The Lincoln Scholarship Program will benefit approximately 135 scholars from diverse backgrounds split into five cohorts to begin their U.S. studies in fall 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Applications for Cohorts 1,2, 3 and 4 are already closed. For information on whether or not you are eligible to apply for the Lincoln Scholarship Program, please visit the Eligibility page.

Application Information for Cohort 5

Phase One: Application (March 6, 2023 at 11:30 p.m. MMT – March 31, 2023 at 11:30 p.m. MMT)

Those who have previously created an account on the Lincoln Scholarship application webpage should use their existing account to apply for 2023-24 award.  New applicants must register, complete, and submit their applications through the Lincoln Scholarship website.

The application includes:

• Personal Information
• Education History
• Academic Interests (Must explain in 150 words why you are interested in the field of study you are choosing)
• Professional Experience & Employment History
• Contact Information
• Upload required Supporting Documents:
  • A bachelor’s Degree certificate
  • A master’s Degree certificate (If any)
  • A copy of both sides of National Registration Card (NRC)
  • A copy of front page of passport (If available)
    

Once the applicants thoroughly complete and submit their applications, each applicant’s information is reviewed to ensure the applicant meets all the eligibility criteria to apply for the Lincoln Scholarship.  Applications will be reviewed on a first come first served basis and applicants will move on to the next phase as soon as they are deemed eligible.

After applicants hit “submit,” we begin a comprehensive review that has 3 additional phases. The application stage and additional stages are described below.

Phase Two: English Diagnostic Test (rolling basis from Phase One application result)

Applicants who pass phase one of the application will be informed to take the English diagnostic test on the Teaching and e-Learning platform. Test date will be provided after payment and registration for the test. Applicants who earn 525 or higher on the English diagnostic test will move on to phase three. 

Phase Three: Essays and Supporting Documents (rolling basis from Phase Two application result with the deadline of April 28, 2023 at 11:30 p.m. MMT)

Applicants who pass phase two will receive a message from the application system and be provided with the essay prompts they must respond to.  Applicants will have to provide three recommendation letters and all official transcripts of universities attended along with their essays.  Each applicant’s essays, recommendation letters, and supporting documents are evaluated by panel of reviewers for the description of an applicant as someone who fits the Lincoln Scholarship profile.

Phase Four: Panel Interviews and Final Selection

Approximately 75 applicants will be selected by the review panel for an interview.  The program will inform those who are selected for an interview via email.

Required Supporting Documents

Phase One

• Degree certificate of all degrees earned
• A copy of BOTH SIDE of National Registration Card (NRC) and
• A copy of a front page of passport (If available)

Phase Three

• Transcripts with complete record of grades from all the universities attended and all the years attended
• 3 letters of recommendation

Recommendation letters in English are preferred but if your recommender cannot provide one in English, the letters can be written in Burmese.  However, if the applicant is selected for an in-person interview, the recommendation letters need to be translated before the interview date.

Selection Criteria

All applications are checked against the eligibility criteria, language skills, and assessment of the essays as follows. 

• Clarity of academic and career goals
• Concrete and measurable plan to contribute to the development of Myanmar
• Evidence of leadership skills or community involvement

In addition, recommendation letters are carefully reviewed for the description of an applicant as someone who fits the Lincoln Scholarship profile

Application Submission

Please do not submit more than one application

Application Timeline for Cohort 5

Application Phases	Start Date	Due Date
Phase One: Eligibility Criteria	March 06, 2023@ 11:30 p.m. MMT	March 31, 2023@ 11:30 p.m. MMT
Phase Two: Language Skills	Rolling Basis from Phase One application result.
Phase Three: Selection Criteria	Rolling Basis fromPhase Two application result.	April 28, 2023@ 11:30 p.m. MMT
Phase Four: Interview Announcement	July 03, 2023
Phase Four: Panel Interviews	July 10, 2023	July 21, 2023
Awards announcement	August 07, 2023
Deadline to accept the award		August 09, 2023

Post-Selection Timeline

Applicants selected to be awarded a Lincoln Scholarship will follow the following post-selection timeline.

Action Item	Start Date	Due Date
Enrollment	August 14, 2023
Virtual Orientation	August 16, 2023	August 17, 2023
Online TOEFL iBT course	August 28, 2023	October 08, 2023
Take TOEFL iBT at home test	October 15, 2023	October 31, 2023
Online GRE course	November 06, 2023	December 17, 2023
Take GRE at home test	December 25, 2023	January 14, 2024
Pre-academic training	Mid-June, 2024	Mid-July 2024
Pre-departure orientation	July 01, 2024

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Applicants who are selected for the Lincoln Scholarship will have to take the official test and earn at least 6.5 on each component for IELTS or 550 on TOEFL-ITP/PBT and 85 on TOEFL-iBT. 

Resource Links

TOEFL ITP Diagnostic Test Preparation Resources

• TOEFL ITP Student Handbook
• TOEFL ITP Score Descriptors
• TOEFL ITP Test Strategies
• Longman Preparation Course for TOEFL Test (PDF)
• Barron’s Practice Exercises for the TOEFL (PDF)