CUSO International is a respected non-profit organization that develops collaborative partnerships to empower communities around the world through sustainable international development projects. For over 50 years, CUSO has been helping local organizations build capacity and share knowledge through volunteer placements and skills-based training. Their Canada Scholarship Program offers life-changing opportunities for Canadians to immerse themselves in these initiatives while gaining valuable cross-cultural experience and career-building skills.
CUSO International: A Leader in Community-Driven Development
Founded in 1968, CUSO International is a member of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation and adheres to high standards of international development best practices. They work in collaboration with local partners to design and implement needs-based projects focused on areas like food security, economic opportunities, education, health, and governance.
CUSO takes a community-driven approach, ensuring local voices and priorities are central to any initiatives. Volunteers assist with capacity building so communities gain sustainable skills, but the projects themselves are locally conceived and locally led. This builds long-term self-sufficiency rather than creating dependence on outsiders.
CUSO currently has ongoing projects in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Volunteer placements range from two weeks to two years, with scholars helping with activities such as:
- Training farmers in efficient agricultural techniques
- Supporting small business development and microfinancing programs
- Improving access to education, healthcare, and clean water systems
- Strengthening women’s empowerment and gender equity programs
- Assisting with community organizing, advocacy, and local governance
By empowering people at the grassroots level, CUSO aims to foster globally-minded citizens who can drive positive change from within. Their volunteer programs offer experiential learning opportunities for Canadians wanting to make an impact through international cooperation and exchange.
Types of CUSO International Canada Scholarships
CUSO offers two main scholarship streams tailored for students, recent graduates, or professionals at any career stage:
1. Professional Development Program (PDP)
Intended for those with 3+ years of work experience, PDP scholarships support volunteer placements from 3-12 months. Placements are targeted towards utilizing your professional skills and expertise to strengthen local capacities. Popular sectors include agriculture, education, health, finance and more.
PDP scholars can expect a hands-on role in transferring knowledge and coaching local counterparts. The long-term engagement also allows for deeper cultural immersion and community integration. PDP scholarships include a modest monthly living allowance.
2. Skills for Development Program (SDP)
Geared towards students, new graduates, or those with less than three years of experience, SDP scholarships are typically 3-6 months in length. Placements focus on junior professional roles, internships, and observation opportunities to gain exposure to international cooperation.
SDP scholars complement local teams without the responsibility of being expertise centers. The emphasis is on developing cross-cultural skills through experiential learning. SDP scholarships cover all expenses related to the assignment such as travel, accommodation, and a monthly stipend.
A small number of specialized Leadership Initiatives Scholarships are also occasionally available for 3-12 month placements. These target students demonstrating social or environmental leadership through community engagement experience.
Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify for CUSO scholarships, the general eligibility requirements are:
- Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
- Minimum age of 18 (no maximum age limit)
- Degree/diploma or 3+ years of related work experience for PDP placements
- No dependents accompanying you during the assignment
- Willingness to learn another language if required
- Medical evacuation and health insurance coverage
- Genuine interest in International development issues
Competitive applicants usually have a combination of volunteer experience, knowledge of global affairs, and relevant academic or professional background aligned to the sector of interest. While qualifications in a certain field are valuable, CUSO seeks well-rounded individuals with initiative, adaptability and intercultural openness as well.
The Application Process
Applying for a CUSO scholarship involves a multi-stage selection process aiming to find the best fit between applicants, country programs, and organizational needs. Here are the basic steps:
1. Profiling Your Interests
Start by exploring current placement opportunities on the CUSO website and noting 2-3 countries/sectors you’d be excited to contribute your skills. Consider factors like language requirements, length of stay, and desired learning outcomes.
2. Submitting Your Online Application
Provide comprehensive details on your skills, experience, motivation, and how you fulfill eligibility criteria. Highlight developmental perspectives from coursework or life experiences.
3. Passing the Technical Screening
Initial applications are screened for basic eligibility and fit by CUSO coordinators and recruitment specialists. Strong candidates advance to the interview stage. Weaker profiles are politely rejected at this point with feedback.
4. Participating in the In-Person Interview
Selected applicants are invited to an afternoon of group interview exercises at the nearest CUSO office. Perform skills assessments, join discussions, and have one-on-ones with staff to showcase your strengths.
5. Receiving an Offer (or Rejection)
Scholarship awards are made on a rolling basis from January to May. Successful candidates are matched with openings and invited to begin preparations. Rejected applicants receive feedback and may reapply in the future.
The whole process from application to departure usually takes 4-6 months. Competition for spots is high, but persistence and tailoring your candidacy improve your chances of being selected. Don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance from CUSO staff too.
Pre-Departure Orientation
Once awarded a scholarship, scholars participate in comprehensive pre-departure training to thoroughly prepare for the placement. Orientation covers practical, cultural, and professional development topics to set participants up for success overseas:
Logistics Briefing
Finalize travel arrangements, learn about housing/meals at the placement site, and go over health/safety protocols and emergency contacts.
Intercultural Communication
Dive deep into cultural values, norms, taboos of the host country, and strategies for navigating cultural differences respectfully.
Language Crash Course
Intensive sessions (if needed) equipping scholars with basic survival phrases in local dialects before arrival.
Project Overview
The Detailed scope of work, team roles, expected tasks, and goals scholars will contribute towards are clarified.
Transition Support
Workshops on adapting to life abroad, reverse culture shock upon return, and how to leverage the experience professionally.
Pre-Departure Checks
Final health checkups, documentation validations, and emergency funding verification to cement readiness for international travel.
The thorough groundwork instills scholars with practical knowledge as well as awareness of the privilege and responsibility of representing Canada overseas. By departure day, participants feel fully confident and culturally sensitive ambassadors of Canadian cooperation values.
The International Placement Experience
Every volunteer assignment with CUSO is unique based on the community, country, and individual scholar’s role. However, returned participants share some common threads of what to expect from living and working internationally:
Immersive Cultural Learning
Total linguistic and cultural emersion outside of your comfort zone yields radical personal growth. Small language barriers melt away with community friendships. Traditional holidays and rites of passage invite new perspectives.
Challenging yet Rewarding Work
Meaningful skill applications through coaching farmers, building water systems, or supporting women’s groups drive positive impacts. Setbacks call upon your determination and problem-solving. Successes energize continued efforts for sustainability.
Deep Community Connections
Beyond colleagues, neighbors become like family who genuinely invest in your well-being just as you support theirs. Life-long bonds transcend borders long after your departure. Visiting places feels like “going home”.
Personal Resilience Growth
Adapting constant changes, facing societal norms new to you, and learning to ask for help rather than insist on independence reinforces self-confidence and coping strategies. Vulnerabilities surface opportunities for greater empathy and understanding of human experiences globally.
Career-Expanding Network
Alongside community alliances formed, connections within the development sphere continue expanding your professional orbit internationally. Future collaborations and partnerships open up across fields and borders.
Each and every day presents unique learning through unscripted interactions, challenges, and smiles shared with locals. The long-term immersion makes the overseas placement feel formative in unlocking a new dimensional understanding of the world and one’s role in it.
Life After CUSO
CUSO scholars often look back on their placement as a major turning point that shaped subsequent life choices significantly:
Career Catalyst
Some scholars discover new passions that guide career pivots within international development, education, or non-profits. Others return having strengthened existing aspirations with enriched global perspectives. CUSO experiences are highly valued by employers seeking candidates exposed to diverse cultural contexts.
Academic Pursuits
Inspired by experiential learning, several scholars decided to enter graduate programs for international relations, project management, or anthropology. The scholarship provides excellent fodder for compelling personal statements and research proposals examining grassroots development challenges.
Continued Engagement
Many become sustainably involved with their host communities through return visits or ongoing collaboration. Some explore matching volunteer or internship positions in different countries as well. A handful join CUSO as staff to give back to the program that expanded their horizons.
Broader Worldviews
CUSO develops skills for intercultural exchanges but also a lifelong commitment to social justice, cultural exchanges, and global citizenship. Volunteers maintain international networks and understanding of global affairs as more empathetic and nuanced global partners wherever their paths may lead.
The deep personal transformation and professional advantages continue bearing fruits well after the placement officially concludes. Few experiences shape young lives comparably to living immersed in international development efforts with CUSO International.
Insights from Past Scholars
To bring these opportunities to life, I reached out to former CUSO volunteers to gain their perspectives on the value and impact of a Canada Scholarship placement:
How did your CUSO placement impact you personally?
“It gave me immense confidence to live independently overseas, understand different cultures, and speak another language. CUSO taught me resilience during challenges and boosted my empathy by being immersed in local realities first-hand.”
- Shannon, Sustainable Agriculture Scholar in the Philippines
How has it influenced your career trajectory?
“My education background was in engineering but CUSO sparked my passion for global health initiatives. I’m now pursuing an MPH degree specializing in water/sanitation to find solutions collaboratively at the grassroots level like I witnessed in Ghana.”
- Kwabena, Water and Sanitation PDP Scholar in Ghana
What advice would you share with applicants?
“Be genuinely open-minded, comfortable with uncertainty, and willing to learn from your host community rather than come with assumptions. Adaptability served me better than any technical skill. CUSO gives what you put in, so invest fully in the experience.”
- Amelia, Education SDP Scholar in Uganda
Any lasting impacts or relationships?
“I still visit my community in Nicaragua regularly after ten years and see the difference ongoing ties can make. My friendships there feel like family. CUSO taught me that small community-led efforts truly empower people for generations.”
- Emilio, Environmental Leadership Scholar in Nicaragua
These reflections affirm how holistically impactful a CUSO placement can be in sparking inner transformation as well as outer changes through meaningful career exploration and global relationship building. Committed volunteers find intrinsic rewards that fuel lifelong engagement in development work.