Faculty need funding and support to achieve their international research goals. The Office for International Scholars coordinates aspects of the Fulbright Program and may help identify other funding sources available through organizations such as World Learning Services and Rotary International.
Designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries, the Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program.
Our office coordinates information to assist UofSC departments host individuals from abroad on the Fulbright Visiting Scholars Program and provides information on the Fulbright Program for American Scholars. We work closely with the UofSC office for National Fellowships and Scholar Programs assisting US students apply for a Fulbright grant, with International Student Services handling foreign students on a Fulbright grant at UofSC, and with the South Carolina Fulbright Association.
We also act as a liaison from the university to:
World Learning Services accepts applications year-round from American academics and professionals who are US citizens with significant experience in an academic field sought by the Fulbright Specialist Program, (see eligibility criteria including eligible fields). The award length is 14 – 42 days with the possibility of multiple visits over a 3-year period depending upon the project. Two strong letters of reference must accompany your application. Click below for information on how to become a Fulbright Specialist.
Applications for the Fulbright Specialist Roster are evaluated every 8 weeks. We hope you will consider how you can contribute your skill set to enhance the Fulbright goal of mutual understanding through academic exchange.
The Core Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is accepting applications from American academics and professionals. There will be numerous teaching and research awards available in more than 125 countries to be completed in the 2020-2021 academic year. Applications must be complete by September 16, 2019.
Check the Catalog of Awards to review the many award offerings. Eligibility criteria, application guidelines, review criteria, as well as other resources are available on the IIE/CIES Fulbright website. There are also webinars in a range of topics throughout the application season.
If the time is not right for you, please share this information with interested colleagues or refer them for more information from Fulbright Program Staff appropriate to their region of interest.
We hope you will consider how you can contribute your skill set to enhance the Fulbright goal of mutual understanding through academic exchange. Good luck!
Based on your field of expertise and rank in the discipline, determine the primary purpose for your application; (i.e., research related to sabbatical; to internationalize your program; to engage with other countries where your area of specialized expertise may be needed.)
How long can you reasonably be gone from your position? (Two weeks, two months, a semester, or a full academic year). Note: Two week, multi-year grants are available in the Fulbright Specialist Program whereas Fulbright Flex Awards allow multiple short-term stays over a 1 – 2 year period under the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.
Consider thought leaders/colleagues in your field based at institutions abroad, individuals with whom you may have interacted at an international conference or symposium. Having a contact in-country may strengthen your application.
If your research mandates a particular geographic region or type of geography (such as coastal areas for marine science), screen by country and discipline.
Using the IIE/CIES awards link, select your discipline and the country of choice to determine if there is a grant that may meet your needs.
IIE/CIES Fulbright Program Tools
Register to receive exclusive updates, application tips and information related to specific countries at My Fulbright.
You are limited to one application per year under the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program administered by IIE/CIES.
However, the Fulbright Specialist Program is administered by a different organization, World Learning Services. Therefore, you may apply for the Fulbright Specialist Roster in the same year you apply for a U.S. Scholar Program grant.
For sabbatical leave, a UofSC faculty member should apply for a research-focused Fulbright grant. Check the program award criteria carefully as research awards may require host country language skills.
Consult with your department chair (and dean’s office as required) concerning leave if needed.
Obtain an Approved Travel Authorization in PeopleSoft.
Consult with USC Benefits Office to ascertain what insurance benefits will be available to you during your leave and whether or not there will be a cost to you to maintain it.
US Passport
Best practice is a US passport valid at least 6 months beyond the ending date of the
grant. Allow adequate processing time to obtain or renew US passport and travel visa to host Fulbright country if needed. Visit embassy or consulate of
target Fulbright country to ascertain visa requirements which should also be provided
by your Fulbright Program Advisor.
Health Issues
Consider purchasing travel insurance that includes medical evacuation and repatriation
coverage for you and any accompanying family members.
Tax Issues
Your grant may be taxed as income. Consult with your tax advisor on possible consequences,
deductions and records/receipts you should retain.
Dependents
If school-aged children will accompany you, research host country school year schedule
and matriculation requirements. (A private school option may be necessary in the host
country, the cost for which will need to be covered by the grantee).
For additional information see Travel Tips for US citizens.
Will research be mutually beneficial to my program/UofSC as well as the visiting scholar?
As a Faculty Associate am I able and willing to provide arrival support and be physically present throughout the proposed grant period?
NOTE: Department is responsible for completing documents and background check necessary to establish Visiting Fulbright Scholar as a University Affiliate. (OIS can provide a template for a Fulbright application support letter, assist with completion of the formal Fulbright Institutional Reply Form, provide the Fulbright scholar an arrival orientation session and assistance in securing a UofSC ID card).
There are a number of ways to stay engaged with Fulbright as an alum including:
As a CIES peer reviewer for future American scholar applicants.
As a faculty reviewer for UofSC students interested in applying for a Fulbright grant through the office for National Fellowships and Scholar Programs.
As an alum joining the national Fulbright Association and/or engaging with the South Carolina Fulbright Association.
| Source | Type |
|---|---|
| Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) | Grants for U.S. Scholars, for Visiting Scholars, and for U.S. Institutions. |
| World Learning Services | Coordinates Fulbright Specialist Program – Ideal for short-term research exchange. View eligibility. Email for more information. Applications reviewed every 8 weeks. |
| DAAD / USA German Academic Exchange Service | Faculty grants for research, conferences, short-term lectureships, etc. |
| Rotary | Global and district grants. |
The Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs coordinates the application process for U.S. students interested in applying for a Fulbright grant.
International Student Services handles all foreign Fulbright students in degree seeking programs.
Dr. Addis Kidane (Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering) has been awarded a Fulbright Grant to teach and conduct research at Addis Ababa Institute of Technology in Ethiopia for the academic year beginning September 2019. He will conduct research to ‘understand the damage in composites at the microstructural level’ and to teach Fracture and Experimental Mechanics.
Dr. Cormac O’Brien is Assistant Professor of Irish Drama at University College Dublin, Ireland. He is a Visiting Fulbright Scholar, hosted by Prof Ed Madden at UofSC Columbia Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Utilizing the “AIDS and its Impact” collections in UofSC’s Hollings library, Cormac is researching cultural representations, narratives, and histories of HIV and AIDS. As a capstone to his Fulbright, Women and Gender Studies hosted a one-day symposium called “Making Bad Histories Good: HIV/AIDS in South Carolina – History, Culture, Healthcare, Activism.”