UK Fulbright Commission

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The Fulbright Commission

“The Fulbright Commission aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.” - Senator J William Fulbright

History

Created in the aftermath of the Second World War through the efforts of Senator J. William Fulbright, The Fulbright Programme promotes peace and understanding through educational exchange. Senator Fulbright believed that this would be an essential vehicle for mutual understanding between individuals, institutions and future leaders.

Today, the Fulbright Programme is one of the most prestigious awards programmes world-wide, operating in 144 countries and with 51 commissions. More Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes than those of any other academic programme, including two in 2002.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission was created by treaty on 22 September 1948 and since its inception has expanded its programme to include grants for study in a wide variety of fields. MBA awards, filmaking, sports science, performing arts, science, politics, history, literature and dance to name a few. Since 1949, approximately 12,000 UK Nationals have studied in the US and 9,600 US Nationals in the UK on Fulbright Educational Exchanges out of 200,000 Fulbright alumni worldwide.

Objectives

The Work of the US-UK Fulbright Commission The US Educational Advisory Service (EAS) (Tel: 020 7404 6994) provides objective, accurate information and advice to any student or professional considering study or research in the US. EAS has a comprehensive library of reference materials and US university catalogues. It supplies admissions test registration bulletins and numerous introductory handouts to enquirers. EAS is also active in its outreach work, conducting many seminars throughout the year. Its annual US undergraduate fair, College Day, regularly attracts over 3,500 visitors and over 100 US university exhibitors. EAS maintains the Fulbright Website, which in the last six months received over six million hits and 900,000 visits. All of the Service's introductory handouts are available from the website.

The US-UK Fulbright Scholarship Programme (Tel: 020 7404 6880) is also responsible for promoting those Fulbright awards that are available to UK citizens to pursue study in the US, organising their selection processes and administration. In addition to this, the Commission organises the final selection of their US counterparts, the administration of their grants and a series of US Fulbright events designed to deepen their knowledge of the UK. For more information click here.

Awards

Awards are offered to UK citizens or EU citizens resident in the UK to study, lecture or pursue research in the United States. Awards are offered in the following categories:

POSTGRADUATE AWARDS Candidates for one of the postgraduate awards must research and apply for the most appropriate university course themselves. The Educational Advisory Service at Fulbright House can advise on this process. Successful applicants for a Fulbright award will receive further advice and guidance on applying to their chosen universities.

Fulbright Traditional Postgraduate Awards: approx 10 awards of up to $40,000 are made annually towards the first year of Masters or PhD study in any discipline and at any accredited institution. Application Deadline: the competition for 2008/09 is now closed. Application forms for awards in 2009/10 will be available in February 2008.

Fulbright British Friends of Harvard Business School MBA Awards: two awards annually covering tuition fees only for the first year of study at Harvard Business School. Candidates earning less than £40,000 per year will be given preference, but this should not deter other applicants from applying. Application Deadline: 7th April 2008

Fulbright Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism: one award, named in memory of the great trans-Atlantic journalist and commentator, of up to $40,000 towards the first year of a Master's in Journalism or for specialist study leading to a career in Journalism. Application Deadline: the competition for 2008/09 is now closed.

• If you are interested in finding out more about the awards or postgraduate study in general please have a look at the events currently on offer from the Fulbright Commission's US Educational Advisory Service (EAS).

AWARDS FOR POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH/PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT Post-doctoral and professional candidates should submit a letter of invitation from their proposed host institution with their application form.

Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Awards: two awards of £15,000 are offered to academics or professionals to facilitate lecturing and/or research, in any discipline, for a minimum of eight months. Application Deadline: 15th February 2008

Fulbright AztraZeneca Research Fellowship: one award of £17,500 plus economy round-trip travel, offered in conjunction with AstraZeneca, to a post-doctoral scientist with an invitation to work for a minimum of ten months at a leading research centre on an aspect of Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology or Bio-informatics. Application Deadline: 15th February 2008

Fulbright Robertson Visiting Professor in British History: an award of $47,500 (plus round-trip travel for up to four dependents) for a professor of British history to lecture at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri. Application Deadline: the competition for 2008/09 is now closed.

Fulbright Police Research Fellowships: two awards to enable serving police officers or civilian staff to spend a minimum of 3 months researching and developing professional expertise in a specific area of policing. Awards begin at £7,500. Application Deadline: 29th February 2008

General Selection Criteria

In making these awards, the Fulbright Commission is looking not only for academic excellence, but also evidence of leadership and initiative, a wide range of interests and a curiosity about the host country and culture.

Candidates for these awards must: • be a UK citizen or EU citizen , normally resident in the UK. Those who hold or who are eligible to hold US citizenship, or who are resident in the US at the time of application, may not apply for an award from the US UK Fulbright Commission.

• hold, or expect to obtain prior to departing, a minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree from a British university.

Because an objective of the Fulbright Programme is to provide an educational and cultural experience to those not previously afforded such an opportunity, preference will be given to candidates who have not had extensive (10 months or more) recent experience in the United States.

General Conditions Successful candidates are required to attend a 2-day orientation programme in London before departure for the United States, the aim of which is to introduce them to aspects of the social, political, economic and cultural issues of their host country. It is also an opportunity to meet the other Fulbright scholars in their award year.

Fulbright scholars are required to submit reports at specified times during or immediately after their stay in the United States.

All Fulbright scholars travel to the United States on a J1 visa which requires them, on completion of their study programme, to return to their home country for a cumulative total of two years before they become eligible for a temporary worker's visa or for permanent residence in the United States. Tourist travel during this time is not affected.

Fulbright scholars staying for a full academic year in the United States may travel outside the US for a maximum of 3 weeks. Travel beyond this limit – unless required by their academic course – may affect the amount of their grant.

Candidates will be considered without respect to race, colour, religion, national origin or gender.

Scholars and Fellows Awards

The Fulbright Scholars and Fellows Awards allow post-doctoral lecturers and academics, and professionals in a variety of fields, to spend a period of time researching in the US. In making these awards the Fulbright Commission is looking for potential leaders in their chosen fields, and those who will prove excellent ambassadors for both the UK and the US-UK Fulbright Commission.

Fulbright-Robertson Visiting Scholar in British History One award of $47,500 for a post-doctoral lecturer in Modern British History to spend 10 months at Westminster College in Missouri.

Fulbright Police Research Fellowships Two awards for serving UK police officers or civilian staff to spend between three and six months in the US developing their professional expertise through experience of American policing. Awards begin at £7,500.

Fulbright-AstraZeneca Research Scholarship One award of £17,500, plus round-trip travel, for a postdoctoral scientist to research cell biology, molecular biology or bio-informatics in the US. Applicants should enclose a letter of invitation from their host institution with their application form.

Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Awards Two awards of £15,000 each are offered to post-doctoral academics or working professionals, such as artists, musicians, museum personnel, lawyers etc., to facilitate research and/or lecturing for a minimum of eight months. Applicants should enclose a letter of invitation from their host institution with their application form.

Fulbright NICS Fellowship One award of $25,000 for a senior civil servant in Northern Ireland to pursue research for between three and six months, affiliated to a relevant US institution. Applications are made via the Dept of Finance & Personnel NI. For more information, please contact Alison Wright on Alison.wright@dfpni.gov.uk.