Cisco Network Academy/Graduate Program

Is the Cisco Network Academy program same as the Graduate Program? As I applied to the Graduate Program back in Oct 2007, however just received an email today from Cisco saying I wasn't selected.
CCVP here I come
Comments
Did you apply for the Cisco Associate NCE Program in Brussels?
Or did you apply in AP (Asia/Pacific) for one of the 32 spots NCR is offering to Cisco Network Academy Graduates to sponsor them through their CCIE studies?
Or are you referring to a specific opportunity that was offered in a post in the Cisco Network Academy forums? They've had some in the past, but I haven't looked at the forum there for months.
You can be sponsored to go through CCIE if you've graduated the program? I'm assuming this would only be at the CCxP level? And if so, is this available in the U.S.?