Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP) - Program and Curriculum Development Grants (2027-2028)

Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP) - Program and Curriculum Development Grants (2027-2028) is sponsored by U.S. Embassy in Tanzania / Fulbright Program. These awards are for African university faculty or administrators to conduct research in any academic discipline at a U. S.

**2027-2028 FULBRIGHT AFRICAN RESEARCH SCHOLAR PROGRAM (ARSP)** **Deadline for Applications: April 17****th****, 2026** **Applications must be completed online**at:https://apply. iie.

org/fvsp2027 The Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP)provides an opportunity for senior academics and scholars, primarily those who already have their PhD degree (or equivalent), to conduct postdoctoral research and lecturing at U.S. universities and colleges for between three and nine months.

Preference is given to applicants who provide strong justification for undertaking their research in the United States, i.e., the need for access to research facilities or materials not readily available elsewhere. Awards are offered in the physical sciences, the social sciences and the humanities.

**Degree Objective and Grant Duration** Two categories of grants are offered in the Visiting Scholar Program: research grants and program and curriculum development 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 2027 and no later than March 2028.

Applicants must hold a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in their fields at the time of application**. Postdoctoral research will not be supported under the****research****grant**. 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 develop programs and curricula in any academic discipline at a U.S. academic or research institution beginning no earlier than August 2027 and no later than March 2028.

Proposals must 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** The 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.

Applicants must be citizens of the country from which they apply, or permanent residents qualified to hold a valid passport issued by that country. * Applicants for research grants must hold a doctorate degree or equivalent terminal degree in their fields. Preference is given to individuals who have at least three years of university teaching experience and a productive scholarly record.

* Applicants without doctorate degrees but who hold a master’s or equivalent graduate degree are eligible in the program and curriculum development category. * 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.

* Preference will be given to candidates who have had no experience or limited experience in the U.S. Post should confirm that a nominated candidate is not scheduled to be in the U.S. on another academic program immediately before the proposed start of the Fulbright grant. * **Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in English to carry out their research projects and collaborate effectively with colleagues**.

TOEFL exams are not required, but the Embassy may choose to institute local English language testing, if necessary, to evaluate applicants’ language skills. At a minimum,the Embassy should evaluate English-language proficiency through a documented interview conducted in-person or by videoconferencing, or by telephone if videoconferencing is not a viable option; * Applicants must be in good health.

Successful candidates will be asked to submit a Medical History and Examination Report. * Scholars who were unsuccessful in previous competitions may re-apply. Repeat applicants should revise their proposals, update curriculum vitae, and obtain current letters of reference.

Awards provide international travel for the grantee to and from the host institution in the United States, a monthly stipend, a one-time settling-in allowance, a one-time professional allowance, and insurance coverage. Laboratory fees are not part of the standard benefits package for the African Research Scholar Program 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. One of the most important components of the Fulbright African Research Scholar Program is a formal affiliation at a U.S. university or research institution.

In many cases, applicants are in contact with colleagues at U.S. institutions and have made preliminary plans for their own placements by securing a letter of invitation from the prospective host institution.

However, if you are unable to make these preliminary contacts, you are strongly encouraged to identify three institutions that have appropriate facilities for the kind of project you wish to undertake and faculty members specializing in your research interests. Please indicate the rationale for your preferences. Applicants are discouraged from requesting affiliation with an alma mater/previous host institution.

For candidates selected for awards, the Institute for International Education(IIE) will honor institutional preferences as far as possible. Applicants unfamiliar with U.S. institutions may rely on IIE to recommend suitable placements. Please be advised that placement assistance often requires additional time and may dela the initial anticipated start date.

**Process and Selection Criteria** Fulbright African Research Scholar Program Grants are highly competitive, and several stages of review are necessary to make the final selection of participants. Applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria outlined above to be considered. Applications are due **on Friday**,**April 1**7 th,2026.

Qualified candidates will be interviewed in English by the U.S. Embassy Selection Committee in June. Completed applications will be sent to Washington, D. C.

for final approval in late September. Fulbright grantees will be announced in March 2027. **To Submit an Application** Applications must be submitted using the Slate Application for Visiting Scholar system, accessible at.

4. Before completing and submitting an application, read the instructions carefully. **All application materials must be in English or accompanied by certified English translations.

**A complete application package will include: * Online Application Form:https://apply. iie. org/fvsp2027.

The entire application must be submitted online. When entering a new application, select the correct cycle**: 2027-2028 Fulbright African Research Program**. * Indication of the type of grant sought(research or program and curriculum development).

The Fulbright Program will assign scholars who do not indicate a preference to the appropriate category. * Detailed project statement of proposed teaching and/or research to be carried out in the United States. * Detailed curriculum vitae.

* Three reference letters. * Letter of invitation (if available). * Copy of TOEFL or IELTS score report (if previously taken).

* Photocopy of the biographical data page of your passport or photo identification (B. I.) It is not necessary to contact the U.S. Embassy before submitting your application.

When submitting applications, candidates will be required to read, accept, and adhere to the following information pertaining to plagiarism: The Fulbright African Research 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 African Research 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.

**AI Note**: Some US universities and colleges have developed and published policies on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on applications for admission or affiliation with their institution. Some institutions may scan applications for the use of language produced by GenAI.

While individual institutional policies range widely and policy responses from US universities will continue to evolve, copying language/content produced by GenAI directly into your application may negatively impact affiliation decisions **Deadline to Apply:Friday, April 17****th****, 2026. ** Selected semi-finalists will be required to provide certified copies and translations of all documents.

**Due to the anticipated volume of applications received, we will not forward explanations to applicants not selected for the program**. For more information on the Fulbright Program or for announcements of upcoming events, e-mail MaputoExchangePrograms@state. gov , visit our Facebook page at http://www.

facebook. com/U.S.EmbassyMozambique, or visit https://fulbrightscholars. org/non-us-scholars