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Frequently Asked Questions about GCL

  • Is there any cost for the GCL program?

The Latin America Leadership Program offers full and partial scholarships to selected participants. Scholarships cover tuition costs of the GCL program, medical insurance, housing, local transportation from and to program activities, and course materials. Full-scholarships are valued at $25,000 USD. Selected candidates receiving a full scholarship MUST pay a registration fee in the amount of $2,500.00 USD. Participants not requesting a full scholarship will receive a registration fee waiver. Applicants must indicate the level of scholarship they are requesting in the online application form.  Payment of the registration fee or program tuition fee must be made before arriving in Washington DC via Eventbrite or wire transfer. Admitted participants will receive further instructions once accepted into the program. 

  •  What does the GCL program scholarship cover?
  • LALP offers full and partial scholarships to help offset the cost of participation (the full program is valued at $25,000 per participant). All admitted participants who receive a full scholarship are responsible for covering a one-time program fee of USD $2,500 to participate in the program. The program fee covers:

      • 10 weeks of virtual and in-person classes
      • Academic materials
      • Continuous support throughout the program
      • Shared housing (2-3 roommates) for the in-person component (meals not included)
      • Local transportation to program activities in Washington DC
      • Basic Medical Insurance for emergencies
      • Certification of program participation issued by LALP (NOT an official degree/certificate, does not lead to Georgetown alumni status)

    * All participants, are required to cover their airfare, meals, and incidentals, and any other costs not included in the program fee.

  • What types of GCL program scholarships are offered?
  • LALP offers full scholarships to qualified candidates with demonstrated financial need. All candidates that receive a full scholarship MUST pay a USD 2,500 program registration fee.

    For all other candidates, LALP offers partial scholarships that cover 75%, 50%, or 25% of the total cost of the program. Selected candidates who pay the total cost of the program in full or receive a partial scholarship WILL NOT be required to pay the $2,500 program registration fee.

  • Which countries are eligible for the GCL program?
  • Candidates who are citizens and residents of any of the following countries are eligible to apply for the GCL program: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti,  Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal*, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain*, Uruguay, and Venezuela. If your country is not listed, please email us at lalp@georgetown.edu to discuss your case.

    (*) Qualified candidates from Spain and Portugal may apply if their projects impact the Latin American region.

  • I am a candidate from Colombia, where should I apply
  • Since 2021, all Colombian applicants can submit their applications through the program application website bit.ly/.applygcl 

    In previous years, Colombian applicants that wanted to be considered for a full scholarship had to apply through the OAL Application Website (http://oaleducacion.com.co). 

    •   I am a candidate from Brazil, where should I apply?​​

    Since 2023, all Brazilian candidates must submit their applications through the program application website at bit.ly/.applygcl 

    In previous years, Brazilian applicants that wanted to be considered for a full scholarship had to contact our partners in Brazil at Instituto Ling.​

  • What about the requirement to return to my country after the GCL program?
  • All GCL participants are required to return to their countries of origin for a year, once the program ends. We require this to ensure that the investment made in the fellow’s participation will revert to the region where s/he will be able to apply the knowledge and tools acquired during the program to be an agent of change. Failure to comply with this agreement will result in the participant reimbursing the Latin America Leadership Program for the total amount of the scholarship received (a full GCL scholarship is valued at USD 25,000.00).

     What if I cannot attend all program classes and activities?

    Attendance of all program classes and activities, virtual and in-person, is mandatory. We understand that there may be emergencies or extraordinary circumstances that may require a participant to miss one or more classes/activities. In these special cases, participants are required to email lalp@georgetown.edu, the day before or before the day starts, to inform LALP of their absence. More than three absences may result in the participant reimbursing the Latin America Leadership Program the total amount of the scholarship received, and not being able to graduate with their GCL class.

  • I have dual citizenship. Can I apply?
  • Yes. For example, an applicant may be a citizen of the United States and a Latin American country. Applicants with dual citizenship can apply to the GCL program and will be considered as long as they reside in any of the Latin American countries listed above and will return to their countries of origin upon the culmination of the GCL program.

  • What happens if I do not fulfill the age requirement?
  • In order to be eligible to participate in the GCL program, you must be between 26 through 35 years of age as of the application deadline. We invite you to apply if you are interested, but please keep in mind that priority will be given to applicants who fulfill all requirements. If you are under 26 years of age, we encourage you to apply in the future, as this is a yearly program.

  • Can I apply for the GCL program locally in my country?
  • No, all applications must be submitted through the general program application site. If your application is selected, you might proceed to the interview phase. For this phase, LALP works with its local alumni base and other partners to conduct local interviews with the purpose to gain more information about the applicant and answer any questions about the program. Following the interview, local alumni volunteers and LALP partners complete a short report about the applicant and submit it to LALP for inclusion in the applicant's materials. The selection process and all final decisions are made exclusively by Georgetown University.

  • I do not have work experience but have volunteering experience, can I still apply?
  • We tend to give priority to applicants with work experience because it allows participants to learn from each other and contribute their professional experiences to class discussions. Nevertheless, we take into consideration the application as a whole, and we encourage interested candidates to apply this year or in the future as this is a yearly program.

  • In what language must I submit my documents?
  • Your application and essays must be submitted in English. Supporting documents from your university and letters of recommendation may be submitted in English or Spanish only.

  • My documents are in Portuguese. Do I have to get them translated and certified?
  • All required documents must be submitted in English or Spanish. Candidates from a Portuguese-speaking country must submit the original documents in Portuguese AND an English translation of these documents. The translation does not have to be certified.

  • Can I submit my application and/or supporting documents by email?
  • The application and all required documents must be submitted through the GCL program application website to be considered for review and admission.

  • What is a university transcript?
  • Georgetown requires a copy of an official transcript from each university where you have studied, to review your academic history and grades obtained.

  • What if my university sends the transcripts directly?
  • We prefer that applicants upload the official transcript onto the application. However, we understand that some universities might wish to send the transcript directly to Georgetown. If so, please use the following address:

    ATTN. Georgetown University Latin America Leadership Program
    37th and O Streets, N.W.
    433 Hariri Bldg.
    Washington, DC 20057

  • I graduated but have not received my university diploma?
  • If you have graduated from a university or post-graduate studies and have not received your diploma, please submit a certified copy of a document issued by your university stating that you have graduated from that institution. The document must include the date of graduation and the final grade point average.

  • What about the letters of recommendation?
  • Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation. One of these letters must come from an employer;  the second letter can be from a professor, employer, or any other figure who can write about your talents and abilities. Recommendations must not be from family members and must be written in English or Spanish only.

    Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the attention of the GCL Admissions Committee.

  • Is there a specific template for letters of recommendation, and to whom should the letters be addressed?
  • There is no specific template or format for the letters of recommendation. However, please check the submission guidelines specified above. The letters should be addressed to the GCL Admissions Committee or Latin America Leadership Program.

  • How can I prove my English proficiency?
  • There are several ways candidates can provide proof of English competency. Applicants may provide TOEFL or Cambridge English Language Assessment results for an exam taken in the past or a certificate or other proof of advanced English language courses completed successfully. Additionally, if an applicant has completed undergraduate or postgraduate studies at an English-speaking country, the corresponding diploma will suffice to prove proficiency. If none of these apply, you can still apply and the selection committee will make a decision of your English proficiency based on the application essays submitted and during the selection interview.

  • Can I submit a copy of another identification document besides a passport copy?
  • We ask that you please submit a legible and valid copy of your passport.

  • On the application, there is an “Add Video File” option. Do I have to submit a video as part of the application?
  • Yes, applicants must upload a short 2-minute video in English explaining their interest in participating in the program and the project they would like to develop as part of their GCL experience.

  • I want to attach more than one document. How can I do that?
  • You may attach additional documents by clicking on the “Add Documents” button on the right-hand side of the application’s main page.

  • I am having technical difficulties with the application portal. What should I do?
  • If you need technical assistance while creating, completing, or submitting the application please click on the "i" icon located on the top menu of the application platform to contact technical support. 

  • What is the deadline to apply for the GCL program?
  • The GCL 2025 application opens on June 4, 2024, and closes on August 2, 2024, at 11:59 p.m., Washington, DC time with no exceptions.

  • I have an additional question not listed on the FAQ page.
  • If your question is not listed, please send them to lalp@georgetown.edu.

  • What happens after I send in my application and documents?
  • All applications and documents will be received by Georgetown University and later channeled to the appropriate Selection Committees in each country for review. Each local committee will determine preliminary candidates, carry out first-round interviews, and select semi-finalists. A list of semi-finalists will be sent to Georgetown University for a second review and round of interviews in English and via Skype to determine the final participants in the GCL program.

  • When will I know if I was accepted into the GCL program?
  • All applicants will be notified of the admissions decision no later than November 4, 2024, via email and by 5:00 p.m. Washington, DC time.

  • What are the dates for the GCL program?
  • GCL 2025 will run from January 27-April 4, 2025, with four weeks of virtual programming where participants will join in from their own countries, and six weeks of in-person activities at Georgetown University. The final schedule will be promptly communicated to all selected candidates.

  • What type of visa will I need?
  • Selected participants must apply for a visitor visa at the embassy or consulate of the United States in their country. The visitor visa contains two designations—B1/B2—and lasts 90 days, which covers the time spent in the United States for the GCL program. All participants must ensure they abide by these timelines when coordinating their arrival and departure flights. Once accepted, participants will receive more information.

  • Where do participants stay?
  • The program provides shared housing for admitted participants for the in-person program. Participants will be living in specified apartments with three roommates of the same gender during the in-person component of the program. Each apartment may have two bedrooms, with two people per bedroom. Please note the program cannot accommodate single-occupancy requests. Only GCL program participants are allowed to live in these apartments.

  • What is the GCL program schedule, and will I have free time?
  • The academic schedule for the in-person GCL program normally runs from 9:30 a.m. through 4:15 p.m. with 15-minute breaks in between 75-minute sessions and a one-hour lunch break throughout the week. There are no activities scheduled for the weekend. For the virtual sessions, when applicable, the academic schedule may run two days a week, from 9:30 am to 12:15 pm. All times are Washington DC time. A final and detailed program calendar will be shared with all selected participants.

  • What places will be visited as part of the academic curriculum?
  • Site visits are subject to change each year. Applicants accepted into the program will receive a class schedule that lists potential site visits.

  • Which speakers will come to the program?
  • Speakers are subject to change each year. Applicants accepted into the program will receive a class schedule that lists potential speakers.

  • How can I support GCL?
  • Selected candidates who can afford to pay all or part of the program cost (USD 25,000) are encouraged to do so to allocate scholarship funds to those candidates that won't be able to participate without receiving a full scholarship. Once selected, please indicate your willingness to cover program costs to the LALP team. Your contribution will allow LALP to expand its reach and provide a scholarship to those with the most need.

  • I am an applicant from Spain. I noticed that GCL used to admit candidates from Spain and Portugal. Can I apply for this year's program?
  • Qualified candidates from Spain and Portugal may also apply if their projects impact the Latin American region.