Fulbright
Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Fellowships
Fulbright NICS Research Fellowships of $25,000 (covering
travel, accommodation, general living costs and associated
research fees) are granted to senior civil servants
in Northern Ireland to pursue research for between three
and six months, affiliated with a relevant US institution.
Given the relatively short nature of the programme,
proposals should focus on research and assessing best
practice rather than gaining a qualification. Expenditure
must be accounted for through the production of receipts
upon return to the UK.
The award may begin at any time between 1 August 2008
and 30 April 2009.
On return to the UK, each fellow will be required to
submit a report on their findings to the Fulbright Commission
and their Permanent Secretary, and may be asked to give
a formal presentation to colleagues within the Northern
Ireland Civil Service.
Deadline
The
2008-2009 competition is now closed. Please check
back in May/June 2008 for announcement of the 2009-2010
competition.
(The
deadline for application for Fulbright NICS Research
Fellowship for academic year 2008/09 was Tuesday,
1 April 2008.)
Selection Criteria
• Fulbright
awards are offered to UK citizens (regardless of where
they currently reside) only. Non-UK citizens are required
to apply through the Commission
in their country of citizenship. Dual UK citizens
must apply in the country in which they currently
reside; if not resident in either country then applications
must be made through the Commission in the country
in which they have resided the longest period of time.
• Candidates holding, or entitled to hold, American
citizenship including those
with dual US-UK citizenship are
not eligible to apply.
•
Open to Northern Ireland Civil Servants of grade 7/A
or above.
• Letters of invitation from US institution(s)
should be included with the application where possible.
• Applications must be endorsed by candidates'
Permanent Secretary.
•
Two references must accompany the application to be
considered complete. One should come from within the
Civil Service, and the other from outside the Civil
Service.
PLEASE
NOTE: The Fulbright Commission is unable to comment
or provide any feedback on individual applications
or the reason for their refusal.
Restrictions
• Accommodation on campus may be sought with
the assistance of the Fulbright Commission and its
partner organisations in the US, but is not guaranteed.
• Three years must elapse from the date of return
from the US before an applicant may be considered
eligible for another Fulbright grant.
Visas
Successful
applicants will be issued with a J-1 visa with the
assistance of the Fulbright Commission. This is the
only type of visa that Fulbright scholars may use
to enter the United States of America. The present
rules governing the J-1 visa impose certain restrictions
upon recipients of a United States government grant
under an exchange visitor programme. Fulbright scholarships
are a part of this programme. Candidates should note
that on completion of their study programme, they
will be required to return to their home country for
a cumulative total of two years to be eligible to
apply for an immigrant or temporary worker's visa
or for permanent residence in the United States. Tourist
travel to the United States is not affected by this
rule.
The
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Affairs (BCIS)
of the United States grants separate visas for spouses,
children and co-habiting partners of J-1 exchange
visitors. For information please visit the US
Embassy website.
Applicants that choose to take family members along
to the United States during the term of the Fellowship
understand that their maintenance will not be the
responsibility of the Fulbright Commission.
Fulbright NICS Fellowships are given for a maximum
of 6 months.
Selection Procedure
A committee of experts in this field will review all
applications submitted by the closing date. The committee
reserves to itself the right to determine the validity
of all applications and not give reasons for its conclusions.
The
offer of a Fulbright Award is conditional upon the
formal approval of the J William Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board (FSB) in Washington DC. This approval
can take several weeks to obtain.
Applications
Download
your application form here. (Word
document 08/09)
What Happens Next?
•
Do not send your application to the Fulbright Commission.
Applications for the Fulbright NICS Fellowship scheme
should be made to: Jenny
Lynn, Centre for Applied Learning, Bankmore House
62-66 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7FH.
• After shortlisting, applicants will be notified
of the status of their application.
• Interviews are scheduled for the week commencing
Monday, 21 April 2008 and will take place in Belfast.
Interviews may not be rescheduled and telephone interviews
will not be made. If you are making an application
please keep this week free.
• After the interviews, candidates will be notified
within 10 days of the result.
• The successful candidate will be invited to
attend a 2-day pre-departure orientation programme
in London in mid-June 2008. Travel and accommodation
costs for this will be covered by the Fulbright Commission.
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