Fulbright

The Franco-American Fulbright Commission was established in 1948 to foster leadership, learning, and empathy between the United States and France. Today the Commission provides grants for its laureates to study and to conduct research in the United States or in France, thanks to the joint funding by the French government, through the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, and the American government through the Department of State. The Commission also works with other private and public partners in France, including regional councils, to increase access to the opportunities that it offers.

In addition to our programs for post-undergraduate and Master’s level students, we offer grants to American scientists, academics, experienced professionals and artists, and doctoral candidates in all fields to pursue research and/or teaching projects in France.

POST-DOCTORAL GRANTS

We have two opportunities specifically for post-doctoral positions.

  • Fulbright-EHESS Post-Doctoral Award in Social Sciences
    • Location: Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in Paris
    • Fields: Social sciences and cognitive science
    • Public: Open to junior academics (Ph.D. required prior to beginning the grant)
    • Length: 12 months
    • Benefits: Approximately €2,500 per month before taxes, with social benefits
  • Fulbright-Hauts-de-France Regional Award (Junior Research)
    • Location: A university or research center in the Hauts-de-France region: Lille, Amiens, Dunkerque, Arras, Beauvais, Valenciennes, Compiègne…
    • Fields: Any field
    • Public: No longer a separate award. All regional awards are open to junior scholars.
    • Length: Up to 12 months
    • Benefits: €2,400-€2,800 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200

 

GRANTS FOR SCHOLARS

Regional Grant Programs

We offer grants to pursue research projects in any of three exciting regions in France, in partnership with the regional councils.

  • Grand Est Regional Award
    • Location: A university or research center in the Grand Est region: Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Reims, Metz, Nancy, Troyes, Châlons-en-Champagne….
    • Fields: Priority given to projects focusing on digital, industrial, and environmental/energy transition
    • Public: Open to all levels of scholars, including early career (Ph.D. required)
    • Length: 3-12 months
    • Benefits: €3000 per month
  • Hauts-de-France Regional Award
    • Location: A university or research center in the Hauts-de-France region: Lille, Amiens, Dunkerque, Arras, Beauvais, Valenciennes, Compiègne…
    • Fields: Any field
    • Public: Open to all levels of scholars, including early career (Ph.D. required). One award is specifically for a scholar at the post-doctoral level.
    • Length: 3-12 months
    • Benefits: €3000 per month
  • Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Award
    • Location: A university or research center in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region: Bordeaux, Poitiers, Limoges, Pau, La Rochelle…
    • Fields: Any field
    • Public: Open to all levels of scholars, including early career (Ph.D. required)
    • Length: 3-9 months
    • Benefits: €3000 per month

 

For more information, and for an idea of particularly strong research fields and potential host institutions in the respective regions, see: https://fulbright-france.org/en/fulbright-grants-us-citizens/us-scholar-program/regional-programs

 

Grants for Research at Specific Institutions

We offer grants to pursue research projects at specific host institutions in France.

 

Distinguished Chair

Jointly funded with the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chair allows for eminent U.S. scholars to engage in a teaching and research project in partnership with a French institution of higher learning.

  • Location: Any recognized French institution of higher education
  • Fields: Any field
  • Public: Recognition as a scholar and teacher with rank of associate or full professor is required
  • Length: 6 months
  • Benefits: €6100-6500 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200

See: https://fulbright-france.org/en/fulbright-grants-us-citizens/us-scholar-program/fulbright-tocqueville-distinguished-chair-award

 

National Grant Program

We also propose grants for research projects in any field at any French research center or institution of higher education.

  • All Disciplines – Research Scholars
    • Location: Any French research center or institution of higher education
    • Fields: Any field
    • Public: Open to all levels of scholars, including early career (Ph.D. or other terminal degree required)
    • Length: 3-6 months
    • Benefits: €2400-2800 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200
  • French Studies (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences)
    • Location: Any French research center or institution of higher education
    • Fields: Arts, Humanities and Social Science
    • Public: Professionals, Academics (all levels including early career)
    • Length: 3-6 months
    • Benefits: €2600-3000 per month

 

GRANTS FOR DOCTORAL CANDIDATES

We have several grant opportunities for American doctoral candidates enrolled at a U.S. university.

  • Fulbright-University of Bordeaux Doctoral Research Awards
    • Location: An institution or research unit attached to the University of Bordeaux
    • Fields: Any of the disciplines represented at the University of Bordeaux and the University Bordeaux Montaigne’s doctoral schools
    • Public: Doctoral candidates enrolled at a U.S. university
    • Length: 10 months
    • Benefits: €1,400 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200
  • Fulbright-Université Paris-Saclay Doctoral Research Awards
    • Location: An institution or research unit attached to the Université Paris-Saclay
    • Fields: Any of the disciplines represented at the Université Paris-Saclay
    • Public: Doctoral candidates enrolled at a U.S. university
    • Length: 10 months
    • Benefits: €1,600 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200
  • Fulbright-Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) Paris-Saclay Awards
    • Location: A laboratory, research unit, or department at ENS Paris-Saclay
    • Fields: Any field represented at ENS Paris-Saclay
    • Public: Doctoral candidates enrolled at a U.S. university
    • Length: 9 months
    • Benefits: €1,600 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200
    • Note: This grant also supports students enrolled in Master’s degrees at ENS Paris-Saclay.
  • All Disciplines – Doctoral Candidates
    • Location: Any recognized French institution of higher education
    • Fields: Any field, including the hard sciences
    • Public: Doctoral candidates enrolled at a U.S. university
    • Length: 9 months
    • Benefits: €1,400-1,600 per month plus a travel allowance of €1,200

 

Application Procedure

Interested candidates must file an application with the program’s partner institution in the United States, the Institute for International Education (IIE).

For research scholars (post-doctoral level and up): https://www.cies.org/program/fulbright-us-scholar-program

For students (post-Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctoral level): https://us.fulbrightonline.org/

Finalists’ applications are sent to the Franco-American Fulbright Commission for selection by a binational committee.

For more information, see our website: https://fulbright-france.org/en

 QUOTES

“I am better connected with major scientists in my field, have a clearer perspective on how my work fits into the current state of knowledge, and have new ideas about where to go next in my career. Science relies on global collaborations more than ever, and international fellowship programs like Fulbright ensure that U.S. scientists will continue to play a prominent role in future developments.”

-Logan Rand, Fulbright 2016 (doctoral candidate in geochemistry)

“The Fulbright grant has given me the opportunity to study and work alongside the lead experts in the area of Bioprocess Engineering. Through open exchange, collaborations and interactions, I have been able to diversify my skill set as a Bioprocess Engineer while also building a network of potential partners for future collaborations. More than ever, I feel well grounded in my training/expertise and I am ready to launch into my career.”

-Ezinne Achinivu, Fulbright 2017 (Research Scholar in the Grand Est region)

“The Fulbright is not just a research grant, but also an opportunity to expand one’s horizons in unanticipated ways. The connections with the host culture and with the other fellows have made me a better scholar, and a better citizen of the world.”

-Douglas Kibbee, Fulbright 2015 (Research Scholar in French Studies)