the conference description and the conference fees, and an abstract of the paper or a full paper if the applicant is presenting a paper 
      3. Study tours and lecture/demonstration tours: a detailed schedule of visit and pro-forma invoices of major items of expenses
      4. Technical document preparation, publication and dissemination: an outline of the technical document or a draft of the document, and pro-forma invoices for printing and other budgeted items
      5. Post-graduate studies: a brief research proposal and documents showing the programme description, the tuition fees and other major items of expenses 
      6. Traveling by air: documents showing airfare, such as a pro-forma invoice.
      7. Visa fee and airport tax: supporting documents showing the costs for the visa fee and airport tax
      8. Travelling on land: supporting documents showing the costs for car rental, approximate distance for travelling between the places of visits, the costs for train/bus, etc. 
      9. For those who are non-native speakers of the language to be used in the fellowship activity: a certificate indicating proficiency in the language.
4. Please note that incomplete applications or applications found to contain false information will not be considered.
5. Applications that are received after the deadline will not be forwarded to the next round of Fellowship Selection for consideration.  If an applicant is interested in having his/her application considered for a subsequent round(s), a new application should be submitted.
6. Applicants should comply with the Budget Guidelines contained in the budget section of the on-line application site.
7. If a proposed activity requires more than US$10,000, applicants are required to list in the budget section of the application form the other financial sources and the amount secured or to be secured from the sources. Applicants should submit evidence of funding from the other financial sources, and applications without such evidence will not be considered. Applicants who indicate funding from personal or family sources need to provide satisfactory proof. Applicants should be aware that activities requiring more than US$10,000 will receive additional scrutiny from the Fellowship Panel.
8. Only successful fellowship applicants will be notified.  The list of successful fellowship applicants will be posted on the ITTO website.
9. Should you have a problem in accessing the application form on-line, please contact the Fellowship Program at: itto@itto.int.