• Scholarships are awarded annually on a competitive basis. 

• Applicants must be employees or associates of a Latin American or Caribbean zoological institution or related facility, and be a legal resident of a Latin American or Caribbean country.

• Applicants must possess a functional proficiency in English, the language in which the professional training courses are held.

• Applicants must possess or secure a valid visa for travel to the United States.

Expenses covered 

• Course registration (full); 

• Round-trip airfare from the award recipient’s point of origin to the destination city hosting the workshop (full); 

• Round-trip airport shuttle ground transportation within the continental United States (full); 

• Hotel/lodging throughout the duration of the course (based on double occupancy rate);

• Meals (full at AZA courses held at Oglebay Resorts in Wheeling, WV.

Logistics

• Course registration: ZCOG will arrange payment of the award recipient’s course registration.

• Airfare: The award recipient shall forward a preferred travel itinerary, including departure and return dates, to ZCOG. ZCOG will arrange the award recipient’s airfare. The group will not reimburse award recipients for airfares purchased without first consulting ZCOG. Travel will be limited to dates surrounding the course.

• Ground Transport: ZCOG will arrange payment of the award recipient’s ground transportation.

• Hotel/Lodging: ZCOG will cover hotel/lodging expenses for the award recipient via direct payment to the hotel. Lodging arrangements will be made by the AZA Professional Development Department.

• Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided as part of the accommodations or courses. Dinners are mostly on your own.

• Travel VISA: If necessary, ZCOG will draft a letter of support that the award recipient can use for their US Travel VISA interview.