When is the deadline to apply?

The call for applications for the 2016 program is now open until December 4,
2015, 23:59 Atlantic Standard Time. This deadline includes all requirements for
the application including the two references.
Does it cost to apply?
There is no cost involved in applying for this program. If you get an e-mail that
requests payment of any kind in relation to this program, please disregard such
communication. You are responsible for the costs of acquiring the necessary visa
to enter Canada.
What are the requirements for qualification to the program?
The 2016 program invites applications from women in developing countries who
have demonstrated leadership in a development sector for at least four years but
would still be considered an emerging leader. Women who have held leadership
roles at a senior level for a number of years should not apply for this certificate,
but may be eligible for other Coady Education programs. Please click here for
other Coady programs. Citizens and residents of OECD member countries are not
eligible to apply for this scholarship. Priority in 2016 will be given to applicants
from Kenya, Nepal, Egypt, Malawi, Indonesia and Latin American and the
Caribbean.
I started to complete the on-line application and saved it. What
happens if I forgot my password to go back and complete my
application?
If you forget your password, you can have it reset, using the email address you
used when you saved your application.

In the email that you received acknowledging that you had begun your
application, we have sent you your login and password. Please retain this
information in safe secure place so you will have access to it should
require it.

Alternately you could do the following option: On the dialogue box

displays, you are asked for your user name and password but there is
also a link that says Forgot your password? Click Forgot your
password?

On the dialogue box that displays, type your email address and click
Reset Password. Leave that window open.

Check your email Inbox. You will see an email from Women Lead with a
subject line of Your Password Reset Token.

Open that email and look for a string of letters and numbers called a
token. Copy that token.

Back in the dialogue box, paste that token and click Verify Reset Token.

Then enter your new password and click Reset Password.

Youre done!

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What references are required for the application?
Applicants are asked to provide the names, contact details and the email
addresses for two persons who can provide a recommendation for the candidate.
The people named as referees will receive an email from Coadys International
Centre for Womens Leadership with a link to the reference form that they can
complete online and submit confidentially. Your referees will also receive an
email once their form has been successfully submitted. Applicants should ensure
that they have notified their referees prior to submitting their application.
Applications which do not have two references will not be reviewed.
Can I change my referees after I have submitted my completed
application?
We do not recommend changing of referees after your application has been
submitted. The application process is an electronic process. At various stages of
your application you, along with your referees, will receive automated emails
from us indicated certain things. When email addresses are altered or changed
this hinders those automated notifications. Please always double check with your
referees in advance to ensure they are able to meet our firm deadline of
December 4, 2015.
How do I know that my references have submitted their reference
forms?
When each of your referees successfully submits a recommendation form, you
will also receive an email confirmation that it has been processed. It is
the applicants responsibility to ensure that your referees are able to submit their
reference form well before the application closing date. It is your responsibility to
ensure that these are submitted. If you are in doubt whether the referral has
been submitted, please contact your referees directly. We also recommend
ensuring that the email fromwomenlead@stfx.ca is deliverable to both you and
your supplied referees. Please ensure to check your spam, or quarantined emails
to allow the women lead@stfx.ca email to be deliverable.
What information do you ask for from my reference contacts?
Overall, they are asked whether or not they recommend you for the program.
More specifically, we ask them to provide us with further information about your
professional background, experience and their honest assessment of your
leadership skill and potential. They are asked how you and your organization
may benefit from this program, and whether you have the capacity to undertake
and fully contribute to the program.
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I have difficulty with English, may I still participate?
All of our educational programs are in English. While it is not the first language of
most of our participants and we do everything we can to accommodate this, it is
essential you are able to learn and communicate both in oral and written
form in an English environment to participate in the program. Skype interviews
with short-listed candidates will help us determine language proficiency.

Do I have to be working full-time? Can I be part-time or a volunteer?

You do not have to be working full-time. However, if you are not working full-time
with an organization it is important that you clearly outline your experience and
how you intend to use the learning/experience from our program to strengthen
your leadership knowledge and skills in order to enhance your abilities to lead
and act at the community, national and global levels. This is necessary in order
for the selection committee to determine if you qualify for the program.
Im a student can I apply to the program?
If you have the necessary experience noted above, and have gone back to
complete a relevant degree or course of study, you may be eligible. However,
our preference is to select applicants who are currently working in their
community and will return to their community to continue to build on their work.
Please also refer to the qualification requirements for the program. A recent
graduate may be selected based on experience and other proven commitment
and abilities.
Do I need to be from a developing country to be eligible?
Yes for the 2016 certificate program, only women from developing countries
and residing in those countries are eligible. Please see the previous questions
above. Indigenous women from Canada may also be considered for the program
but should contact our office directly for further information. If you are not from a
developing country but are interested in our womens leadership programs,
please refer to the other programs we offer on our website
at www.coady.stfx.ca/themes/women/programs/.
If I applied last year, can I re-apply?
Candidates who applied in previous years but were not selected are welcome to
re-apply for the 2016 program and should ensure that their information is up-todate and complete. Candidates who were selected for previous cohorts but were
unable to attend because they did not receive their visa on time, or had other
reasons for not attending, must also fully re-apply to the program and
should indicate in their personal statement that they were previously selected.
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How will successful participants be determined?
Applications that meet the qualification requirements will be reviewed by the
selection committee. The committee will review information provided on
application forms, including work experience, personal statements on why
applicants think they qualify for this program and the two mandatory references.
Skype calls will take place with shortlisted candidates to finalize selection. Please
understand that this is an extremely high demand program. We review every
applicant carefully and the length of this process is dependent on the number of
applications received.
What financial support is available?
Successful candidates will receive a full scholarship to participate in this
program, including the cost of economy-class travel, tuition, room and board.

The cost of acquiring a visa for entry into Canada is the responsibility of the
successful candidate.
Does the Coady International Institute organize my travel?
Travel to and from Coady Institute in Canada will be paid for and organized by
Coady Institute for successful candidates of this program. Economy-class air and
ground travel will be organized by the most cost-effective and efficient means
possible. Successful candidates will be consulted on travel itinerary.
Do I require a visa to travel to Canada for educational purposes? How
do I get one?
Visa requirements vary depending on candidates country of citizenship and
travel documents. We anticipate that most applicants will require a visa. The
process to acquire a visitors visa for travel to Canada can often take three
months. Successful admission into this program does not automatically
guarantee that the participant will be granted a visitors visa. While Coady
Institute will assist successful candidates by providing them with a letter
confirming their acceptance into the program, the Institute has no control over
the visa application process. It is the responsibility of the candidate to acquire
the visa and provide the Canadian consular office with the necessary documents.
The candidate is responsible for the costs associated with obtaining the visa.
Please check this website for details and up to date information on countries and
territories that require a visa to visit
Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp
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What are the program dates?
The program is seven (7) weeks long. Program activities will begin on Sunday
August 21, 2016 on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish,
Nova Scotia, Canada. It will conclude with a graduation ceremony on October
7th, 2016. Participants will also be matched to a mentor who will advise, guide
and support them through a 6-month period until April 30, 2017, and be linked to
a global network of other women leaders. Applicants must commit to the full 7week on-site program.
What will be the class, weekday and weekend hours?
This is a rigorous and highly sought-after program. Participants should be aware
that there will be little time to conduct regular work activities during this period
and come prepared to be fully committed to the program.
Class sessions typically run Monday to Friday from 8:30 am (08:30) to 5:00 pm
(17:00); however, there may be some special evening sessions, assignments, as
well as weekend trips and activities.
If you would like to visit friends or family or sightsee on your own outside of
Antigonish, Nova Scotia, we suggest that you plan for time after the end of the
program. The Coady International Institute will not be responsible for organizing
or covering the costs of any personal travel.
Will I have to find my own mentor?

The program has a pool of mentors who are committed to supporting program
participants. Program facilitators will identify a suitable mentor for you from this
pool but are also open to your suggestions. The decision will be made in
consultation with you on the best match for your capacity enhancement.
Can I suggest my own mentor?
We will welcome suggestions from participants on potential mentors. The
suggestions will be considered alongside other potential mentors identified by
the course facilitators for you. A decision will be made based on the best match
for your capacity enhancement.
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