Fulbright African Research Scholar Program

Application Deadline: August 16, 2019.

The U.S. Mission is now accepting applications for the 2020 Fulbright African Research Scholar Program. This award funds African university lecturers and professors to conduct postdoctoral research or undertake a planned program of reading and research.

Program Information:

Two categories of grants are offered in the ARSP:  research grants and program and curriculum development grants.

Research Grants:

Awards of 3 to 9 months are offered for African university faculty or research institute professionals to conduct research in any academic discipline at a U.S. academic or research institution beginning no earlier than August 2020 and no later than March 2021.  Applicants must hold a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in their fields.  Preference will be given to individuals who have at least three years of university teaching experience and a productive scholarly record.

Program and Curriculum Development Grants:

Awards of 3 to 5 months are offered for African university faculty or administrators to conduct research in any academic discipline at a U.S. academic or research institution beginning no earlier than August 2020 and no later than March 2021.  Proposals should be linked to professional duties and demonstrate how the scholar will use the knowledge gained to develop new courses, curricula, or other academic programs at the home institution.  These grants are designed for university faculty or administrators with less experience and who may not have had recent access to research or instructional developments in their disciplines.  A doctorate degree is not required, but applicants must hold a minimum of a master’s or equivalent graduate degree.

Additional Information on Eligibility:

1. The ARSP is open to scholars in all disciplines and without regard to gender or age; however, proposals for clinical medical research involving patient contact cannot be approved under the Fulbright Program.
2. Applicants must be citizens of the country from which they apply or permanent residents qualified to hold a valid passport issued by that country.
3. Applicants for research grants must hold a doctorate degree or equivalent terminal degree in their fields.  Preference is given to individuals who have at least three years of university teaching experience and a productive scholarly record.
4. Applicants without doctorate degrees but who hold a master’s or equivalent graduate degree are eligible in the program and curriculum development category.
5. Applications for doctoral dissertation research, postdoctoral research immediately following the completion of a doctorate degree, or general professional travel, are ineligible.
6. Preference will be given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright scholar grant.
7. Preference will be given to candidates who have had no experience or limited experience in the U.S.
8. Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in English to carry out their research projects and collaborate effectively with colleagues.  TOEFL exams are not required, but Posts may choose to institute local English language testing, if necessary, to evaluate applicants’ language skills.  At a minimum, Posts should evaluate English-language proficiency through a documented interview conducted in-person or by videoconferencing, or by telephone if videoconferencing is not a viable option.
9. Applicants must be in good health.  Successful candidates will be asked to submit a Medical History and Examination Report.
10. Scholars who were unsuccessful in previous competitions may re-apply.  Repeat applicants should revise their proposals, update curriculum vitae, and obtain current letters of reference.

Additional Information on Applications:

1. Scholars must indicate the grant category for which they are applying (research or program and curriculum development).  The Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) will assign scholars who do not indicate a preference to an appropriate category.
2. Each application must include three letters of reference.
3. Letters of invitation are strongly encouraged but not required.  Applicants are discouraged from requesting affiliation with an alma mater.  CIES will honor institutional affiliation preferences as far as possible.  Applicants unfamiliar with U.S. institutions may request that CIES identify suitable placements.
4. Laboratory fees are not part of the standard benefits package for the ARSP and are awarded on a limited, case-by-case basis, and only if funding is available.

All applications are reviewed by a local selection panel; final nominations are reviewed in the United States by independent review committees. Final selection of awardees is made by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

For Applications:

Applications must be submitted using the Embark Visiting Scholar system, accessible at https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2020

For More Information

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2020-21 Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP)