SHE-CAN recruits young women from Cambodia, Guatemala, and Liberia through a six-month, in-country selection process. It prepares selected candidates to compete for undergraduate scholarships at U.S. colleges.
Candidates complete academic and English preparation plus a community leadership project before final Scholar selection. Scholars then apply to college with a U.S.-based mentor team, study in the United States, and commit to returning home to work for at least three years.
Benefits & funding
- A partner U.S. college provides full tuition, housing, and meals through a full-ride scholarship.
- SHE-CAN funds test preparation and costs a family cannot afford, including passport and visa fees, one flight to the United States and one flight home, textbooks, and health insurance.
- Each Scholar receives support from 4–6 U.S.-based mentors, leadership training, and help identifying summer internships.
- Scholars and families cover travel to preparation classes; Scholars are expected to work on campus for personal expenses, and uncovered medical, dental, and vision costs are not funded.
Eligibility
- Be a woman aged 17–20 from Cambodia, Guatemala, or Liberia and come from a low-income household.
- Have graduated from high school or be due to graduate by June 2027, and seek an undergraduate degree at a U.S. college or university.
- Less than one year of university or other post-secondary credit is preferred; this is not stated as an absolute bar on the country application forms.
- Show strong grades, strong English, existing leadership in school or community, and commitment to positive change at home.
- Be able to reach the relevant capital-city interview location if invited, participate intensively in the pre-college phase, and access reliable internet and a computer.
- Commit to returning home within one year after graduation and working there for at least three years.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Cambodia · Guatemala · Liberia
Education required
High School · Bachelor Enrolled
Gender requirement
Female
Age requirement
17–20 yrs
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Application process
- 1Open the country-specific application from the official SHE-CAN page.
- 2Prepare grades 10–12 transcripts, national or WAEC/WASSCE results where applicable, any post-secondary transcript, needed English translations, family-income information, and available test scores.
- 3Draft the written responses outside the form, then complete and submit the online application in one sitting; applying is free.
- 4If shortlisted, attend an in-person interview in the location and period listed for your country.
- 5Semi-finalists complete academic and English preparation and a Take the Lead community-service project before final Scholar selection in June 2027.
Program timeline
Applications open.
July 1, 2026
Cambodia application deadline.
October 1, 2026
Extended Guatemala application deadline.
October 15, 2026
Liberia application deadline.
November 1, 2026
Cambodia interviews in Phnom Penh.
Mid-November 2026
Guatemala interviews in Antigua.
Early December 2026
Liberia interviews in Monrovia.
Mid-January 2027
Semi-finalist preparation courses and community-service project.
January–June 2027
Final Scholars are accepted and matched with mentors.
June 2027
Scholars and mentors prepare college applications.
July–October 2027
Early Decision applications are submitted.
November 2027
College admission decisions are announced.
December 2027
Scholars arrive in the United States for their first college year.
August 2028