Para extranjeros

Note: Be aware that the timeline of each ELE initiative has been updated as you will see below.

Application Deadline Extended: ELE Scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia

ELE Focalae
Bogotá (abr. 19/18). El Gobierno de Colombia lanzó la convocatoria de la iniciativa ELE Focalae para que 60 guías turísticos y estudiantes de pregrado y posgrado de los países de Asia del Este, miembros del Foro de Cooperación de América Latina y Asia del Este – Focalae, realicen estudios de español en el país por cuatro meses. Las becas para estudiar español en Colombia incluyen, entre otros, un estipendio mensual, tiquete de avión ida y vuelta y matrícula en la universidad en la cual el estudiante tomará el curso. Si tienes nivel B1 en inglés y deseas aprender o mejorar tu español ingresa aquí. Tienes hasta el 23 de mayo para aplicar

The 6th Spanish as a Foreign Language Focalae initiative (ELE Focalae, per its acronym in Spanish) of the Colombian Government, offers 60 scholarships for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from East Asian FEALAC countries to study Spanish in Colombia during 4 months in the second semester of 2018. During their stay in Colombia, the recipients of the scholarship will also learn more about Colombia's history, culture, and geography.

The scholarships include, among other benefits, a monthly stipend, round trip air ticket, and the tuition fee in the university in which the student will take the course. The scholars will also engage, through volunteering, in socially oriented projects carried out by the universities that will allow them to exchange and socialize with local communities.

The recipients of the scholarship will also have the chance to take part in the contest “Colombia is what I like”, by showcasing their experience in Colombia through publications using the hashtag #SoyELEColombia in different social media outlets.

By the end of the course, the students will receive an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency once they present the SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española) exam.

The call for applications was officially launched on 18 April 2018 and has been extended until 23rd May, 2018. To apply, those who are interested must have a B1 English level and be nationals from East Asian FEALAC countries, besides other requirements. Further information about the scholarship can be found in the Bases of the Call.

The 6th edition of ELE Focalae is part of Colombia´s ELE strategy, which also includes the 1st edition of ELE Asia Central, the 2nd edition of ELE Asia + and the 1st version of ELE Àfrica. With these initiatives, the Colombian Government offers tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa the possibility of learning Spanish in Colombian universities and institutes recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs.

The Colombian Government invites you to apply to ELE Focalae scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia! It will be a life changing experience you cannot miss!

Bases of the Call
6th SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM FEALAC EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES

ELE FOCALAE

AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH

The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6th version of ELE Focalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELE Asia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW

2.1 What is ELE Focalae?

ELE Focalae is an initiative aimed at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and the East Asian countries which are members of the Latin American and East Asian Cooperation Forum (FEALAC) through the teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language for promoting the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia

A total of 223 tourist guides, journalists with an emphasis on tourism, and undergraduate and graduate students from East Asia have been benefited since 2013 by the initiative, which opens the door to cultural and commercial exchange and the growth of tourism from Asia to Colombia. In addition, it seeks to contribute to the internationalization of Colombian educational institutions and consolidate the country's offer in Spanish language teaching.

In its five years of existence, nearly 1128 people have come forward to participate in the initiative and the postulation has increased by more than 74% from 2013 to 2017, which testifies to the growing interest in the Latin American region in the countries of East Asia.

2.2. 6th version of the ELE Focalae initiative

In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to continue this initiative in the terms detailed below:

a. Number of scholarships

60 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from East Asian FEALAC countries interested in learning Spanish as a foreign language.

b. Training activities

The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community.

Beneficiaries must complete a minimum of 10 hours of on-site volunteering per week. The activities are assigned by each university with the guidance and follow-up of the Government of Colombia.

c. Spanish certification exam

The exam “Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española” (SIELE) will be applied at the end of the course and will provide the beneficiaries with an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency.

d. Contest "Colombia is What I Like"

This contest seeks to facilitate the approach to the day-to-day experiences of the beneficiaries in Colombia. During their stay in the country, the beneficiaries share their life experiences and language learning with the hashtag #SoyELEColombia by means of photographs, videos, gifs, boomerangs and collage, among others, published in social networks Twitter and Instagram. Also, those who participate must publish Spanish language blog posts through the official Blog of ELE Focalae in the Storify platform on topics of their choice.

The prize will be awarded to three beneficiaries, taking into consideration the following evaluation criteria:

The use of Spanish
The use of the #SoyELEColombia hashtag
Creativity
Contents
Periodicity of publications (at least one post per month)
Have at least one blog entry in Spanish

The winners will have the opportunity to visit one of the National Parks of Colombia with tickets, accommodation and guided tour covered.

2.3. Target group

Tourist guides duly certified by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
Undergraduate students currently in their last two (2) academic semesters in any area, and postgraduate students. The Government of Colombia will prioritize candidates who are studying courses related to Languages, Latin-American Studies, International Business, International Relations, International Trade, Business, Management and Foreign Languages.

3. REQUIRED PROFILE

•Be nationals from East Asian countries that are members of FEALAC.
•Be tourist guides duly certified or students who have outstanding academic results and are enrolled in the last academic year of their undergraduate course or in a postgraduate course.
•Have a good knowledge of English (certified B1 level minimum).
•Have been born between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1998.
•Accept and carry out the rules of this 2018 initiative, submitted as Annex I of this document.
•Have good physical and mental health.
•Have the necessary resources to cover the costs of the first month of their stay in Colombia. It is suggested a minimum amount of US$600 (six hundred US Dollars).
•Have the necessary resources to cover for the costs of the Colombian Alien ID, approximately US$70 (seventy US Dollars.)
•Not to have participated in the previous versions of ELE initiatives offered by the Colombian Government, developed since 2013.

Note: Knowledge of basic Spanish (level A1) will be positively valued.

Possession of a valid USA or Schengen Visa will be positively valued.

4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

•Application form completed, which will be available on the webpage of the Colombian Embassies in the member countries of FEALAC. Point 9 below has the list of Colombian Diplomatic Missions with their contact details. •You must login to a Google account to fill out the form.
•A recent passport size photo (3.5 x 4 cms).
•Copy of the principal passport page, containing biographical information. The passport must have a minimum validity of six months after the start of the program.
•Medical certificate in English, signed by a doctor, certifying that the candidate is in good physical and mental health to take the course in Colombia, submitted as Annex II of this document.
•Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, if you have it.
•Documents evidencing the candidate has a proficient knowledge of English, equal or greater than B1, per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
•For tourist guides only: Acceptance letter or authorization of enrollment issued by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
•For undergraduate and graduate students: Confirmation of enrollment letter issued by the university of origin that includes the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the candidate.
•For graduate students only: Copy of Undergraduate diploma.

Note: Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.

Scholarship Beneficiaries will be asked to submit the Letter of acceptance, available as Annex III in this document, on a later date upon selection.

5. BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

•Round trip, air ticket in economy class from the capital of the home country to the Colombian city where the course will take place. The Colombian Government will be responsible for assigning the placement city.
•Monthly stipend of one million six hundred (1.600.000) Colombian pesos for the beneficiary to cover basic living expenses, such as accommodation, local transport, and the cost of meals in Colombia. The monthly •stipend will be proportional to the number of days of the beneficiaries’ stay in Colombia, and will be paid once per month in arrears subject to the assistance to the Spanish lessons by the beneficiary. Attendance will be •checked through report, which will be submitted by the university to the Colombian authorities.
•Tuition scholarship for the Spanish course.
•International Health Insurance.
•Courtesy Colombian Visa.
•SIELE exam to obtain the Spanish as a foreign language certification.

Note: The cost of any additional visas of third countries that may be necessary to travel to Colombia, as well as of any extracurricular activities that the beneficiaries wish to undertake at the Colombian host universities, will not be financed by the Government of Colombia.

6. APPLICATION PERIOD

18th April 2018 – 23rd May 2018 (at midnight Bogotá time)

7. TERMINATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

The Government of Colombia reserves the right to terminate the scholarship and withdraw its support any time, if any of the following situations occur:

Non-compliance of the stipulated regulations of the initiative submitted in Annex I.
Inaccuracy of the data provided by the fellow in the selection process.
Being expelled from the Colombian university per the rules of the institution.
For reasons of serious illness or mental disability.
For confirmed use of drugs.
Violation of Colombian laws.

8. TIMELINE OF THE PROGRAM

Dates in Colombia	Activity
April 18th, 2018	Launching of the call: the applicant must fill out the application form in the link available on the pages of the Colombian embassies, enclosing in PDF format the documents required in the bases of the call. Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
May 23rd, 2018	Submission deadline.
May 23rd to June 4th, 2018	Application form and submitted documents evaluation.
June 5th to June 8th, 2018	Notification of pre-selected candidates which will continue with virtual interviews.
June 6th to June 20th, 2018	Virtual interviews to pre-selected candidates.
June 21st, 2018	Verification List of final beneficiaries.
June 22nd, 2018	The Colombian Embassies will publish the results of the selection process on their webpages.
June 22nd to June 25th, 2018	Beneficiaries will be contacted to arrange travel logistics.
June 26th to June 29th, 2018	Online Spanish level assessment to the selected candidates.
June 27th, 2018	Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship.
June 27th to July 8th, 2018	Preparation for the trip (remission of information package, air tickets, medical insurance and visa application guide to the beneficiaries).
July 19th to 22nd, 2018	Arrival of beneficiaries to Colombia.
July 23rd to 27th, 2018	Training activities and welcome event.
August 1st to November 23rd, 2018	Spanish courses.
November 23rd to 29th, 2018	Closing activities (Spanish certification exam, closing event).
November 29th to December 2nd, 2018	Return to home countries

*Please note that this timeline was updated on 07/06/2018”

9. EMBASSIES INFORMATION

Diplomatic Mission	Countries covered	Website
Embassy in Australia	Australia and New Zealand	http://australia.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in China	China	http://china.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Korea	Korea, Philippines, Mongolia	http://corea.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Indonesia	Indonesia	http://indonesia.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Japan	Japan	http://japon.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Malaysia	Malaysia and Brunei	http://malasia.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Thailand	Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar	http://tailandia.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Singapore	Singapore	http://singapur.embajada.gov.co/
Embassy in Vietnam	Vietnam	http://vietnam.embajada.gov.co/

Application Deadline Extended: ELE Scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia

ELE Ásia+
Bogotá (abr. 19/18). El Gobierno de Colombia lanzó la convocatoria de la iniciativa ELE Ásia+ para que 14 guías turísticos y estudiantes de pregrado y posgrado de India, Bután, Nepal, Bangladés, Maldivas y Sri Lanka realicen estudios de español en el país por 4 meses durante el segundo semestre de 2018. Las becas para estudiar español en Colombia incluyen, entre otros, un estipendio mensual, tiquete de avión ida y vuelta y matrícula en la universidad en la cual el estudiante tomará el curso. Si tienes nivel B1 en inglés y deseas aprender o mejorar tu español ingresa aquí. Tienes hasta el 23 de mayo para aplicar.

The 2nd Spanish as a Foreign Language Asia + initiative (ELE Asia +, per its acronym in Spanish) of the Colombian Government, offers 14 scholarships for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka to study Spanish in Colombia during 4 months in the second semester of 2018. During their stay in Colombia, the recipients of the scholarship will also learn more about Colombia's history, culture, and geography.

The scholarships include, among other benefits, a monthly stipend, round trip air ticket, and the tuition fee in the university in which the student will take the course. The scholars will also engage, through volunteering, in socially oriented projects carried out by the universities that will allow them to exchange and socialize with local communities.

The recipients of the scholarship will also have the chance to take part in the contest “Colombia is what I like”, by showcasing their experience in Colombia through publications using the hashtag #SoyELEColombia in different social media outlets.

By the end of the course, the students will receive an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency once they present the SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española) exam.

The call for applications was officially launched on 18 April 2018 and has been extended until 23rd May, 2018. To apply, those who are interested must have a B1 English level and be nationals from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka, besides other requirements. Further information about the scholarship can be found in the Bases of the Call.

The 2nd edition of ELE Asia + is part of Colombia´s ELE strategy, which also includes the 6th version of ELE Focalae, the 1st edition of ELE Asia Central and the 1st version of ELE Àfrica. With these initiatives, the Colombian Government offers tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa the possibility of learning Spanish in Colombian universities and institutes recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs.

The Colombian Government invites you to apply to the 2nd edition of ELE Asia + scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia! It will be a life changing experience you cannot miss!

Bases of the Call

2nd SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM INDIA, BHUTAN, NEPAL, BANGLADESH, MALDIVES AND SRI LANKA
ELE ASIA +
AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH
The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6th version of ELE Focalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELE Asia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW
2.1 What is ELE Asia +?
ELE Asia + was born in 2017 as a way of broadening the reach of the ELE Focalae initiative and extend the benefits of said initiative to new countries in the region such as India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka. It aims at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and the aforementioned countries through the teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language for promoting the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia.
A total of 14 tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives have been benefited by the initiative, which opens the door to cultural and commercial exchange and the growth of tourism from Asia to Colombia. In addition, it seeks to contribute to the internationalization of Colombian educational institutions and consolidate the country's offer in Spanish language teaching.
In its short existence, nearly 165 people have come forward to participate on the initiative, which testifies the large interest existing in the countries of Asia about Latin America.

2.2. 2nd version of the ELE Asia + initiative
In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to implement this initiative in the terms detailed below:

a. Number of scholarships
14 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka interested in learning Spanish.

b. Training activities
The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community.

Beneficiaries must complete a minimum of 10 hours of on-site volunteering per week. The activities are assigned by each university with the guidance and follow-up of the Government of Colombia.

c. Spanish certification exam
The exam “Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española” (SIELE) will be applied at the end of the course and will provide the beneficiaries with an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency.

d. Contest "Colombia is what I Like"
This contest seeks to facilitate the approach to the day-to-day experiences of the beneficiaries in Colombia. During their stay in the country, the beneficiaries share their life experiences and language learning with the hashtag #SoyELEColombia by means of photographs, videos, gifs, boomerangs and collage, among others, published in social networks Twitter and Instagram. Also, those who participate must publish Spanish language blog posts through the official Blog of ELE Asia + in the Storify platform on topics of their choice.

The prize will be awarded to one beneficiary, taking into consideration the following evaluation criteria:
• The use of Spanish
• The use of the #SoyELEColombia hashtag
• Creativity
• Contents
• Periodicity of publications (at least one post per month)
• Have at least one blog entry in Spanish

The winner will have the opportunity to visit one of the National Parks of Colombia with tickets, accommodation and guided tour covered.

2.3. Target group
• Tourist guides duly certified by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• Undergraduate students currently in their last two (2) academic semesters in any area, and postgraduate students. The Government of Colombia will prioritize candidates who are studying courses related to Languages, Latin-American Studies, International Business, International Relations, International Trade, Business, Management and Foreign Languages.

3. REQUIRED PROFILE
• Be nationals from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives or Sri Lanka.
• Be tourist guides duly certified or students who have outstanding academic results and are enrolled in the last academic year of their undergraduate course or in a postgraduate course.
• Have a good knowledge of English (certified B1 level minimum).
• Have been born between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1998.
• Accept and carry out the rules of this 2018 initiative, submitted as Annex I of this document.
• Have good physical and mental health.
• Have the necessary resources to cover the costs of the first month of their stay in Colombia. It is suggested a minimum amount of US$600 (six hundred US Dollars).
• Have the necessary resources to cover for the costs of the Colombian Alien ID, approximately US$70 (seventy US Dollars.)
• Not to have participated in the previous versions of ELE initiatives offered by the Colombian Government, developed since 2013.

Note: Knowledge of basic Spanish (level A1) will be positively valued.
Possession of a valid USA or Schengen Visa will be positively valued.

4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Application form completed, available on the webpage of the Colombian Embassies in India countries. Point 8 below has the list of Colombian Diplomatic Missions with their contact details. You must login to a Google account to fill out the form.
• A recent passport size photo (3.5 x 4 cms).
• Copy of the principal passport page, containing biographical information. The passport must have a minimum validity of six months after the start of the program.
• Medical certificate in English, signed by a doctor, certifying that the candidate is in good physical and mental health to take the course in Colombia, submitted as Annex II of this document.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, if you have it.
• Documents evidencing the candidate has a proficient knowledge of English, equal or greater than B1, per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• For tourist guides only: Acceptance letter or authorization of enrollment issued by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• For undergraduate and graduate students: Confirmation of enrollment letter issued by the university of origin that includes the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the candidate.
• For graduate students only: Copy of Undergraduate diploma.

Note: Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
Scholarship Beneficiaries will be asked to submit the Letter of acceptance, available as Annex III in this document, on a later date upon selection.

5. BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
• Round trip, air ticket in economy class from the capital of the home country to the Colombian city where the course will take place. The Colombian Government will be responsible for assigning the placement city.
• Monthly stipend of one million six hundred (1.600.000) Colombian pesos for the beneficiary to cover basic living expenses, such as accommodation, local transport, and the cost of meals in Colombia. The monthly stipend will be proportional to the number of days of the beneficiaries’ stay in Colombia, and will be paid once per month in arrears subject to the assistance to the Spanish lessons by the beneficiary. Attendance will be checked through report, which will be submitted by the university to the Colombian authorities.
• Tuition scholarship for the Spanish course.
• International Health Insurance.
• Courtesy Colombian Visa.
• SIELE exam to obtain the Spanish as a foreign language certification.

Note: The cost of any additional visas of third countries that may be necessary to travel to Colombia, as well as of any extracurricular activities that the beneficiaries wish to undertake at the Colombian host universities, will not be financed by the Government of Colombia.

6. APPLICATION PERIOD
• 18th April 2018 – 23rd May 2018 (at midnight Bogotá time)

7. TERMINATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Government of Colombia reserves the right to terminate the scholarship and withdraw its support any time, if any of the following situations occur:
• Non-compliance of the stipulated regulations of the initiative submitted in Annex I.
• Inaccuracy of the data provided by the fellow in the selection process.
• Being expelled from the Colombian university per the rules of the institution.
• For reasons of serious illness or mental disability.
• For confirmed use of drugs.
• Violation of Colombian laws.

8. TIMELINE OF THE PROGRAM

Dates in Colombia	Activity
April 18th, 2018	Launching of the call: the applicant must fill out the application form in the link available on the pages of the Colombian embassies, enclosing in PDF format the documents required in the bases of the call. Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
May 23rd, 2018	Submission deadline.
May 23rd to June 4th, 2018	Application form and submitted documents evaluation.
June 5th to June 8th, 2018	Notification of pre-selected candidates which will continue with virtual interviews.
June 6th to June 20th, 2018	Virtual interviews to pre-selected candidates.
June 21st, 2018	Verification List of final beneficiaries.
June 22nd, 2018	The Colombian Embassies will publish the results of the selection process on their webpages.
June 22nd to June 25th, 2018	Beneficiaries will be contacted to arrange travel logistics.
June 26th to June 29th, 2018	Online Spanish level assessment to the selected candidates.
June 27th, 2018	Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship.
June 27th to July 8th, 2018	Preparation for the trip (remission of information package, air tickets, medical insurance and visa application guide to the beneficiaries).
July 19th to 22nd, 2018	Arrival of beneficiaries to Colombia.
July 23rd to 27th, 2018	Training activities and welcome event.
August 1st to November 23rd, 2018	Spanish courses.
November 23rd to 29th, 2018	Closing activities (Spanish certification exam, closing event).
November 29th to December 2nd, 2018	Return to home countries

*Please note that this timeline was updated on 07/06/2018”

9. EMBASSIES INFORMATION

Diplomatic Mission	Countries covered	Website
Embassy in India	The Kingdom of Bhutan, the Republic of Maldives; the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India.	http://india.embajada.gov.co

Application Deadline Extended: ELE Scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia

ELE Asia Central
Bogotá (abr. 19/18). El Gobierno de Colombia lanzó la convocatoria de la iniciativa ELE Asia Central para que 10 guías turísticos y estudiantes de pregrado y posgrado de Kazajistán, Kirguistán, Tayikistán, Turkmenistán y Uzbekistán realicen estudios de español en el país por cuatro meses durante el segundo semestre de 2018. Las becas para estudiar español en Colombia incluyen, entre otros, un estipendio mensual, tiquete de avión ida y vuelta y matrícula en la universidad en la cual el estudiante tomará el curso. Si tienes nivel B1 en inglés y deseas aprender o mejorar tu español ingresa aquí. Tienes hasta el 23 de mayo para aplicar.

The Spanish as a Foreign Language Asia Central initiative (ELE Asia Central, per its acronym in Spanish) of the Colombian Government, offers 10 scholarships for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to study Spanish in Colombia during 4 months in the second semester of 2018. During their stay in Colombia, the recipients of the scholarship will also learn more about Colombia's history, culture, and geography.

The scholarships include, among other benefits, a monthly stipend, round trip air ticket, and the tuition fee in the university in which the student will take the course. The scholars will also engage, through volunteering, in socially oriented projects carried out by the universities that will allow them to exchange and socialize with local communities.

The recipients of the scholarship will also have the chance to take part in the contest “Colombia is what I like”, by showcasing their experience in Colombia through publications using the hashtag #SoyELEColombia in different social media outlets.

By the end of the course, the students will receive an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency once they present the SIELE (Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española) exam.

The call for applications was officially launched on 18 April 2018 and has been extended until 23rd May, 2018. To apply, those who are interested must have a B1 English level and be nationals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan, besides other requirements. Further information about the scholarship can be found in the Bases of the Call.

The 1st edition of ELE Asia Central is part of Colombia´s ELE strategy, which also includes the 6th version of ELE Focalae, the 2nd edition of ELE Asia + and the 1st version of ELE Àfrica. With these initiatives, the Colombian Government offers tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa the possibility of learning Spanish in Colombian universities and institutes recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs.

The Colombian Government invites you to apply to ELE Asia Central scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia! It will be a life changing experience you cannot miss!

BASES OF THE CALL
1st SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN
ELE ASIA CENTRAL
AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH
The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6thversion of ELE Focalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELE Asia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW
2.1 What is ELE Asia Central?
ELE Asia Central aims at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan through the teaching of Spanish in order to promote the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia.

2.2. 1st version of the ELE Asia Central initiative
In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to implement this initiative in the terms detailed below:
a. Number of scholarships
10 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan interested in learning Spanish.

b. Training activities
The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community. Beneficiaries must complete a minimum of 10 hours of on-site volunteering per week. The activities are assigned by each university with the guidance and follow-up of the Government of Colombia.

c. Spanish certification exam
The exam “Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española” (SIELE) will be applied at the end of the course and will provide the beneficiaries with an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency.

d. Contest "Colombia is what I Like"
This contest seeks to facilitate the approach to the day-to-day experiences of the beneficiaries in Colombia. During their stay in the country, the beneficiaries share their life experiences and language learning with the hashtag #SoyELEColombia by means of photographs, videos, gifs, boomerangs and collage, among others, published in social networks Twitter and Instagram. Also, those who participate must publish Spanish language blog posts through the official Blog of ELE Asia Central in the Storify platform on topics of their choice.

The prize will be awarded to one beneficiary, taking into consideration the following evaluation criteria:
• The use of Spanish
• The use of the #SoyELEColombia hashtag
• Creativity
• Contents
• Periodicity of publications (at least one post per month)
• Have at least one blog entry in Spanish

The winner will have the opportunity to visit one of the National Parks of Colombia with tickets, accommodation and guided tour covered.

2.3. Target group
• Tourist guides duly certified by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• Undergraduate students currently in their last two (2) academic semesters in any area, and postgraduate students. The Government of Colombia will prioritize candidates who are studying courses related to Languages, Latin-American Studies, International Business, International Relations, International Trade, Business, Management and Foreign Languages.

3. REQUIRED PROFILE
• Be a national of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.
Be tourist guides duly certified or students who have outstanding academic results and are enrolled in the last academic year of their undergraduate course or in a postgraduate course.
• Have a good knowledge of English (certified B1 level minimum).
• Have been born between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1998.
• Accept and carry out the rules of this 2018 initiative, submitted as Annex I of this document.
• Have good physical and mental health.
• Have the necessary resources to cover the costs of the first month of their stay in Colombia. It is suggested a minimum amount of US$600 (six hundred US Dollars).
• Have the necessary resources to cover for the costs of the Colombian Alien ID, approximately US$70 (seventy US Dollars.)
• Not to have participated in the previous versions of ELE initiatives offered by the Colombian Government, developed since 2013.

Note: Knowledge of basic Spanish (level A1) will be positively valued.
Possession of a valid USA or Schengen Visa will be positively valued.

4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Application form completed, available on the webpage of the Colombian Embassy in the Russian Federation. Point 9 below has the contact details contact details of the Diplomatic Mission. You must login to a Google account to fill out the form.
• A recent passport size photo (3.5 x 4 cms).
• Copy of the principal passport page, containing biographical information. The passport must have a minimum validity of six months after the start of the program.
• Medical certificate in English, signed by a doctor, certifying that the candidate is in good physical and mental health to take the course in Colombia, submitted as Annex II of this document.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, if you have it.
• Documents evidencing the candidate has a proficient knowledge of English, equal or greater than B1, per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• For tourist guides only: Acceptance letter or authorization of enrollment issued by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• For undergraduate and graduate students: Confirmation of enrollment letter issued by the university of origin that includes the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the candidate.
• For graduate students only: Copy of Undergraduate diploma.

Note: Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
Scholarship Beneficiaries will be asked to submit the Letter of acceptance, available as Annex III in this document, on a later date upon selection.

5. BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
• Round trip, air ticket in economy class from the capital of the home country to the Colombian city where the course will take place. The Colombian Government will be responsible for assigning the placement city.
• Monthly stipend of one million six hundred (1.600.000) Colombian pesos for the beneficiary to cover basic living expenses, such as accommodation, local transport, and the cost of meals in Colombia. The monthly stipend will be proportional to the number of days of the beneficiaries’ stay in Colombia, and will be paid once per month in arrears subject to the assistance to the Spanish lessons by the beneficiary. Attendance will be checked through report, which will be submitted by the university to the Colombian authorities.
• Tuition scholarship for the Spanish course.
• International Health Insurance.
• Courtesy Colombian Visa.
• SIELE exam to obtain the Spanish as a foreign language certification.

Note: The cost of any additional visas of third countries that may be necessary to travel to Colombia, as well as of any extracurricular activities that the beneficiaries wish to undertake at the Colombian host universities, will not be financed by the Government of Colombia.

6. APPLICATION PERIOD
• 18th April 2018 – 23rd May 2018 (at midnight Bogotá time)

7. TERMINATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Government of Colombia reserves the right to terminate the scholarship and withdraw its support any time, if any of the following situations occur:
• Non-compliance of the stipulated regulations of the initiative submitted in Annex I.
• Inaccuracy of the data provided by the fellow in the selection process.
• Being expelled from the Colombian university per the rules of the institution.
• For reasons of serious illness or mental disability.
• For confirmed use of drugs.
• Violation of Colombian laws.

8. TIMELINE OF THE PROGRAM

Dates in Colombia	Activity
April 18th, 2018	Launching of the call: the applicant must fill out the application form in the link available on the pages of the Colombian embassies, enclosing in PDF format the documents required in the bases of the call. Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
May 23rd, 2018	Submission deadline.
May 23rd to June 4th, 2018	Application form and submitted documents evaluation.
June 5th to June 8th, 2018	Notification of pre-selected candidates which will continue with virtual interviews.
June 6th to June 20th, 2018	Virtual interviews to pre-selected candidates.
June 21st, 2018	Verification List of final beneficiaries.
June 22nd, 2018	The Colombian Embassies will publish the results of the selection process on their webpages.
June 22nd to June 25th, 2018	Beneficiaries will be contacted to arrange travel logistics.
June 26th to June 29th, 2018	Online Spanish level assessment to the selected candidates.
June 27th, 2018	Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship.
June 27th to July 8th, 2018	Preparation for the trip (remission of information package, air tickets, medical insurance and visa application guide to the beneficiaries).
July 19th to 22nd, 2018	Arrival of beneficiaries to Colombia.
July 23rd to 27th, 2018	Training activities and welcome event.
August 1st to November 23rd, 2018	Spanish courses.
November 23rd to 29th, 2018	Closing activities (Spanish certification exam, closing event).
November 29th to December 2nd, 2018	Return to home countries

*Please note that this timeline was updated on 07/06/2018”

9. EMBASSIES INFORMATION

Diplomatic Mission	Countries covered	Website
Embassy in the Russian Federation	Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan	http://rusia.embajada.gov.co

Convocatoria para aplicaciones del Programa de Becas ELE África para Estudiar Español en Colombia

L´initiative ELE Africa, du Gouvernement Colombien, propose 16 bourses pour étudier l´espagnol pendant 4 mois en Colombie. Le programme s´adresse aux personnes poursuivant leurs études supérieures et aux guides touristiques intéressés par l´histoire, la culture, la géographie et les valeurs colombiens.

La bourse comprend notamment une allocation mensuelle, le billet d´avion aller-retour et des frais de scolarité. D’autre côté, les étudiants doivent contribuer au développement des projets avec orientation sociale en Colombie à travers d’un volontariat, en générant de ce fait un échange et avec la communauté colombienne.

À la fin du cours, les étudiants présenteront l’examen SIELE (“Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española”), et pourront obtenir une certification de leurs aptitudes linguistiques en espagnol reconnue internationalement.

L´appel à candidatures est ouverte entre le 18 avril et le 18 mai 2018. Pour se postuler, les intéressés doivent avoir un niveau B1 en anglais et être nationaux des pays africains. Plus des détails sur les termes de référence sont disponibles à ce lien (TdR).

ELE Afrique fait partie de la stratégie ELE du Gouvernement colombien, composée, en même temps, par la 6ème version de ELE Focalae, la 2ème version de ELE Asie + et la première version de ELE Asie Centrale.

Retrouvez le formulaire de candidature ici ou visitez le site Internet de l´Ambassade de Colombie ici (en anglais).

Call for applications for ELE África scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia is open

Bases of the Call
1st SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM AFRICAN COUNTRIES
ELE ÁFRICA
AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH
The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6th version of ELEFocalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELEAsia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW

2.1 What is ELE África?
ELE África aims at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and the African countries through the teaching of Spanish in order to promote the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia.

2.2. 1st version of the ELE ÁFRICA initiative
In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to implement this initiative in the terms detailed below:
a. Number of scholarships
16 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from African countries interested in learning Spanish.

b. Training activities

The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community.
Beneficiaries must complete a minimum of 10 hours of on-site volunteering per week. The activities are assigned by each university with the guidance and follow-up of the Government of Colombia.

c. Spanish certification exam
The exam “Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española” (SIELE) will be applied at the end of the course and will provide the beneficiaries with an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency.

d. Contest "Colombia is what I Like"
This contest seeks to facilitate the approach to the day-to-day experiences of the beneficiaries in Colombia. During their stay in the country, the beneficiaries share their life experiences and language learning with the hashtag #SoyELEColombia by means of photographs, videos, gifs, boomerangs and collage, among others, published in social networks Twitter and Instagram. Also, those who participate must publish Spanish language blog posts through the official Blog of ELE África in the Storify platform on topics of their choice.

The prize will be awarded to one beneficiary, taking into consideration the following evaluation criteria:
• The use of Spanish
• The use of the #SoyELEColombia hashtag
• Creativity
• Contents
• Periodicity of publications (at least one post per month)
• Have at least one blog entry in Spanish

The winner will have the opportunity to visit one of the National Parks of Colombia with tickets, accommodation and guided tour covered.

2.3. Target group
• Tourist guides duly certified by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• Undergraduate students currently in their last two (2) academic semesters in any area, and postgraduate students. The Government of Colombia will prioritize candidates who are studying courses related to Languages, Latin-American Studies, International Business, International Relations, International Trade, Business, Management and Foreign Languages.

3. REQUIRED PROFILE
• Be a national of an African country.
• Be tourist guides duly certified or students who have outstanding academic results and are enrolled in the last academic year of their undergraduate course or in a postgraduate course.
• Have a good knowledge of English (certified B1 level minimum).
• Have been born between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1998.
• Accept and carry out the rules of this 2018 initiative, submitted as Annex I of this document.
• Have good physical and mental health.
• Have the necessary resources to cover the costs of the first month of their stay in Colombia. It is suggested a minimum amount of US$600 (six hundred US Dollars).
• Have the necessary resources to cover for the costs of the Colombian Alien ID, approximately US$70 (seventy US Dollars.)
• Not to have participated in the previous versions of ELE initiatives offered by the Colombian Government, developed since 2013.

Note: Knowledge of basic Spanish (level A1) will be positively valued.
Possession of a valid USA or Schengen Visa will be positively valued.

4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Application form completed, available on the webpage of the Colombian Embassies in the African countries. Point 9 below has the list of Colombian Diplomatic Missions with their contact details.
• A recent passport size photo (3.5 x 4 cms).
• Copy of the principal passport page, containing biographical information. The passport must have a minimum validity of six months after the start of the program.
• Medical certificate in English, signed by a doctor, certifying that the candidate is in good physical and mental health to take the course in Colombia, submitted as Annex II of this document.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, if you have it.
• Documents evidencing the candidate has a proficient knowledge of English, equal or greater than B1, per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• For tourist guides only: Acceptance letter or authorization of enrollment issued by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• For undergraduate and graduate students: Confirmation of enrollment letter issued by the university of origin that includes the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the candidate.
• For graduate students only: Copy of Undergraduate diploma.

Note: Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
Scholarship Beneficiaries will be asked to submit the Letter of acceptance, available as Annex III in this document, on a later date upon selection.

5. BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
• Round trip, air ticket in economy class from the capital of the home country to the Colombian city where the course will take place. The Colombian Government will be responsible for assigning the placement city.
• Monthly stipend of one million six hundred (1.600.000) Colombian pesos for the beneficiary to cover basic living expenses, such as accommodation, local transport, and the cost of meals in Colombia. The monthly stipend will be proportional to the number of days of the beneficiaries’ stay in Colombia, and will be paid once per month in arrears subject to the assistance to the Spanish lessons by the beneficiary. Attendance will be checked through report, which will be submitted by the university to the Colombian authorities.
• Tuition scholarship for the Spanish course.
• International Health Insurance.
• Courtesy Colombian Visa.
• SIELE exam to obtain the Spanish as a foreign language certification.

Note: The cost of any additional visas of third countries that may be necessary to travel to Colombia, as well as of any extracurricular activities that the beneficiaries wish to undertake at the Colombian host universities, will not be financed by the Government of Colombia.

6. APPLICATION PERIOD
• • 18th April 2018 – 23th May 2018 (at midnight Bogotá time)

7. TERMINATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Government of Colombia reserves the right to terminate the scholarship and withdraw its support any time, if any of the following situations occur:
• Non-compliance of the stipulated regulations of the initiative submitted in Annex I.
• Inaccuracy of the data provided by the fellow in the selection process.
• Being expelled from the Colombian university per the rules of the institution.
• For reasons of serious illness or mental disability.
• For confirmed use of drugs.
• Violation of Colombian laws.

8. TIMELINE OF THE PROGRAM

Dates in Colombia	Activity
April 18th, 2018	Launching of the call: the applicant must fill out the application form in the link available on the pages of the Colombian embassies, enclosing in PDF format the documents required in the bases of the call. Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
May 23rd, 2018	Submission deadline.
May 23rd to June 4th, 2018	Application form and submitted documents evaluation.
June 5th to June 8th, 2018	Notification of pre-selected candidates which will continue with virtual interviews.
June 6th to June 20th, 2018	Virtual interviews to pre-selected candidates.
June 21st, 2018	Verification List of final beneficiaries.
June 22nd, 2018	The Colombian Embassies will publish the results of the selection process on their webpages.
June 22nd to June 25th, 2018	Beneficiaries will be contacted to arrange travel logistics.
June 26th to June 29th, 2018	Online Spanish level assessment to the selected candidates.
June 27th, 2018	Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship.
June 27th to July 8th, 2018	Preparation for the trip (remission of information package, air tickets, medical insurance and visa application guide to the beneficiaries).
July 19th to 22nd, 2018	Arrival of beneficiaries to Colombia.
July 23rd to 27th, 2018	Training activities and welcome event.
August 1st to November 23rd, 2018	Spanish courses.
November 23rd to 29th, 2018	Closing activities (Spanish certification exam, closing event).
November 29th to December 2nd, 2018	Return to home countries

*Please note that this timeline was updated on 07/06/2018”

9. EMBASSIES INFORMATION

Diplomatic Mission	Countries covered	Website
Embassy in Algeria	Algeria and Tunisia	http://argelia.embajada.gov.co
Embassy in Egypt	Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Chad, Republic of the Sudan, Djibouti	http://egipto.embajada.gov.co
Embassy in Ghana	Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe and Nigeria.	http://ghana.embajada.gov.co
Embassy in Kenya	Kenya, Central African Republic, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania.	http://kenia.embajada.gov.co
Embassy in Morocco	Morocco	http://marruecos.embajada.gov.co
Embassy in South Africa	South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon and Comoros.	http://sudafrica.embajada.gov.co

Call for applications for ELE Asia Central scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia is open

BASES OF THE CALL
1st SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN
ELE ASIA CENTRAL
AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH
The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6thversion of ELE Focalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELE Asia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW
2.1 What is ELE Asia Central?
ELE Asia Central aims at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan through the teaching of Spanish in order to promote the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia.

2.2. 1st version of the ELE Asia Central initiative
In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to implement this initiative in the terms detailed below:
a. Number of scholarships
10 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan interested in learning Spanish.

b. Training activities
The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community. Beneficiaries must complete a minimum of 10 hours of on-site volunteering per week. The activities are assigned by each university with the guidance and follow-up of the Government of Colombia.

c. Spanish certification exam
The exam “Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española” (SIELE) will be applied at the end of the course and will provide the beneficiaries with an internationally recognized certification of their language sufficiency.

d. Contest "Colombia is what I Like"
This contest seeks to facilitate the approach to the day-to-day experiences of the beneficiaries in Colombia. During their stay in the country, the beneficiaries share their life experiences and language learning with the hashtag #SoyELEColombia by means of photographs, videos, gifs, boomerangs and collage, among others, published in social networks Twitter and Instagram. Also, those who participate must publish Spanish language blog posts through the official Blog of ELE Asia Central in the Storify platform on topics of their choice.

The prize will be awarded to one beneficiary, taking into consideration the following evaluation criteria:
• The use of Spanish
• The use of the #SoyELEColombia hashtag
• Creativity
• Contents
• Periodicity of publications (at least one post per month)
• Have at least one blog entry in Spanish

The winner will have the opportunity to visit one of the National Parks of Colombia with tickets, accommodation and guided tour covered.

2.3. Target group
• Tourist guides duly certified by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• Undergraduate students currently in their last two (2) academic semesters in any area, and postgraduate students. The Government of Colombia will prioritize candidates who are studying courses related to Languages, Latin-American Studies, International Business, International Relations, International Trade, Business, Management and Foreign Languages.

3. REQUIRED PROFILE
• Be a national of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.
Be tourist guides duly certified or students who have outstanding academic results and are enrolled in the last academic year of their undergraduate course or in a postgraduate course.
• Have a good knowledge of English (certified B1 level minimum).
• Have been born between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1998.
• Accept and carry out the rules of this 2018 initiative, submitted as Annex I of this document.
• Have good physical and mental health.
• Have the necessary resources to cover the costs of the first month of their stay in Colombia. It is suggested a minimum amount of US$600 (six hundred US Dollars).
• Have the necessary resources to cover for the costs of the Colombian Alien ID, approximately US$70 (seventy US Dollars.)
• Not to have participated in the previous versions of ELE initiatives offered by the Colombian Government, developed since 2013.

Note: Knowledge of basic Spanish (level A1) will be positively valued.
Possession of a valid USA or Schengen Visa will be positively valued.

4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Application form completed, available on the webpage of the Colombian Embassy in the Russian Federation. Point 9 below has the contact details contact details of the Diplomatic Mission. You must login to a Google account to fill out the form.
• A recent passport size photo (3.5 x 4 cms).
• Copy of the principal passport page, containing biographical information. The passport must have a minimum validity of six months after the start of the program.
• Medical certificate in English, signed by a doctor, certifying that the candidate is in good physical and mental health to take the course in Colombia, submitted as Annex II of this document.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, if you have it.
• Documents evidencing the candidate has a proficient knowledge of English, equal or greater than B1, per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• For tourist guides only: Acceptance letter or authorization of enrollment issued by the National Tourism Authority or Competent Authorities of their countries.
• For undergraduate and graduate students: Confirmation of enrollment letter issued by the university of origin that includes the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the candidate.
• For graduate students only: Copy of Undergraduate diploma.

Note: Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
Scholarship Beneficiaries will be asked to submit the Letter of acceptance, available as Annex III in this document, on a later date upon selection.

5. BENEFITS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
• Round trip, air ticket in economy class from the capital of the home country to the Colombian city where the course will take place. The Colombian Government will be responsible for assigning the placement city.
• Monthly stipend of one million six hundred (1.600.000) Colombian pesos for the beneficiary to cover basic living expenses, such as accommodation, local transport, and the cost of meals in Colombia. The monthly stipend will be proportional to the number of days of the beneficiaries’ stay in Colombia, and will be paid once per month in arrears subject to the assistance to the Spanish lessons by the beneficiary. Attendance will be checked through report, which will be submitted by the university to the Colombian authorities.
• Tuition scholarship for the Spanish course.
• International Health Insurance.
• Courtesy Colombian Visa.
• SIELE exam to obtain the Spanish as a foreign language certification.

Note: The cost of any additional visas of third countries that may be necessary to travel to Colombia, as well as of any extracurricular activities that the beneficiaries wish to undertake at the Colombian host universities, will not be financed by the Government of Colombia.

6. APPLICATION PERIOD
• 18th April 2018 – 23th May 2018 (at midnight Bogotá time)

7. TERMINATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Government of Colombia reserves the right to terminate the scholarship and withdraw its support any time, if any of the following situations occur:
• Non-compliance of the stipulated regulations of the initiative submitted in Annex I.
• Inaccuracy of the data provided by the fellow in the selection process.
• Being expelled from the Colombian university per the rules of the institution.
• For reasons of serious illness or mental disability.
• For confirmed use of drugs.
• Violation of Colombian laws.

8. TIMELINE OF THE PROGRAM

Dates in Colombia	Activity
April 18th, 2018	Launching of the call: the applicant must fill out the application form in the link available on the pages of the Colombian embassies, enclosing in PDF format the documents required in the bases of the call. Only applicants that comply with the required profile and documents will be considered.
May 23rd, 2018	Submission deadline.
May 23rd to June 4th, 2018	Application form and submitted documents evaluation.
June 5th to June 8th, 2018	Notification of pre-selected candidates which will continue with virtual interviews.
June 6th to June 20th, 2018	Virtual interviews to pre-selected candidates.
June 21st, 2018	Verification List of final beneficiaries.
June 22nd, 2018	The Colombian Embassies will publish the results of the selection process on their webpages.
June 22nd to June 25th, 2018	Beneficiaries will be contacted to arrange travel logistics.
June 26th to June 29th, 2018	Online Spanish level assessment to the selected candidates.
June 27th, 2018	Deadline for acceptance of the scholarship.
June 27th to July 8th, 2018	Preparation for the trip (remission of information package, air tickets, medical insurance and visa application guide to the beneficiaries).
July 19th to 22nd, 2018	Arrival of beneficiaries to Colombia.
July 23rd to 27th, 2018	Training activities and welcome event.
August 1st to November 23rd, 2018	Spanish courses.
November 23rd to 29th, 2018	Closing activities (Spanish certification exam, closing event).
November 29th to December 2nd, 2018	Return to home countries

*Please note that this timeline was updated on 07/06/2018”

9. EMBASSIES INFORMATION

Diplomatic Mission	Countries covered	Website
Embassy in the Russian Federation	Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan	http://rusia.embajada.gov.co

Call for applications for the 2nd edition of ELE Asia + scholarships to study Spanish in Colombia is open

Bases of the Call

2nd SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE FOR TOURIST GUIDES AND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM INDIA, BHUTAN, NEPAL, BANGLADESH, MALDIVES AND SRI LANKA
ELE ASIA +
AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018

1. COLOMBIA AS A DESTINATION TO LEARN SPANISH
The strategy of Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE), per its acronym in Spanish, led by the Government of Colombia seeks to form tour guides and undergraduate and graduate students from Asia and Africa in different Colombian learning institutions recognized by the quality of their Spanish programs. In 2018, this strategy will include the following initiatives: 6th version of ELE Focalae, 2nd version of ELE Asia + and the first versions of ELE Asia Central and ELE África.

2. OVERVIEW
2.1 What is ELE Asia +?
ELE Asia + was born in 2017 as a way of broadening the reach of the ELE Focalae initiative and extend the benefits of said initiative to new countries in the region such as India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka. It aims at fostering the mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue and friendly cooperation between Colombia and the aforementioned countries through the teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language for promoting the linguistic, cultural and touristic values of Colombia.
A total of 14 tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives have been benefited by the initiative, which opens the door to cultural and commercial exchange and the growth of tourism from Asia to Colombia. In addition, it seeks to contribute to the internationalization of Colombian educational institutions and consolidate the country's offer in Spanish language teaching.
In its short existence, nearly 165 people have come forward to participate on the initiative, which testifies the large interest existing in the countries of Asia about Latin America.

2.2. 2nd version of the ELE Asia + initiative
In 2018, the Government of Colombia decided to implement this initiative in the terms detailed below:

a. Number of scholarships
14 scholarships will be offered for tourist guides and undergraduate and graduate students from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka interested in learning Spanish.

b. Training activities
The course will be offered for one academic semester (approximately 17 weeks) and will be held at Colombian universities recognized for the high quality of their Spanish as a Foreign Language Programs. During their studies, the beneficiaries must carry out the following types of activities:

Academic activities: They are related to the main component of the initiative, which is the learning of Spanish. They include both the classroom classes and the extracurricular tasks and activities programmed by host universities to guide the beneficiaries through the process of formation. The courses have a minimum intensity of 15 hours per week and each university has the autonomy to set a higher weekly intensity.
Volunteering activities: This component is part of the learning process. Its objective is to generate a greater approximation of the beneficiaries to the Colombian reality; contribute to the development of activities of interest to the universities; support socially oriented projects; and generate greater exchange and socialization with the academic community.