Selection Process

The Selection Process described below is for Foundational Courses and Advanced Courses only. The events for which applications are solicited, such as some seminars and conferences, have distinct processes and timelines. Programs for which invitations have been extended or which require a registration form to be completed have separate registration processes.

All completed civilian application packets received within the application period are reviewed and evaluated by the Academic Selection Committee, consisting of the CHDS faculty. Completed application packets are reviewed by three professors, complying with selection criteria approved by the Course Director. At the end of the review process, each candidate will be identified as:

• Best Qualified - Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of experience and possession of all evaluation criteria.
• Well Qualified - Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of experience and possession of the evaluation criteria.
• Qualified - Applicants possessing a minimum required level of the specialized and/or overall experience and qualifications described in the candidate profile.
• Not Qualified.

The final recommendations for selection are made by the Course Director, the Dean of Students and Administration, and the Dean of Academics, in conjunction with the staff from the Registrar’s office. An equitable distribution of the scholarships is made to ensure that all countries submitting qualified candidates may be represented. These recommendations are approved by the Director and the Deputy Director of CHDS. In many cases, because of the large number of highly-qualified candidates, either collectively or from an individual country, it is not possible to select all the best qualified candidates from a single country.

Military participants for Foundational Courses are nominated by the US Military Group or Military Liaison Office in partnership with the host-nation’s Ministry of Defense or other designated military representatives. The final selections are confirmed by Course Director and the Dean of Students and Administration.

All candidates for Advanced Courses are evaluated via a competitive selection process, as there are no reserved scholarships for military participants as there are for the foundational courses.