An Introduction to Fulbright Scholar Grants
for U.S. Faculty and Professionals
November 20, 2014
http://www.cies.org
Program Overview
Justin Miller
Director
Sponsored Program
Office
285-5085
jmmiller5@bsu.edu
Fulbright Ambassador
Dominic Caristi
Telecommunications
285-1493
dgcaristi@bsu.edu
Presentation Overview
• Introduction & History
• How to apply for Fulbright Scholar
grants
• Additional Fulbright Scholar
opportunities for U.S. faculty and
professionals
• Fulbright Visiting Scholar
opportunities
The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the U.S. government’s flagship international
exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner
countries around the world. For more information, visit fulbright.state.gov.
The Fulbright Scholar Program is administered by CIES. CIES is a division of the
Institute of International Education.
History
Fulbright Scholar Program
• Established in 1946
• Sends U.S. academics and
professionals overseas and brings
scholars and professionals from
abroad to the U.S.
Senator J. William Fulbright
(1905-1995)
“International education exchange is the
most significant current project designed to
continue the process of humanizing mankind
to the point, we would hope, that nations can
learn to live in peace.”
• Sponsored by U.S. Department of
State’s Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs
• Administered by the Institute of
International Education’s Council for
International Exchange of Scholars
(CIES)
Eligibility
• U.S. citizen
• Ph.D. or terminal degree
• University teaching experience
• Well physically/mentally; not a felon
• Foreign language requirement for some
programs
Fulbright Postdoctoral/Early Career Grants
•
Postdoctoral/early career grants are open to U.S. scholars who have recently completed their doctoral degrees –
typically within the five previous years. The number of such Fulbright Scholar awards has grown, particularly for
research activities. A few awards include teaching opportunities as well. Postdoctoral awards are available in STEM
fields, the arts, humanities and social sciences. Specialists in public health should take special note of the FulbrightFogarty Postdoctoral Awards for research at a National Institutes of Health Fogarty site in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya,
Malawi or Zimbabwe through the African Regional Research Program, or in South Africa, Bangladesh or
Peru. Grant lengths for the programs listed below range from one semester to 20 months, depending on the host
country.
•
Several countries have developed awards that offer early career scholars research opportunities. These awards are
similar to postdoctoral research awards, so scholars within five years of completing a doctoral program should pay
special attention to those as well.
•
Postdoctoral/early career grants present an excellent opportunity for recently minted scholars to deepen their
expertise, to acquire new skills, to work with additional resources and to make connections with others in their
fields. Scholars will be expected to engage with graduate students in the host country and to be involved with host
university training in cutting edge research in their specializations.
Fulbright Postdoctoral/Early Career Grants
In the current Fulbright Award Catalog the
following programs have postdoc and/or early
career opportunities:
Albania
Bangladesh
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Canada
Colombia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
European Union Affairs
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyz Republic
Lithuania
Macedonia
Malaysia
Mozambique
Namibia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Palestinian Territories
Panama
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Russia (Russian Federation)
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Slovak Republic
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Fulbright-Fogarty Postdoctoral Awards
Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Research
South and Central Asia Regional
Research Program
Fulbright Flex Awards
• In order to engage U.S. scholars currently unable to spend extended periods of time
abroad, the Fulbright Program welcomes applications from scholars who propose
multiple, short-term stays in the host country over a period of two to three years.
The Flex Award is also designed for scholars who require multiple visits abroad to
accomplish their research objectives. In addition to their research activities, Flex
award scholars will be required to give public talks, participate in seminars, mentor
students, and otherwise engage with the host country academic community.
Applications that propose grant periods during the host institution’s academic year
are preferred.
• Applicants should clearly indicate plans for their Flex grant in their project
statements. Specific details on invitation requirements and grant length will vary by
country, and can be found in each individual award listing. Some programs may
offer opportunities for multi-country research, but these should be discussed with
the appropriate CIES staff.
Fulbright Flex Awards
In the current Fulbright Award Catalog
the following programs have flex grant
opportunities:
Asia and Pacific
Burma
China
Hong Kong
Cambodia
Japan
Macao
Mongolia
Singapore
Vietnam
Europe and Eurasia
Albania
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Kosovo
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Montenegro
Russia
Serbia
Slovenia Spain
Sweden
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Middle East and North Africa
Bahrain
Egypt
Kuwait
Morocco
Palestinian Territories
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates South and
Central Asia
Bangladesh
India
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyz Republic
Nepal
Republic of Maldives
Tajikistan
Sub-Saharan Africa
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Cote d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of
Congo
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guinea
Kenya
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Western Hemisphere
Argentina
Barbados and Eastern Caribbean
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Haiti
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Worldwide Opportunities
Core Scholar Program
Opens: February 1, 2015
Deadline: August 1, 2015
Categories of awards:
• Teaching
• Teaching and Research (T&R)
• Research
Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• Beginning with the 2014-2015 competition, opportunities for scholars specializing in Teaching
English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and associated fields are being organized and showcased in
an entirely new way by the Fulbright Scholar Program. Although grants will continue to be made to
a specific country, all TEFL opportunities are now grouped under a single award number
(#4000). By presenting the full range of TEFL within a worldwide context, potential applicants
will be able to examine and compare more than 50 country options simultaneously. Applicants may
indicate either: “open to any placement” if they have no specific country or region in mind, or one
world area or as many as three country preferences. Letters of invitation are not required.
• As many as 60 grants are anticipated. The award supports a priority for English language teacher
training in any of over 30 areas of specialization. A Ph.D. is not required. Opportunities are open to
a wide range of scholars and, in many countries, professionals as well. Applications will be
evaluated by a TEFL-specific review committee in the U.S., and if recommended, sent for
consideration in a country or countries of interest. This streamlined review process and the ability
to apply to more than one country make this an ideal time for scholars with experience training
English teachers to consider participating in the Fulbright Scholar Program.
• For specifics of awards, the participating countries will provide access to more detailed information.
Opportunities by Region
Total Number of Awards for 2014-15: 594
(totaling app. 800 grants)
• Sub-Sahara – Africa (81)
• Middle East and North Africa (48)
• East Asia / Pacific (55)
• Europe (284)
• Western Hemisphere (98)
• South & Central Asia (28)
Advantages
• Premier program for exchange
• Opportunity to establish new ties
• Internationalization of own campuses
• New teaching/research insights
• Personal/family experience
Application Process
General instructions and application forms
• Awards by country (5 world areas)
• Each award has distinctive number
• Grant stipends and benefits
• Discipline index
• Forms
Selecting an Award
• Awards are created in the hosting country by the
local Fulbright commission or the American embassy
• Country listings
• Activity? Teaching, research or both
• Indices – by Discipline or All Discipline
*50% of grants are All Discipline awards*
• Read award descriptions and stipend information
carefully, especially for Early Career / Flex awards
• Contact CIES program officer(s) for more
information about awards and countries
Information on the Web Up-To-Date
• Some awards require invitation
• Website – information about contacts abroad
• Program officers: storehouses of
knowledge!
Submitting A Competitive Proposal
• Follow instructions!
• Project statement
– Up to 3-5 single-spaced pages
– What you bring, what you plan to do
– Reviewed by specialist/non ; in U.S./abroad
– Specific requirements for each category
• Curriculum vitae–tailored; 6 pages
Submitting A Competitive Proposal
Attachments:
• Course Syllabi/Outlines/Reading Lists
– Teaching or Research/Teaching
– 2-3 courses – 10 page limit
• Bibliography
– Research Only – 3pgs
• Specific attachments for the arts,
architecture, writing, and journalism
Reference Letters
• Research award
– 3 letters
• Lecturing or Lecturing/Research awards
– 1 teaching report; 2 reference letters
• At least one from outside home institution
• Teaching report from home dean or chair
• Referees submit letters online
General Tips
• Teaching
– Familiarize self about country/situation
– Educated guess about what will teach
– Awareness of need to adapt
– Match of expertise/program
– Letter of invitation?
– Sample course syllabi – 10 pages
More Tips
• Research
– Define the project/methodology
– Select bibliography – 3 pages
– Need/relevance/advantage/feasibility
– Consider culture/politics
– Plans for dissemination
• Teaching & Research
– Follow directions for both lecturing/research
– Relative proportions reflected in statement
Stipends and Benefits
• Refer to links on Fulbright web
site at www.cies.org
• Stipends and
benefits vary
greatly, depending
on award
Standard Stipends and Benefits Structure
• Base stipend
(for some
programs)
• Travel and relocation
• Maintenance for
living in country
of assignment
• Other benefits
• Tuition assistance
Salary Worries
• Ball State is supportive!
• You can still receive your full
academic year salary – How?
Considerations
• Many Fulbright programs do not offer a stipend.
• In this case, you might need an approved special
assigned leave of absence to continue to earn
your salary and benefits. (Note that full-year
leaves only provide ½ academic year salary.)
• This is where a Flex award might be beneficial
Example
Fulbright Award =
$30,000
(Stipend)
Depart. Cost Share = $30,000
---------Faculty AY Salary = $60,000
Fringe benefits
=
$19,200
(to be covered by MGR funds)
Salary Supplement Stipends
(new for 2014-15)
For 2014-2015, for scholars on teaching or combined
teaching/research grants to certain countries, a salary
supplement stipend will be added if the total grant stipend
and subsistence allowance plus home institution pay
during the grant period is less than gross base salary
(excluding summer teaching, merit awards, consulting fees,
etc.) for the grant period. The salary supplement stipend
will bring the amount to the same level as the individual’s
salary for a comparable period, up to a maximum of
$10,000 per full grant month. This added supplement
applies ONLY to earned salary as defined above and does
not include royalties or other similar types of income. Flex
awards are not eligible for salary supplement.
Prior to Submission
• Contact staff member in SPO
– Preliminary budget development
– Narrative assistance available
– Clearance Sheet will be prepared and routed
prior to submission
Review Process and Timetable
• Step 1: CIES Program officers review
applications for eligibility, completeness, etc.
(August)
• Step 2: Discipline review committees read
applications electronically. (September)
• Step 3: U.S. peer review committees.
Committees represent many disciplines and
focus on one world area. (October to December)
Review Process and Timetable
• Step 4: Applicants receive notice of their status,
either recommended or not recommended.
(November through January)
• Step 5: Applications of recommended candidates
are forwarded to host countries for selection and to
the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board,
which has final approval. Applicants are notified as
approvals are given. (February through May)
• Step 6: Grant Packets are sent to selected grantees.
(May through June)
• 1:3 Success Rate – Dependent on area
Other Fulbright Programs
• Distinguished Chairs
• Administrators programs
• Alumni Initiative
• Visiting Scholars (to U.S.)
Additional Opportunities for U.S. Scholars
• Fulbright Specialist Program
• Seminars for International Education
Administrators
• German Studies Seminar
• Fulbright NEXUS Regional Scholar Program
Fulbright Specialist Program
• Two- to six-week consulting and/or teaching
opportunities
• Online application to Fulbright Specialist roster
with rolling deadline
• Institutions overseas develop projects and
request specialists from the roster
• Program does not support research
• Twenty-five eligible disciplines, including new
STEM education fields
• Minimum of two years between grants
Global Initiatives
The International Education Administrators (IEA) seminars help U.S. higher
education administrators establish lasting connections within the social, cultural
and higher education systems of other countries. Selected administrators have the
opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the host country’s higher education
system as well as to establish networks of U.S. and international colleagues.
Grantees return home with enhanced ability to serve international students and
encourage prospective study-abroad students.
The IEA Seminars are open to experienced international education administrators
and senior administrators responsible for enhancing the international dimensions
of their institutions. A Ph.D. is not required.
Countries Served: India, Russia, United Kingdom, Korea, Japan,
Germany, France
Rolling Deadlines
Global Initiatives
The Fulbright Regional Network for Applied Research (NEXUS) Program will bring together a network of junior
scholars, professionals and mid-career applied researchers from the United States, Brazil and other Western
Hemisphere nations for a series of three seminar meetings and a Fulbright exchange experience.
At its core, the Fulbright NEXUS Program fosters collaborative and multidisciplinary research to address challenging
regional issues and produce tangible results.
Twenty outstanding scholars and practitioners from the U.S. and abroad will be selected as Fulbright NEXUS
Scholars to participate in the program through an open competition. Five of the scholars will be selected from the
United States. Program activities will commence in June 2014 and conclude in May 2016.
The Fulbright NEXUS Program will provide a platform for scholars from across the region to engage in collaborative
thinking, analysis, problem-solving and multi-disciplinary research in one of five areas:
–
–
–
–
–
Renewable Energy, including Micro-Grid Innovations;
Social and Behavioral Adaptation to Climate Change;
Measuring Climate Change and its Impact (Metrics and Standards);
Climate Change and Biodiversity;
Climate Change and Food and Water Security
Core Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program
• Visiting Scholars from other countries research, teach
and help internationalize U.S. campuses
• Overseas scholars should contact the Fulbright
commission or U.S. Embassy in their home countries
• Letter of invitation from potential host is always useful
Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Fund (OLF)
• Travel support for Fulbright Visiting Scholars
already in the U.S. for short-term guest teaching
• Contact: OLF@iie.org
Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program
• Brings scholars and professionals from abroad
to campuses that do not often host visiting
scholars
• Involves colleges and universities that serve
student populations underrepresented in
international exchange programs
• Application is made by the interested U.S.
institution
• Deadline is OCTOBER 17
• Contact: SIR@iie.org
Other Fulbright Programs
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program
– For recent graduates, postgraduate candidates up through
dissertation level and developing professionals and artists to
study and research abroad
– Administered by Institute of International Education, IIE
www.fulbrightonline.org/us
• Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange
– Principally for primary- and secondary- level educators
– Administered by FHI
http://www.fulbrightteacherexchange.org/
• Fulbright-Hays Awards
– For faculty research, group projects and seminars abroad in
certain social sciences and humanities fields
– Administered by the International Education and Graduate
Programs Service of the U.S. Department of Education
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps
Thank you
For more information, visit
www.cies.org