FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM INFORMATION

Applying for a Fulbright:  Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I get an application?

• Online Application Form Please read the Application Guidelines before completing the application.

• Download application from the CIES Web site. The application is available in Microsoft Word and as an Adobe Acrobat PDF.

• Email a request for a printed copy to apprequest@cies.iie.org.

• Mail a request for a printed copy to Pam Williams, CIES, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Suite 5L, Washington, DC 20008-3009 or call 202.686.7877.
   

2. Do I have to know a foreign language?

Most lecturing awards are in English, with some exceptions in Latin America and Africa. For research awards your foreign language ability must meet the needs of the project.

3. Do I have to have an invitation letter?

Not usually. Some countries, however, do require an invitation letter, especially for open "Any Field" awards. Other countries encourage but do not require a letter of invitation, while still others specifically ask that you do not contact potential host institutions. If the preference or requirement is not clearly spelled out in the description of the country program or a particular award, consult with the program officer responsible for that country.

4. If I need one, how do I get a letter of invitation?

If you do not have a contact, your goal is to determine the name of an appropriate faculty member for a specific discipline or subfield within the discipline, contact that person, introduce yourself and ask if that person would consider working with you.

To find the names of potential faculty hosts, you can:

• Check the Web sites of individual universities. One source for these web sites is www.braintrack.com.

• Read professional publications. See who is writing in the field and where those individuals are employed.

• Check with your professional association. Most have international branches that may be able to identify appropriate scholar(s).

• Ask other American scholars in the field if they know of the best people abroad.

• Check on your home campus to see if other faculty, no matter what the department, have worked in the country and have contacts.

• Speak with foreign students at your campus. They can often give insightful commentaries on the strengths and weaknesses of institutions and scholars.

• Use CIES publications: Directory of U.S. Fulbright Scholars and Directory of Fulbright Visiting Scholars and Occasional Lecturers to locate names and contact information of scholars who either have been to or are from the country you are considering. Both publications are available at www.cies.org and by request at:
  i. apprequest@cies.iie.org or
  ii. Pam Williams, CIES, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Suite 5L, Washington, DC 20008-3009 or call 202.686.7877.

• Contact the CIES program officer responsible for the country you're considering. Program officers may have contact information for appropriate university contacts abroad.

Once you have determined possible hosts, write that faculty member a description of who you are (an attached c.v. can be helpful) and what you want to do while in country. Note that you plan to apply for a Fulbright grant and that the application requires a letter of invitation. There may be several communications before a letter is forthcoming, but this method often works.

5. Are there summer awards?

Each country establishes the time period for its grants, so you should check the timeframe indicated for each program as well as for particular awards. For the most part, grant periods follow the academic calendar in the host country for teaching awards. So, if universities are in session from May to August, then an award in the summer may be possible.

For research awards, there is a fair amount of latitude on the starting date, but the proposed schedule must fit within the parameters established by the country.

6. Can I bring my family?

Many grantees bring their family and report that the time abroad benefited all family members. While most awards have no restrictions on accompanying dependents, some awards, such as the International Education Administrators' Award, do not allow the accompaniment of family.

Additionally, most longer grants provide some benefits for accompanying dependents. Because there is variation in benefits provided country by country, you should check the Benefits Table at the back of the Awards Catalog for specific information about the awards in which you are interested.

7. If I already had a Fulbright, can I get another one?

Yes. Three years must elapse between the end of one grant and the start of another in order to be eligible. Your chances of being recommended for another Fulbright increase, however, if you apply to a different country.

Some programs, such as the special three-week seminars and the new short-term Fulbright Senior Specialists grants do not follow this three-year rule. That is, if your grant was less than two months in duration, you do not have to wait three years before starting another Fulbright.

8. Can I apply to more than one country?

Generally, no. Applicants apply for only one country or regional program at a time. However, the application form does provide a place where individuals can express interest in as many as three additional country/regional programs. If a scholar is not recommended for further consideration to the first choice country, the application may be reviewed by other program officers for possible transfer to another country. If an applicant learns that the application is not going forward, then the CIES Web site should be consulted for a listing of programs still accepting applications. It is then possible for the scholar to contact the program officer for one of these programs and discuss the possibility of a transfer.

One exception to the more-than-one country rule is if a scholar is also applying for a Senior Specialist award. That is, you can have an application in for a Senior Specialist award and a traditional Fulbright award at the same time.

9. Can I see examples of successful grant applications?

No, CIES is not able to share grant applications due to privacy considerations. Also, there is no "formula" for a successful grant. Each individual's application should be about the candidate, how the grant time will be spent, and what outcomes can be reasonably expected. What is successful for one applicant may not be effective for another applicant.

The responsible program officer is a good point of contact for discussions of how to shape a competitive application. Additionally, Fulbright alumni on your campus or contacted through CIES' Directory of U.S. Fulbright Scholars may be helpful. See the online directory or request it by contacting apprequest@cies.iie.org or Pam Williams, CIES, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Suite 5L, Washington, DC 20008-3009 or call 202.686.7877.

10. Is a Fulbright grant a salary replacement?

No. Some Fulbright stipends are generous while others are less so, depending on the country. Generally speaking, Fulbright grants are budgeted to cover travel and living costs in-country. CIES provides a chart of grant benefits at the back of the Awards Catalog, and this information is also available online. Questions about the grant package can be addressed to the appropriate program officer.

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Last modified 07/31/2006  College Home | College Directory | Index | Search | Help