Fulbright-NATO Security Studies Award

As part of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, the Fulbright-NATO Security Studies Award aims to foster awareness and understanding of NATO and to increase the level of debate on peace, security, and defense related issues. This award funds European post-doctoral researchers, professors and professionals to conduct research and/or lecture at a U.S. institution for a period of three months in fields of study with a connection to NATO, including but not limited to cybersecurity, military history, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, peace and security, security studies, and transatlantic studies. Applicants must present a letter of affiliation from an accredited university or non-profit research institution and must demonstrate in their Project Statement that their proposed research/course is relevant to NATO.

Benefits

• Scholarship of up to 3000 euro per month (max. 9000 euro for 3 months/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 benefits
• In-country programming
• Prestigious title and access to alumni network

Eligibility

• Citizenship in an EU Member State that also holds NATO membership (view list of NATO member countries)
• Proficiency in English
• Minimum of a doctoral degree (PhD) or other terminal degree
• Academic/professional experience of 3+ months in two or more EU Member States is recommended
• Academic excellence or outstanding personal or professional background

Required documents

• Americanized CV
• 3-5 page single-spaced Project Statement
• 1-3 page Bibliography of References relevant to the proposed research
• Diploma of most recent degree including transcripts with completed coursework. (certified translation in English unless the original documents are in Dutch, French or German)
• Three letters of recommendation (uploaded directly into online application by chosen recommenders)
• Letter of affiliation from a U.S. host institution; this letter should contain the institution’s letterhead, mention the exact dates (or academic term), the objective of your research stay as well as any facilities you will have access to during your grant

All these documents must be included in your application by December 1. Please note that we do not require supplemental forms such as a letter from your home institution or official test results (e.g. TOEFL).

How to apply

The application period to apply for this grant is between September 15 and December 1, 2022 for a research and/or lecturing stay starting in the academic year of 2023-2024. Note that the 3-month program must take place between August and December 2023!

Every applicant needs to complete an online application in English by noon (Central European Time) on December 1 including the required documents. No papers should be mailed to our office and it is not required for applicants to contact us before starting their application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for an award. When creating an online account to start a new application, preferably use a personal email address instead of a temporary work or school address.

When filling out the initial fields of the online application in the ‘Preliminary Questions’ section, applicants MUST select ‘European Union (Schuman)’ as the Program Country. This indicates that you are applying for a Fulbright Schuman award and ensures that your application is sent to our office and not to a different Fulbright Commission. In the ‘Country Information’ section you also need to specify that you are applying for the Fulbright-NATO Security Studies Award. We strongly encourage you to send us an email after submitting your application to make sure that our office has received your application for the Fulbright Schuman Program.

Keep in mind that the primary goal of this award is to foster awareness and understanding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to increase the level of debate on peace, security, and defense related issues at institutions of higher education in the United States and Europe. Research and/or lecturing proposals should have a strong connection to NATO, including but not limited to cybersecurity, military history, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, peace and security, security studies, and transatlantic studies.

Candidates are responsible for arranging affiliation on their own with an accredited U.S. university or non-profit research institution (e.g. research institutions or facilities, think tanks). The most competitive applicants for Fulbright awards demonstrate ambassadorial qualities and a genuine interest in cultural exchange. It is important for candidates to be able to articulate a clear, creative, and feasible plan for their time in the United States and to explain why right now is the right time to pursue this plan and how their grant will ultimately help them achieve their personal and professional goals in the future. The Commission is looking for candidates who will have a multiplier effect within their U.S. and European communities and who wish to ultimately return to the European Union to share their newfound knowledge and experience after their grant has ended.