The USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). If you want to work on the front lines of some of the most pressing global challenges of our times —  injustice, climate change, health, conflict, and poverty - foreign policy interests and reflect the American people's compassion and support of human dignity. The Payne Fellowship, which provides up to $104,000 in benefits over two years for graduate school, internships, and professional development activities, is a unique pathway to the USAID Foreign Service.

Program Overview:

The Payne Fellowship Program awards up to 30 fellowships valued at up to $52,000 annually for a two-year program. The award includes up to $24,000 per year toward tuition and mandatory fees for completion of a two-year master’s degree at a U.S. institution; a $18,000 stipend for each academic year for room, board, books and other education-related expenses; and up to $10,000 per year in stipend, housing, transportation, and related expenses for summer placements. At the conclusion of two years of study, the Payne Fellow is expected to obtain a degree in international development or another area of relevance to the work of the USAID Foreign Service at a U.S. graduate or professional school approved by the Payne Program. Fellows who successfully complete the Payne Program and USAID Foreign Service entry requirements will receive appointments as Foreign Service Officers with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

2023 Application Deadline: Friday, November 4th, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

The program expects to have all documents to be submitted electronically. Should applicants have insuperable problems submitting a document electronically, they can consult with program staff about alternate methods (paynefellows@howard.edu). However, we strongly encourage you to submit documents electronically.

Selection Process:

A panel of individuals with experience in the USAID Foreign Service and academia makes selections for the Payne Fellowship. The selection panel will consider candidates’ academic work, statements of interest, letters of recommendation, and honors and awards, as well as their community, extracurricular, and leadership activities. Consideration will be given to qualified applicants who, in addition to outstanding leadership skills and academic achievement, demonstrate financial need.

The Payne selection panel will choose finalists in the beginning of December 2022. Candidates selected for final consideration will be invited to Washington, D.C. for interviews in mid-January. The program will pay the cost of accommodations and travel to Washington, DC from within the continental United States, Hawaii, and Alaska. The program will strive to complete the selection process and make offers to fifteen fellows soon after the interview.

Eligibility Requirements:

1.       Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

2.      Applicants must be seeking admission to enter graduate school in the fall of 2023 for a two-year program at a U.S. university. They can be in the senior year of their undergraduate studies, graduating by June 2023, or they can be college graduates.

3.      Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
• Applicants must be seeking admission to enter graduate school in the fall of 2023 for a two-year program at a U.S. university.  They can be in the senior year of their undergraduate studies, graduating by June 2023, or they can be college graduates.
• Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.

Note: Applicants are not required to be Howard University students or applying to Howard for graduate school.

Online Application

A completed online application includes the following:

• Background Information (e.g., name, contact information, international travel).
• A personal statement (in 600 words or less) that discusses the applicant’s reasons for applying, interest in foreign affairs, commitment to pursue a USAID Foreign Service career and any relevant experience or information.
• A statement (in 400 words or less) from the applicant that discusses his/her need for financial assistance to attend graduate school, including an explanation of:
  1. The financial assistance received during undergraduate studies
  2. Overall education-related debt
  3. Ability/plans to pay for graduate school independently

Two letters of recommendation:

• One from a faculty member who is well acquainted with the individual.  If you graduated with your post-secondary degree more than two years ago, you can provide a letter from a professional acquaintance in lieu of a faculty member from your program.
• One from a community leader or other individual who can comment on the applicant’s non-academic accomplishments and his/her potential to serve as a USAID Foreign Service Officer.
• Note: In the online application, applicants will identify recommenders, who will be contacted by the program and asked to submit letters electronically. Below is a copy of the recommendation letter for your reference only.

Sample recommendation form (PDF format)

Proof of U.S. citizenship with a copy of: (choose one)

• Birth certificate
• Certificate of U.S. citizenship
• U.S. passport
  (Note: This should be uploaded in easy to read PDF format.   Applicants are required to bring originals to the interview, if selected as a finalist.)

Student Aid Report (SAR) generated from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.  If an applicant received financial aid during the most recent academic year, she/he is required to submit the SAR form.  If an applicant did not receive financial aid during the most recent academic year, she/he must complete the FAFSA to generate a SAR for the  2021-2022 or the 2022-2023 academic year.

• Note: Applicants will upload this into the application using PDF format.

Official Financial Aid Statement from your senior year, if you received financial aid.

• Note: Applicants will upload this into the application using PDF format. If you did not receive financial aid, you do not have to submit this.

Official Transcripts from ALL colleges and universities the applicant has attended for credit. Please use a school-generated transcript.  An official transcript is best; a student copy is acceptable if it is in the format of an official transcript.  (If selected for an interview, you will have to bring an official transcript, in a sealed envelope, to the interview.)

• Note: Applicants will upload this into the application using PDF format.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 4, 2022

Apply Here

The program expects to have all documents to be submitted electronically. Should applicants have insuperable problems submitting a document electronically, they can consult with program staff about alternate methods. However, we strongly encourage you to submit documents electronically.

For all inquiries, please contact:

Paynefellows@howard.edu