Application Timeline: February 15- May 15,2023
Application link: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2024

1. PROGRAM INFORMATION 

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program (FVSP) also called the Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP) is a research fellowship award grants to Djiboutian academics or professionals to conduct advanced research at U.S. institutions. The selection process and final award of grants are extremely competitive. Two categories of grants are offered under The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program:  Research Grants, and Program and Curriculum Development Grants.

• Research Grants:

Awards of 3 to 9 months are offered for African university faculty or research institute professionals to conduct research in any academic discipline at a U.S. academic or research institution beginning no earlier than August 2024 and no later than March 2025.  Applicants must hold a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in their fields at the time of application.  Preference will be given to individuals who have at least three years of university teaching experience and a productive scholarly record.

• Program and Curriculum Development Grants:

Awards of 3 to 5 months are offered for African university faculty or administrators to conduct research in any academic discipline at a U.S. academic or research institution beginning no earlier than August 2024 and no later than March 2025.  Proposals should be linked to professional duties and demonstrate how the scholar will use the knowledge gained to develop new courses, curricula, or other academic programs at the home institution.  These grants are designed for university faculty or administrators with less experience and who may not have had recent access to research or instructional developments in their disciplines.  A doctorate degree is not required, but applicants must hold a minimum of a master’s or equivalent graduate degree at the time of application.  

2.   ELIGIBILITY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Applicants must be citizens of Djibouti
• Applicants should be an employee of a Djiboutian University
• The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program ARSP is open to scholars in all disciplines and without regard to gender or age; however, proposals for clinical medical research involving patient contact cannot be approved under the Fulbright Program.
• Applications for doctoral dissertation research, postdoctoral research immediately following the completion of a doctorate degree, or general professional travel, are ineligible.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright scholar grant and have had no experience or limited experience in the United States.
• Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in English to carry out their research projects and collaborate effectively with colleagues. TOEFL exams are not required.
• Each application must include three letters of reference.
• Letters of invitation from U.S. academic or research institutions are strongly encouraged but not required. Applicants unfamiliar with U.S. institutions may request that the Institute of International Education (IIE) identify suitable placements.
• If placement assistance is expected, it is critical that applicants provide a detailed project statement that clearly outlines their research objectives and addresses why their research needs to take place in the United States. The project statement details will be referenced to help facilitate the placement process.
• Scholars must indicate the grant category for which they are applying (research or program and curriculum development).  IIE will assign scholars who do not indicate a preference to an appropriate category.
• Laboratory fees are not part of the standard benefits package for the ARSP and are awarded on a limited, case-by-case basis, and only if funding is available. Applicants with letters of invitation indicating potential laboratory fees should be encouraged to seek supplemental funding.

 3. PLAGIARISM POLICY

When submitting applications, candidates will be required to read, accept, and adhere to the following information pertaining to plagiarism:

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program seeks applicants whose writing achieves highest academic standards of original research, writing, and citation.  The program application includes the opportunity to describe your academic work and research.  Application materials will be processed using software to help identify any instance of plagiarism.  Plagiarism in any part of your application will result in your disqualification from participation in the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program. 

ECA and IIE will follow the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of plagiarism:  Plagiarism is the wrongful appropriation or purloining and publication as one’s own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas, of another.  It is expected that your project proposal will be your own work and writing, clearly citing secondary sources when describing the academic work and writing of others (including one’s own previously published work).  Any sources used in the construction of your responses must be clearly cited in your project statement and bibliography

 

Application Timeline: February 15-May 15,2023
Application link: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2024

1. GRANT OBJECTIVE AND DURATION
Non-degree research (Visiting Researcher): Participation in an academic year (9-10 months) non-degree research program. (Grants are not renewable). VSR candidates should be enrolled in a PhD Program at the time of application submission and at the start of their program.

2.  ACADEMIC AND LTE PLACEMENTS
Academic placements are arranged by IIE in consultation with ECA/A/E/AF. Budget, tuition, and related costs are important factors. Consideration may be given to a candidate’s university preference; however, an application will not be submitted to a preferred school if admissions requirements are not met, if the institution does not offer an appropriate program, or if the cost of the program is prohibitive and university cost-share is not common.

IIE will arrange placements for Visiting Student Researchers (VSR). VSRs should identify U.S. university professors with whom they wish to work. IIE will handle the communication with the U.S. university on behalf of the VSR. VSRs are not eligible to take classes at the U.S. institution at which they are assigned. VSR candidates should be enrolled in a PhD Program at the time of application submission and at the start of their program.

3. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
One-way economy class airfare from the grantee’s home to the U.S. destination.  ECA revised the travel allowance policy–students will now receive their allowance in their initial stipend payment.

4. PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Grantees should be issued a J-1 visa under the G-1-1 Program.

5. SELECTION CRITERIA:
Competition is open for the following study fields:  Science, engineering, technology, , agriculture/food science, economics, environmental science, , public administration/policy, public health, and tourism.

• Applicants must be citizens or nationals of Djibouti
• Applicants must be DOCTORAL OR PHD students who have completed a significant amount of their doctoral program in Djiboutian universities and have the endorsement of their home institution.

Note: MASTERS and First-Degree applicants are NOT qualified to apply for this program.

• Applicants must have an outstanding academic record and high level of English proficiency.
• Applicants must take the TOEFL exam .
• Applicants must meet the minimum score on required standardized tests (TOEFL: a score of 90)
• Applicants must have high motivation and a serious commitment to completing the program as scheduled and to returning home.
• Only applicants with strong proposals, outlining their research objectives, methodology, time-frame, and justification for conducting the research in the U.S. will be short-listed for interviews.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have not studied in the U.S.

6. FUNDING
The Fulbright Program provides a living allowance to assist with the cost of living. The allowance amount depends on where the grantee will be carrying out their program. You can review attached stipend amounts for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program (VSRs). The column titled “MMR Student” is the stipend rate for the corresponding institution.