TechWomen – an Initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

From the moment the Emerging Leaders arrive, they are immersed in the innovative, constantly evolving culture of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. Emerging Leaders work closely with their Professional Mentors to design meaningful projects while exploring the San Francisco Bay Area with their Cultural Mentor and fellow program participants.

TechWomen Emerging Leaders will:

• Challenge themselves with new questions and concepts
• Collaborate with like-minded women in their fields on an innovative project
• Network with influential industry leaders
• Discover their own innovative leadership style
• Create meaningful friendships with women from all over the world
• Explore the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.
• Inspire the next generation of women and girls in their home countries

Eligibility

TechWomen Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be women with, at minimum, two years full-time professional experience in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Please note that internships and other unpaid work experience do not count toward the two-year professional experience requirement.
• Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Be citizens and permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, or Zimbabwe at the time of application and while participating in the program.
• Be eligible to obtain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa.
• Not having applied for an immigrant visa to the United States (other than the Diversity Immigrant Visa, also known as the “visa lottery”) in the past five years.
• Not hold U.S. citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident.

Benefits

Covered Costs

The following costs are covered by the TechWomen program:

• Roundtrip international airfare from participant home country to the United States
• Domestic airfare from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
• Housing in San Francisco or Sunnyvale, California during the mentorship period
• Meals and incidentals
• Hotel stays in Washington, D.C.
• Public transportation to the participant’s host company
• Local transportation to group program events in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.

Application Process

Click here to visit the website and apply