The American Center, U.S. Embassy, Dhaka is pleased to announce the 2020 Fulbright Visiting Scholar awards. These awards are primarily six-to-nine-month research grants, beginning in September 2020. One to two semester lecturing grants are also available. Fulbright Visiting Scholar awards are offered to experienced Bangladeshi professionals, university faculty members, and researchers at think-tanks and relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations (with ten years or more professional experience) to pursue research and possibly to lecture. We seek proposals on a wide range of topics in all disciplines in education with a special focus on university administration and curriculum development, social sciences, humanities, hard sciences, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, the arts, and business.
A few short-term three-month grants will also be offered to scholars in all disciplines to conduct needs assessment and research related to institution or program development, consult with administrators and instructors of post-secondary institutions in faculty development, and develop and /or assess academic curricula or educational materials.
The Fulbright program is intended for highly motivated scholars with advanced degrees (Ph.D.), or a professional equivalence who propose to conduct research and/or teach in the fields of their specialization. Candidates must have excellent English language skills to function professionally in an American university setting.
A prospective applicant must submit an online application through the online application system. All relevant documents in support of the application also need to be uploaded electronically to the online application system. Following is a list of documents that are required:
- Three reference letters (please read application instructions for detailed information on reference reports)
- Confirmed letter of invitation from a host institution
- Correspondence from U.S. institutions, if available
- Curriculum Vitae
- Passport copies for the applicant and for any and all intending accompanying dependent(s)
The online application is available at https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2020. Applicants should create a log-in account in order to access the application. A copy of the announcement and complete instructions are available at https://go.usa.gov/xpCQW Applicants must read all instructions carefully before completing the application form. Submitted proposals must be detailed and accurately written with an outlined research plan that can be completed during the grant period. The program is highly competitive and the selection committee places great emphasis on the written proposal.
Lecturing grant aspirants must have extensive teaching experience. Teaching experience abroad will be considered as an added qualification. Candidates must submit course syllabi along with curriculum vitae and a confirmed invitation to lecture at a host institution in order to be considered for a Fulbright grant.
For the Short-Term grants, in case a letter of invitation is not received, candidates are strongly encouraged to identify three institutions that have appropriate facilities for the kind of project they wish to undertake. Names of preferred colleges/universities should be mentioned in the applications in rank order with appropriate rationale for their preferences.
This fellowship is meant for Bangladeshi citizens and prospective applicants must be residing in Bangladesh at the time of application. Applicants possessing U.S. permanent residency or citizenship, or in the process of receiving U.S. permanent residency are not eligible for the award. Due to funding limitations, applicants who have recently received a major U.S. government grant or have recent significant study abroad experience must wait five years before applying for a senior Fulbright award. In only extremely rare circumstances will an applicant who has previously received a Fulbright Visiting Scholar grant be awarded a second grant.
Grant benefits for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program include all related expenses, a stipend, and cost of the grantee’s Bangladesh/USA/Bangladesh air tickets. The grant also includes a monthly allowance for one dependent only who will spend at least 80% of the grant period with the grantee. If a grantee receives a nine-month grant, a dependent may be eligible to receive an air ticket if she/he remains with the grantee at least 80% of the time. Applicants must return to Bangladesh immediately upon completion of their research or teaching assignments. Upon successful completion of the grant, all grantees are required to report to the American Center and submit their research findings in writing.
The deadline for submitting the online application and all required documents is Saturday, December 7, 2019. After a review of proposals, short-listed candidates will be called to the American Center Dhaka for an interview.
For further information, please contact Cultural Affairs Specialist, Ms. Raihana Sultana, at the American Center at SultanaR1@state.gov .
We look forward to receiving exceptional proposals.
