The Cardon International Sponsorship (CIS) program is a loan program for international applicants to the BYU Marriott School of Business MBA, MPA, MAcc, or MISM programs. CIS recipients receive the following:
- Tuition, textbooks, and health insurance during the graduate program.
- Living expenses (rent, food, and utilities) during the graduate program
The amount each student receives is based upon their marital status and size of their family. Loans must be repaid after graduation. However, there is the potential for forgiveness and payback at 0% interest once students fulfill their commitment to return home or to their home region.
Program Eligibility
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for CIS consideration. Only applicants that meet the criteria below should submit a CIS application:
- Admission to a BYU Marriott graduate program (MBA, MPA, MAcc, or MISM). The CIS application should ONLY be submitted after admission to the graduate program.
- Must return to home country or region after graduation. An applicant could also relocate to any country outside of the U.S. after graduation
- Must be able to qualify for a J-1 visa
- Must demonstrate by past and current example their commitment to living and engaging in the standards and mission of BYU and its sponsoring organization
- Must be committed to repaying the CIS loan within 10 years and 6 months after graduation from a BYU Marriott graduate program
- Preference will be given to incoming students who have been living outside the U.S. and Canada for at least one year immediately prior to application to a BYU Marriott graduate program
- Must be able to pay a portion of the costs of the graduate education and living expenses from personal resources ($8000)
- Applicant must not pursue a Ph.D. or joint degree program during or after a BYU Marriott graduate program
- Must have enough funds to cover living expenses during the Spring and Summer terms at BYU (CIS funds are only available for Fall and Winter semesters. However, insurance is provided during Spring and Summer terms.) These funds may be earned during an internship
- CIS students are required to maintain both academic standards and the BYU Honor Code. Failure to do so could jeopardize participation in the CIS programs
- Failure to comply with any of the above requirements could jeopardize participation in the CIS program
Additional Information
CIS participants are personally responsible to find and secure an internship between the first and second year of the graduate program or must have sufficient non-CIS funds to support themselves and their family during the spring/summer break (four months). CIS loans are not available for this time period.
- Priority is given to students who have a guarantee of employment in home country after graduation.
- Students will be sponsored on a J-1 visa which allows spouses to apply for working status and does not allow for conversion to the H1B working visa after graduation. It does allow for 18 months of academic training (employment) during and after the program.
- BYU will obtain all CIS applicants’ credit reports for use in evaluating their creditworthiness.
- Students may be invited to have an interview with the CIS director, however we encourage them to reach out at any point so that the director may get to know them better.
Questions about the CIS program or requests for an interview may be directed to Jonathon Wood, CIS director.
Phone: 801-422-4832
Email: jcwood@byu.edu