The 2027-2028 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program

The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission announces the annual Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award competition for Romanian professors, researchers and professionals who have a doctoral degree or equivalent (certified). Grants are available for conducting research and/or lecturing in the U.S. universities.

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar award for the academic year 2027-2028 provides international travel, a monthly stipend covering accommodation and living expenses, settling-in allowance, and ASPE (Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges) health benefits plan.

Eligible Fields: any field, except clinical medicine and other clinical disciplines.

Grant duration: minimum 3 months – maximum 6 months

Applicants must meet the following criteria:
  • hold Romanian citizenship; green card holders and persons with dual (Romanian and U.S.) citizenship are ineligible;
  • hold or expect to receive a PhD degree or equivalent (certified) in a relevant area before the departure to the U.S.;
  • show a proficiency in English corresponding to the proposed research or teaching project; English language proficiency results and/or TOEFL scores are not required; interviews will be conducted in English.
Note

Candidates already in the United States at the time of application and those who have resided in the U.S. for five or more years in the six-year period preceding the date of application are ineligible to apply. Preference will be given to those who have not had extensive recent research/teaching experience in the U.S. for more than one academic year (9 months) during the past five years. The preference for candidates without extensive previous experience in the U.S. applies at each stage of competition.

Each applicant will be required to submit:
  • an online application form: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2027 
  • a detailed statement of proposed activity for research and/or lecturing at a U.S. university, uploaded to the online application;
  • three letters of reference*, directly uploaded to the online application by recommenders or mailed as signed official paper copies (by November 5, 2026, postmarked); the letters of recommendation are also accepted via email (office@fulbright.ro) if they are sent directly by the recommenders, as scanned signed documents, no later than November 5, 2026.
  • a photocopy of the PhD diploma e-mailed to office@fulbright.ro;

*It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure recommenders submit on time to avoid an incomplete application.

Please refer to the complete online application
instructions here.

See Document
Important:
  • applicants are strongly encouraged to attach invitation letter(s) from potential U.S. host institution(s); if arrangements for an appointment or affiliation have not been confirmed, the applicant should list his/her preferences in priority order;
  • the letter of invitation from the U.S. host institution needs to be provided by mid-December 2026 and should consider the U.S. 2027-2028 academic year; please see the key components of the letter of invitation here; multiple affiliations are not recommended;
  • the sections allotted to alternate funding or financial support are not compulsory; applicants do not need to upload supporting documents to these sections;
  • a letter of support from home institution is not required;
  • applications or supporting materials, including references, received after the deadline will be deemed ineligible;
  • only online applications will be accepted; documents will not be returned.
Note

The Fulbright online application system is called Slate and is used by all Fulbright Commissions worldwide. Each Commission sets its own policies, procedures and country-specific instructions for filling out the online application. Before beginning an application carefully check the requirements included in this announcement and in the application instructions for Romanian citizens.

Application Deadline:
November 5, 2026, 23:59 (Romania’s local time)
AWARD BENEFITS
International travel: $1,800
Monthly stipend for accommodation and living expenses: between $3,164 and $4,805 per month, depending on the area's cost of living (amounts determined by U.S. experts)
Settling-in allowance: $1,393
Funding for professional activities depending on available funds: $840 for four months or less; / $1,285 for over four months
ASPE (Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges) Health Benefits Plan
J-1 visa sponsorship and administration
Dependent travel allowance: $1,800
Monthly dependent insurance allowance: $240 per month for one dependent; / $419 per month for two or more dependents
Dependent(s) must accompany the scholar for at least 80% of the exchange period in order to qualify for dependent benefits.
The dependent insurance allowance is intended to offset the costs of J-visa compliant insurance for sickness and accidents that scholars must purchase for their dependents. Daily living expenses for dependents are to be covered through the scholar’s personal funds.
Note: These estimated amounts are planned for the 2027–2028 academic year and are subject to change. Final grant amounts will be determined before the program begins and depend on funding availability.
Selection Steps
  • applications are pre-screened;
  • the assessment of the projects is performed by Fulbright alumni and leading Romanian and U.S. scholars in the respective fields of knowledge;
  • the applicants recommended by reviewers will be invited to an interview carried out by a bi-national panel, in January, 2027;
  • the nominated finalists are subject to final approval by the Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB);
  • see additional details about the selection steps here.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT US AT:
Email office@fulbright.ro
Phone 021 230 77 19
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Fulbrighter Global Network

FAQ VISITING SCHOLAR

How many Fulbright Visiting Scholar grants are awarded annually?

Approximately 10 Fulbright Visiting Scholar awards, depending on the yearly budget of the Commission. This means that the number of awards is not fixed and can vary depending on the available resources and tuition fees inflation.

What does the Fulbright Visiting Scholar award include?

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program offers a monthly stipend for accommodation and living expenses, accident/sickness insurance and a professional allowance. The award also covers the international travel costs to and from the U.S. (roundtrip ticket). An amount is also assigned if dependents accompany the grantee more than 80% of the length of the grant.

In addition, the Fulbright Commission offers all the grantees one day Orientation Program as pre-departure assistance. While in the U.S., the Fulbright grantees receive further support from the Council of International Exchanges of Scholars (CIES).

Is an invitation letter from the host university in the U.S. to Fulbright Visiting Scholar applicants required from the very beginning?

All Fulbright Visiting Scholar applicants are strongly encouraged to attach invitations from their U.S. host university from the very beginning. The presence of the invitation may add to the value of the application in terms of feasibility and significance of project. However the invitation may come after the deadline of application, no later than December.

Who reviews the applications and who is on the interview committee?

For the peer screening, the applications are reviewed by two specialists in their respective field (as a rule, an American and a Romanian specialist). The peer evaluation of the professional level of the applicant’s proposal is based on the following criteria: significance of the proposed theme to the field; importance of the project to the home country; clarity of the proposal; academic credentials; evidence that research/teaching in the U.S. is necessary to accomplish the project; feasibility of project in terms of available time and resources; plans to disseminate research findings or teaching experience upon return.

For the interview stage, a nomination committee composed of American and Romanian members will evaluate the candidates focusing on specific aspects such as motivation, adaptability, project impact and benefit for home country. As a rule, the committee members are senior academics and accomplished professionals, U.S. Embassy representatives, and Fulbright alumni.

Is there any circumstance in which the number of months I have proposed for my project be reduced to a shorter period?

Yes. The number of months suggested by the Fulbright applicant will be finally approved by the Fulbright Board of Directors and can be condensed if it is considered that the project could be fulfilled in a shorter period. Length of the grant can also be reduced depending on the funding the Commission receives each year.

Can a Fulbright scholar be accompanied by family in the U.S.?

Yes. Visiting Scholar Fulbrighters can be accompanied by family members. If dependents accompany the grantee more than 80% of the length of the grant an amount is also assigned as a category of the Fulbright grant. Grantees accompanied by dependents must provide adequate health and accident insurance for the family. Failure to do so violates the terms and conditions of award and may result in termination of the grantee’s program.

Can the award be postponed until the following year?

No. Fulbright Awards are not deferrable. In this case, candidates are recommended to reapply.

Are Fulbright awards granted for research/teaching in a third country?

No. Fulbright grants to Romanian citizens are awarded only for research/teaching in the United States of America.

Is Romanian citizenship a condition for eligibility in the grant program?

Yes. Only Romanian citizens can apply to the program administered by the Fulbright Commission in Romania. Green card holders are not eligible.

I hold dual citizenship-Romanian and American. Am I eligible to apply for a Fulbright grant in Romania?

No. But you may apply for a Fulbright grant as an American citizen.

The online application system directed me to ask for permission from the Fulbright Commission before I proceed. What should I do?

This message is intended to ensure that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements. If you follow the online instructions for the Visiting Scholar Award applicants and the information included in the official competition announcement for Romanian citizens published annually on our website, you do not need to contact the Commission; you may continue with your application.

I have had previous academic experience in the United States. Am I eligible to apply for a Fulbright grant?

Yes. Applicants who have had previous U.S. academic experience may receive awards, but preference is given to applicants without such experience.

Under which visa category do grantees participate in the Fulbright program?

All non-U.S. Fulbright grantees are required to travel on “J” visas under Exchange-Visitor Program (Number G-1-00005) for the duration of their financial sponsorship. As a condition of “J” visa, after completion of the academic program, scholars must return to Romania and live in the home country for two years before being eligible to immigrate, apply for permanent residence, or a work permit, in the United States.

Can the letters of recommendation still be considered if they are provided after the application deadline?

The letters of recommendation will be considered only if they are sent by the deadline.

In case I am not selected, may I receive any feedback and find out the reasons?

Unfortunately, no. Each year the number of well-qualified applicants exceeds the number of grants available. It is the policy of the Fulbright Program not to give to individual applicants, to others inquiring on their behalf, or to the public generally, the specific reasons for selection or non-selection of applicants for awards.

In case I am not selected, will I be notified by the representatives of the Fulbright Commission?

Yes, all the applicants are notified.

See More FAQs

"For me, Fulbright came as a challenge for finding new ways of exploring development opportunities in an academic context I had always admired without having the chance to experience it. I started the application journey with little hopes for success, but Fulbright ended up being the most accomplishing program I have ever attended. Looking back, I feel like I can say the Fulbright Program was the period I felt I truly experienced an accelerated personal and professional growth."

Alexandra Cristian-Scupin

Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2024-2025

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