JMU is now accepting applications for this scholarship. Applications must be received by 5 May, 2024 for financial aid that will begin during the Fall 2024 semester. To be eligible for this assistantship, students must be admitted to a graduate program at the time of applicant review.
Note that students from Kosovo are also eligible to apply for all other graduate assistantships available in programs of study and throughout the campus and we encourage you to apply for these. More information about graduate assistantships
The Madison Vision Graduate Assistantship for the Advancement of Kosovo
This scholarship program provides financial support to citizens of Kosovo to pursue master’s degrees at James Madison University (JMU). Students may pursue any of the following areas of study offered as on-campus experiences on the JMU campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA:
- Art, M.F.A. | VIDEO
- Athletic Training, M.S.A.T. | VIDEO
- Biology, M.S.
- Clinical & Mental Health Counseling, M.A./Ed.S. | VIDEO
- College Student Personnel Administration, M.Ed.
- Communication and Advocacy, M.A. | VIDEO
- English (Literature), M.A. | VIDEO
- Exercise Physiology (Kinesiology), M.S. | VIDEO
- History, M.A. | VIDEO
- Music, M.M. | VIDEO
- Psychological Sciences, M.A. | VIDEO
- School Psychology, M.A./Ed.S.
- Public Administration, MP.A.
- Speech Language Pathology, M.S.
- Talent Development/Instructional Design (Adult Education/Human Resource Development), M.S.Ed. | VIDEO
- Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication, M.A.
Note that students enrolling in any of JMU's many online and off-campus graduate programs do not qualify for this graduate assistantship. Students receiving this assistantship must plan to return to Kosovo after completing the graduate program to use their new knowledge and skills to benefit Kosovo.
Students selected for this program will receive
- Full-time student tuition.
- A stipend to cover most expenses (in return for 20 hrs/week of work, primarily within our academic department).
Contingent upon the student's satisfactory progress in their program, this assistantship will be renewed annually.
Qualified students will also be considered for other graduate assistantships available in your academic department and across the JMU campus. These other graduate assistantships typically provide the same level of support.
How to apply
- Apply for admission to any of the above listed JMU Graduate Programs. Application deadlines vary by program; for individual program requirements and deadlines, follow the application requirements page for your program of interest.
- Complete and submit a supplemental application by May 5, 2024. Please send your supplemental application to grad@jmu.edu.
Write an essay to the following prompt. Please be specific, but limit your response to 2-3 typed pages. Please submit your response in English.
We would like to understand how your graduate experience could positively influence the development of the Republic of Kosovo. How will the knowledge, experience, and expertise you hope to gain from the program of study you plan to pursue at JMU may help you to address issues that impact individuals and communities in Kosovo? Describe your prior educational and professional experience, as well as anticipated professional role, if known.
Who will be selected
- Admitted graduate students from Kosovo will be selected for this special assistantship based on the graduate school application and their responses on the supplemental application.
- In addition to this special program, graduate students from Kosovo are eligible for other scholarships and assistantships.
Notes
This program is made possible by the generous donations of individuals to the Madison Vision Fund, and through the cooperative relationships between the Kosovar Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and James Madison University.
Tuition. Typical graduate-level courses are 3 credits each; full-time students usually enroll in 3-4 courses/semester. Tuition is limited to 18 credit hours of tuition per academic year for master’s programs and up to 24 credit hours of tuition for doctoral programs. (Current value $22,896 - $30,528/year).
Stipend. Students will receive a work assignment (20 hours/week) to earn their stipend. The stipend is currently: $9,530. Graduate Assistantships cover Fall and Spring semesters only. Students may apply for Summer tuition support, but this is not guaranteed as part of this assistantship program even if summer coursework is required by the student’s program. The Graduate and Doctoral Assistantships webpage has additional details.
Renewability. Contingent upon satisfactory progress, this assistantship is renewable annually.
Other Expenses. Most students find that Graduate Assistantship stipends are sufficient to cover housing and food costs, but many find that it is insufficient to cover all expenses. International students should expect to use some personal funds to cover such costs as the graduate application fee ($60), transportation to the US, visa processing fees, mandatory health insurance, books, and tuition expenses when additional credits are taken during the Fall, Spring or Summer, beyond the number of credits that are covered by the assistantship. To qualify for a Student Visa, students who receive graduate assistantships are likely to be required to show that they have the ability to contribute $5,000-$10,000/year to their annual expenses from personal sources.
Need more information?
If you need more information about this program, feel free to e-mail us at grad@jmu.edu. We would be happy to answer your questions.
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Mon - Fri:
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. &
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch
