Fulbright-Schuman - 2025-26 Grants for EU Citizens

The Fulbright Schuman Program is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Belgiumand is jointly financed by the U.S. Department of State and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission. Grants can be awarded to candidates from any of the 27 EU member states for a period up to one academic year (9 months) and are open to all academic fields, however, the topic of research must have a strong EU component. 

GRANTS FOR (PRE)DOCTORAL RESEARCH (STUDENTS)

• Citizenship in an EU Member State
• Proficiency in English
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree
• Academic/professional experience of 3+ months in two or more EU Member States recommended
• Academic excellence generally defined as a distinction in each year of study or in the final year of study; please note that candidates without these grades are still encouraged to apply if they have outstanding personal or professional backgrounds
• Factors that may make an applicant ineligible for the Fulbright Schuman Program include: current employment/traineeship at the European Commission, strong professional ties to European institutions, current or former residence in the United States, and lack of experience outside of home country. No candidate may receive Fulbright Schuman funding in concurrence with other EC funding (e.g. Marie Curie) for the same activity. 

GRANTS FOR POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH AND LECTURING (SCHOLARS)

• Citizenship in an EU Member State
• Proficiency in English
• Minimum of a doctoral degree (PhD)
• Academic/professional experience of 3+ months in two or more EU Member States recommended
• Academic excellence or outstanding personal/professional background
• Factors that may make an applicant ineligible for the Fulbright Schuman Program include: current employment/traineeship at the European Commission, strong professional ties to European institutions, current or former residence in the United States, and lack of experience outside of home country. No candidate may receive Fulbright Schuman funding in concurrence with other EC funding (e.g. Marie Curie) for the same activity. 

GRANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS

• Citizenship in an EU Member State
• Proficiency in English
• Candidates do not need to hold a PhD but must have a Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience in the field of international education
• Academic/professional experience of 3+ months in two or more EU Member States recommended
• Academic excellence or outstanding personal/professional background
• Factors that may make an applicant ineligible for the Fulbright Schuman Program include: current employment/traineeship at the European Commission, strong professional ties to European institutions, current or former residence in the United States, and lack of experience outside of home country. Current officials of Community institutions are not eligible to apply. No candidate may receive Fulbright Schuman funding in concurrence with other EC funding (e.g. Marie Curie) for the same activity. 

GRANTS FOR INNOVATION

• This award will give preference to proposals focused on EU or U.S.-EU approaches to innovative technologies and business models and their integration with new and existing policies and regulations. Successful proposals should address research topics focusing on the intersection of technological innovation and policy, such as but not limited to data privacy and protection. The policy-oriented research funded by this grant should be of common importance for the U.S.-EU relationship and/or EU affairs and tenable in any one or two EU Member States. Candidates are responsible for arranging their own affiliation at a U.S. university or non-profit research institution.
• It is not required for candidates to have developed a new technology; the purpose of the grant is for candidates to explore the nexus of policy and technology. How can the U.S. and EU work together to adapt to the challenges and opportunities created by new technologies? There is no template for the ideal candidate; it is up to each applicant to demonstrate their expertise and the relevance of their work to this grant opportunity through their application. 

Benefits

• Scholarship of up to 2000 euro per month (USD equivalent)
• J-1 visa sponsorship
• Pre-Departure Orientation in Belgium or at local Fulbright Commission
• Travel stipend of 2000 euro (USD equivalent)
• Sickness and accident insurance
• In-country programming (e.g. Gateway Orientations, Enrichment Seminars)
• Prestigious title and access to alumni network