We are currently receiving applications for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program

 

What is the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program?

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar program is a non-degree research program funded through the U.S. Department of State for junior and senior researchers and university professors. Scholarships are available in all scientific fields to enable individuals to conduct research or lecture at an American university. It enables academic professionals from around the world to come to the United States and establish professional contacts in their scientific fields, work on academic publications, and forge lasting friendships with fellow researchers in the United States. By conducting research and pursuing other endeavors of scientific interest in a completely different environment, researchers return to their countries of origin scientifically and professionally invigorated.

The scholarship includes:

• A roundtrip international travel to the United States;
• a monthly maintenance allowance and funding for books and professional activities,
• A pre-university orientation program;
• Accident and sickness insurance not including pre-existing conditions or pregnancy;
• Allowance for field trips required by the program;
• Academic training.

The Fulbright Grant is not renewable.

Who can apply for this program? 

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to contribute to a complete and faithful image of the culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and thus contribute to the mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and the DRC. They must also show intercultural flexibility necessary to successfully adapt to life in the United States. Priority consideration is given to applicants with limited exposure to the U.S. in the past; applicants with a long stay in the United States in the past five years are not eligible to apply.

Applicants must:

• Be a Congolese citizen
• Possess English proficiency. A TOEFL test is required
• Hold a doctorate level degree or the equivalent level training or professional experience
• Demonstrate leadership and potential for advancement in their profession
• For professionals and artists working outside the academic field, have recognized professional experience and significant professional achievement, as well as a detailed statement of the proposed activity plan at an American institution
• Include a research project aimed at contributing to the advancement of knowledge in your field, that can be effectively studied within three to 12 months in the United States.
• Master appropriately the proposed teaching and / or research project to be carried out in the United States, IN ENGLISH.

NOTE: Applicants who have previously received a Fulbright Program grant for more than two months are not eligible to apply for another grant within five to six years from the date of termination of the previous grant, unless an exception has been granted. Fulbright Visiting Scholars travel to the U.S. on a J-1 visa, which requires the recipient to return to the DRC for at least two years, at the end of his program. The latter will still be able to travel to the United States for short stays. Grants are not primarily intended to attend conferences, finish doctoral theses, or conduct clinical medical research involving contact with patients.

Application Guidelines

Please include the following in your submission:

• A completed application form
• A detailed project statement
• A detailed curriculum vitae
• Three references (including one from your current employer confirming your employment),
• A copy of your highest degree or any document proving your equivalent professional expertise at the time of application.
• An invitation letter from a US university, if possible.

Please scan all the documents mentioned above and attach them to your application.

• Articles included in the application should be written IN ENGLISH.
• The application must be submitted ONLINE.
• On the application form, answers to the questions must respect the character limits. It is not possible to attach additional pages to answer these questions if your answers contain more characters than those provided in the form.
• Proofread your entire application before submitting it. The application must be free of grammatical and spelling errors.
• Treat the request as a unitary whole, with all the supporting pieces of the project declaration. The flow must be ordered: your abilities must be mentioned in the request, more documented in the curriculum vitae and confirmed in the references.

Tips for the application process:

Complete the application form carefully after reading the “Instructions for Completing the Application.” Make sure the reference reports are submitted promptly.  You must submit three references.  It is your responsibility to ensure that reference reports are submitted by the deadline so that references accompany the application throughout the entire review process. References should be from persons qualified to evaluate your professional work and proposal. At least one of the references should be from a specialist outside your university. References should provide evidence of your scholarly reputation within your discipline and must be written in English.  The Reference Report Form in the application packet suggests qualifications that the reference writer should address.  Submit detailed curriculum vitae.  The curriculum vitae should describe academic credentials and relevant achievements.

When composing your curriculum vitae, it is important to include the following: 

1. Education (universities attended, degrees held),
2. Positions held,
3. Courses taught and other services provided to students and the home institution,
4. Publications,
5. Other professional activities, such as workshops, seminars, and consultations,
6. Membership and activities in professional associations,
7. Professional honors, awards, and fellowships (relevant honors and awards),
8. Community service.

The application asks for similar information but provides limited space for answers.  In the curriculum vitae, you should expand upon these topics to display more completely your accomplishments.

Preparing the Project Statement
The project statement is the most important aspect of preparing the Fulbright application. Scholars with the most compelling, theoretically sound, well-written, feasible proposals are generally recommended for awards.  Sometimes those with outstanding professional achievements assume that a brief, general project statement will be sufficient.  But, to ensure a more complete application, your proposed project, as well as the strategy for completing it, should be thoroughly explained.

Factors to address in the project statement:
Clearly define your objectives and the methodology you will employ. Indicate whether you will use interviews, library or archival research, or laboratory experiments to accomplish your project.

 

Place your project in academic or professional context by referring to leading works by others on the topic if that information is available. Explain the significance of the project for the field and your own professional development.

 

Explain why residence in the United States is necessary for accomplishment of the project.  Comment, if applicable, on the adequacy or inadequacy of research facilities and library resources in your own country and on the need to use specific collections in the United States.

 

Describe arrangements you have made for affiliation or collaboration. Secure a letter of invitation from a U.S. host institution testifying to the merits and feasibility of the proposal.

 

Scholars who have studied previously in the United States should avoid seeking affiliation at their U.S. alma mater because candidates are encouraged to expand their contacts within the U.S. academic community.

 

Discuss how your project can be completed within the time you have available.  Describe your competence in English if you are not a native speaker. Proficiency in English is required for research awards in the United States.

Indicate how you will disseminate the results of your research both in the United States and in your home country.

Arrangements for Affiliation with a Host Institution       

One of the most important requirements of the Fulbright Scholar Program is a formal affiliation at a U.S. University or research institution. When determining which institutions to contact, do not limit yourself to only the most well-known U.S. universities. Many U.S. universities may not have an international reputation, but they often have appropriate facilities for scholars to conduct research. We have observed that scholars placed in these smaller and less well-known institutions often are given greater attention than their colleagues who are affiliated with more well-known universities.

Application link: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2024

Deadline : June 27, 2023

Questions ?  Email KinshasaExchange@state.gov

***Important note: Employees and their immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of the U.S. Department of State and of public or private organizations under contract of the U.S. Department of State are ineligible to apply for Fulbright-Hayes grants until one year after termination of such employment or contract.***