Scholarships
The WLS Selection Committee awarded four to eight scholarships per year, up to US$25,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years. The awards helped the recipients meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, educational supplies, housing, maintenance, and travel to and from the home country and the educational institution. WLS awards were paid directly to the institution in a student’s account. For foreign women intending to study at U.S. universities, WLS funding for expenses other than tuition and books was subject to a 14% U.S. tax.
Candidates used WLS funding for non-doctoral graduate study at accredited institutions worldwide. WLS was committed to strengthening research institutions in the Global South. As such, WLS encouraged students to study in their home country or region provided that the educational institution was fully accredited for higher education.
We became aware that the WLS application submission timeline posed difficulties for some applicants from the Global South due to differing academic calendars. Unfortunately, since we and our volunteer committee were small, we could not offer more than one application cycle. We encouraged those students from the Global South who faced a different academic calendar to apply during the first year/semester of their studies in order to finance the remainder of their studies.
An accredited educational institution is one that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum, and has an organized body of students in attendance on site or through distance learning. Award recipients were selected on an objective and non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or age of the applicant. Employment status was taken into consideration only with regards to determining whether the applicant met the minimum three years professional experience requirement in the applicant’s proposed field of study or research. WLS did not allow deferrals.
A Selection Committee of at least three people, including a Channel Foundation trustee or staff member, determined applicants’ eligibility and decide awards. Selection and terms of WLS awards were determined by evidence that an applicant required financial support to attain the education planned. Channel Foundation staff, Selection Committee members, or relatives of either were disqualified from applying for the WLS.
WLS awards were monitored by annual or semi-annual reports from the student’s department or research advisor showing satisfactory and timely progress. Email communication was maintained with the student, and a brief evaluation was required of her following the completion of her program of study. Award renewals were made at the discretion of the Selection Committee, based on a student’s timely and satisfactory progress. Students were required to notify the Channel Foundation immediately, in writing, of any change in their programs, research focus, enrollment status, or career goals. Failure to maintain eligibility requirements resulted in termination of funding for the next academic period. The Channel Foundation took all reasonable and appropriate steps to recover funds not used to further the purposes of the scholarship, or to restore diverted funds to these purposes. WLS did not allow deferrals.
