Fulbright Senior Specialists Programme

Number of Awards: 6

Grant Activity: The Fulbright Senior Specialist Programme is designed to provide US academic faculty and professionals with opportunities for collaboration with British counterparts on curriculum and faculty development, institutional planning and a variety of other activities. The programme offers grants for visits ranging from two to six weeks.


Grantees may (but are not limited to):

• Conduct needs assessments, surveys, institutional or programmatic research
• Take part in specialised academic programmes and conferences in conjunction with other scheduled activities
• Consult with administrators and instructors of post-secondary institutions on faculty development
• Present lectures at graduate and undergraduate levels
• Participate in or lead seminars or workshops at overseas academic institutions
• Develop and/or assess academic curricula or educational materials
• Conduct teacher-training programs at the tertiary level

Note: Research is not funded via the Fulbright Senior Specialists Programme.

Eligible Fields:

Stipend: Grants include trans-Atlantic travel and a $200 per day honorarium.

Note: The Host Institution is expected to cover in-country costs for accommodation, meals and transportation.

Restrictions: Fulbright Senior Specialists who hold dual US/UK citizenship are ineligible to apply to this programme via the US-UK Fulbright Commission. Once the award period is set, no extensions or alterations to it may be made.

Note: Alumni of the Fulbright Programme are eligible to apply at any time; the normal three-year rule of ineligibility will not apply.

Dependants: The Commission cannot offer maintenance for dependants. Candidates must ensure they have sufficient funds to support accompanying family members during their stay.

Accommodation: The Commission does not take responsibility for the provision of accommodation. This must be arranged with the host institution.

Length of Grant: 2 to 6 weeks. This can be spread out over a 12 month period, though single visits are preferred.

How to Apply for a Fulbright Senior Specialist: The Head of the university department requesting a Fulbright Senior Specialist should complete an application form and return it to the Awards Dept at the US-UK Fulbright Commission. Application forms are available from programmes@fulbright.co.uk and should be submitted at last 3 months before the grant period is scheduled to begin.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission works with the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) in Washington DC to process applications for Fulbright Senior Specialists.

Fulbright Senior Specialist Roster

The Fulbright Senior Specialist Programme differs from the traditional Fulbright Scholar or Fellow competitions in that the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) holds a roster of specialists in a variety of fields. Membership of this roster is through an open application process. Applicants to the roster must be approved by a specialist peer review committee and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. When a university in the UK requests a Fulbright Senior Specialist through the US-UK Fulbright Commission, a match is found from the roster and the Senior Specialist is contacted to ascertain interest and availability. In matching Specialists with grant opportunities, preference will be given to those with the most relevant professional experience. Alternatively, the UK university may request a specific person from the roster.

Application to become a Fulbright Senior Specialist: The Fulbright Senior Specialist roster is open to qualified US scholars and professionals in the fields listed above. Applicants will be considered without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin and /or physical impairment.

Applicants must meet all of the following minimum eligibility requirements:

• US citizen at the time of application. Permanent resident status is not sufficient.

• For academics, a PhD or equivalent professional/terminal degree at the time of application plus a minimum of five years of post-doctoral teaching or professional experience in the relevant field.

• For professionals and artists outside an educational environment, recognised professional standing and substantial professional accomplishment and a minimum five years’ professional experience in the relevant field

Note: Senior Specialists work with colleagues at overseas academic institutions. In the application, professionals and artists outside of an academic institution should highlight: i) experience as a college/university teacher or trainer and/or ii) the benefits of their experience to a host academic institution.

• Disclosure of prior conviction or current indictment for commission of a felony. Prior conviction or current indictment may result in disqualification.
To apply to be listed on the Fulbright Senior Specialists Roster, please contact CIES:

Council for International Exchange of Scholars: 3007 Tilden Street, NW Suite 5M, Washington DC, 20008-3009, USA. Website: www.cies.org.

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