These grants allow highly qualified academics affiliated with Austrian institutions to visit US host institutions for a minimum of two and a maximum of four months for the purpose of teaching, research, career development, or institutional collaboration. Ideally, projects address two or more of these aspects.

Grantees will visit a US institution to share their expertise, establish or strengthen institutional ties, gain international experience, and learn about US-American culture while building capacity at their host institution. Grantees are competitively selected based on their academic qualifications, teaching and research experience and motivation, skill sets, and ability to make a significant contribution to both their home and host institution. They should also be prepared to share information about Fulbright Austria opportunities at their home and host institutions.

While applicants from all fields are eligible, Fulbright Austria especially encourages proposals that fulfill the mission of the Fulbright Program and contribute to the better understanding of the relationship between Austria and the United States on a cultural, educational, and institutional level. Fulbright Austria welcomes proposals that reach out to underserved populations and/or contribute to knowledge transfer (“science to public”).

Purpose of the Visit

Fulbright Austria is particularly interested in applications that promote the mutual understanding between Austria and the US and advance collaboration between Austrian and US institutions, i.e. in comparative research questions, transcultural topics, projects with bilateral relevance, collaborative research, and institutional development.

The project proposal should thus address:

• the potential impact of the project

• the applicant's contribution to the development of new or strengthening of existing institutional collaborations and networks

• the applicant's motivation to teach in the US, engage in joint research and US-American (institutional) culture, and serve as an ambassador for Austrian academia

As the grantee's home and host institution both benefit from this collaboration, Fulbright Austria expects the institution to support grantees in covering costs incurred as a result of the institutional collaboration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Austrian citizenship

• Ph.D. or similar qualification

• substantial teaching and/or research experience, or artistic qualification

• excellent English skills

Grant Benefits

• flexible grant period of 2-4 months

• maintenance grant of USD 2,500 per month

• lump-sum travel grant of EUR 1,500

• health and accident insurance coverage under the auspices of the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) of max. USD 100.000 per incident.

• J-1 visa for exchange visitors (please note that J-1 visa holders in the "Professor/Research Scholar" category are subject to specific regulations, such as the 2-year home residency and a 24-month bar. During this period, it is possible to re-enter the U.S. on a tourist visa, but not on a "temporary working visa" or an "immigrant visa.")

Not covered are

• "affiliation fees," "service fees" or similar fees which some U.S. institutions require visiting scholars to pay in order to receive visiting scholar status and/or get access to libraries, laboratories, IT-services, etc. Fulbright Austria recommends that you contact your prospective host institution's International Office and ask them if visiting scholars are subject to such fees.

• costs of a university health plan which the host institution might require visiting scholars to purchase.

Application Materials

• project proposal (approx. 5 pages) and syllabi (if teaching is a component of the visit)

• curriculum vitae

• a letter of invitation from an accredited US institution that confirms the institution's ability to host the applicant and their interest in institutional collaboration. The letter should also include a commitment to cost-sharing or in-kind contributions

• a letter of support from the applicant’s home institution. The letter should evaluate the potential for a collaboration between the home and host institutions as well as the applicant’s suitability to be an ambassador of Austrian academia and of Fulbright Austria. The letter should also reflect the home institution’s commitment to support and facilitate the applicant’s visit to the US

• three letters of reference

Please note that

• Research/Teaching  stays that begin before the start academic year can only be considered under exceptional circumstances. Applicants who plan a stay during the semester breaks need to explain their reasons in their application

• applications in the field of medicine cannot be considered, with the exception of public health and similar disciplines

• it is not possible to be funded through Fulbright whilst receiving a stipend from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) or the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).

Please submit your complete application online.

If you have questions about the program or the application process, please contact Dr. Susanne Hamscha.