Each year some 800 faculty and professionals will travel to more than 140 countries around the world to lecture and/or conduct research. For over 55 years scholars have been crossing borders, encountering different cultures, gaining teaching and research insights, and sharing "the Fulbright experience." As a faculty or professional, there are many options for Fulbright service. Read on to learn how you can take advantage of the opportunities created by Senator J. William Fulbright.

Traditional Fulbright Scholar Program
The Fulbright Scholar program allows faculty to choose either lecturing, combined lecturing/research, or full research awards. Most lecturing assignments are in English. For those conducting research, language capability is required depending on the area of the world and project. Grants are typically from two months to an academic year. Adjunct and retired faculty as well as administrative administrators are also encouraged to apply. Awards are available in 45 disciplines--from art to urban planning--as well as many "All Disciplines" grants open to any field. The competition for traditional Fulbright awards opens March 1, with a deadline of August 1. Grants begin about one year following the application deadline.

Distinguished Chair Awards
The Distinguished Chair awards are among the most prestigious in the Fulbright Scholar Program. They have an earlier deadline of May 1. Some 30-40 Chair awards are available each year for applicants who are in the top of their professional fields. Most Chair awards are in Western European countries, although a few are offered in Canada, Russia, and Israel.

Senior Specialists Program
Designed to promote short-term academic opportunities for U.S. faculty and professionals, the grant lengths are from 2-6 weeks, allowing grantees to collaborate with their counterparts in other countries, give a series of lectures, and participate in activities. From archaeology to journalism, there are opportunities in a growing number of disciplines. When you apply and are selected, you are placed on a roster and Fulbright will try to match you with an overseas institution seeking an expert in your field. The Senior Specialists Program has an online application and has a rolling deadline.

New Century Scholars Program
Leading academics and professionals--representing many different disciplines, nationalities, and cultures--assemble annually to address a topic of global significance. Approximately 30 experts from the U.S. and abroad are selected. Participants are given an international exchange opportunity of 2-6 months in length to further their research and to investigate comparative approaches to the topic. The 30 scholars share outcomes and ideas during a final plenary seminar in Washington, DC. Recent topics include "The Challenges of Health in a Borderless World," "Addressing Sectarian, Ethnic, and Cultural Conflict Within and Across National Borders," and "Toward Equality: The Global Empowerment of Women."

Alumni Initiatives Awards Program
The Alumni Initiatives program extends the traditional Fulbright experience into a long-term institutional impact. These awards enable former U.S. and international scholars to develop innovative and mutually beneficial projects to further the linkages developed during the grantee's time abroad. Successful projects run from distance-learning courses to joint curriculum development efforts.

International Education Administrators Seminars
Designed for higher education administrators (e.g., deans, provosts, vice presidents) who want a short but in-depth experience, each summer seminars are offered in Germany, Japan, and Korea. Seminars vary from 2-3 weeks in length and focus on introducing participants to the society, culture, and higher education system. The application deadline is November 1.

German Studies Seminar
The annual 3-week German Studies Seminar focuses on current German society and culture, and examines political, social, and economics institutions. Each year a theme is chosen, with past themes including "Environmental Protection and Alternative Forms of Energy" and "Visual Culture in Germany: Film, Television, and the Internet." Participants are U.S. scholars in German studies and in disciplines related to the seminar topic. Lectures are usually in English. The seminar begins in Berlin and includes visits to other cities. The application deadline is November 1.

Fulbright Teacher and Administrative Exchange
This program provides opportunities for full-time teachers, administrators, and other school or college faculty to participate in direct exchanges of positions with colleagues from other countries for 6 weeks, a semester, or an academic year. International collaborations such as these often foster enduring relationships between schools. Application deadline is October 15.

Visiting Fulbright Scholar Program
Individual Fulbright grants are available for overseas scholars to conduct research or pursue combined lecturing/research in the United States. Grants range from 3 months to an academic year. To host a visiting scholar, UI faculty/departments should register their interest with CIES (the group responsible for management of Fulbright) by e-mailing scholarhost@cies.iie.org and indicating the areas of expertise or specialization and a contact person. When contacted by a scholar, urge the scholar to complete the application process by the deadlines and be sure to provide the scholar with a detailed letter of invitation, which will become part of the application.

Occasional Lecturer Program
Travel awards are available for any of the roughly 800 international Fulbright scholars in the U.S. to travel to campuses for short-term guest lectures. This is an excellent way to provide an international scope to a UI class, lecture series, or conference. The institution issuing the invitation (UI) is asked to provide the Occasional Lecturer with local transportation, accommodations, and meals. To locate the list of foreign Fulbright scholars in the U.S., and to learn which scholar might be best suited to your purpose, follow the link to the CIES website under the "For More Information" section at the bottom of this page.

Scholar-in-Residence Program
This program brings Fulbright Visiting Scholars to teach at UI for one or two academic terms, and is designed to initiate or broaden international programs or curricula. Round-trip travel is provided for the scholar and they receive a monthly stipend, basic medical insurance, and a professional allowance for travel, books, and other expenses. Some cost-sharing, based on the UI departmental resources, is required, in the form of either supplementary salary and/or in-kind support such as housing, meals, or professional travel allowance. The deadline for U.S. institutions to apply to host a Scholar-in-Residence is September 15.

For More Information: Award and application information on all of these programs can be found online at www.cies.org. Applicants may apply online.

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