Fulbright Program

Fulbright Grants Handout

NOTE: Only nationals of Trinidad and Tobago are eligible to apply for the following awards. Persons who hold “Green Cards,” or are resident in the United States are not eligible to apply for these awards. Information on Grants for U.S. citizens to Trinidad and Tobago is included.

Websites for downloading application forms, etc., for some of the scholarships, wherever possible, have been provided.

Fulbright (IIE) Foreign Student Program to the United States
This program provides grants to nationals of Trinidad & Tobago in order to earn a Master’s degree or Ph.D. from a university in the social sciences and humanities. Preference is given to Master’s degree candidates. Full and partial grants are offered and are administered by IIE - The Institute of International Education. Applicants must have earned a Bachelor's degree with honors from a local institution. Graduates of the University of the West Indies must have earned at least Upper Second Class Honors passing grades. Approximately three scholarships are awarded annually. The student application form is located at: https://apply.embark.com/student/fulbright/international/ or http://www.iie.org/fulbright/apps.

Fulbright 2000 Program (LASPAU) to the United States
Already five years in existence, this Fulbright program that was conceptualized by former Ambassador Edward E. Shumaker, III, is unique to Trinidad and Tobago. This scholarship began by offering funding for three years. The first year of funding was for the completion of an undergraduate degree in the United States, followed by a further two years of study towards the completion of a Master’s degree. In fiscal year 2003, this 3-year scholarship with a one-year undergraduate component was revised to a two-year program, instead. This revised scholarship provides 2 years of graduate study at U.S. universities to students from Trinidad and Tobago selected by the Ambassador’s Educational Council. Unlike the traditional Fulbright scholarships, which are primarily U.S. government funded, the Fulbright 2000 program is entirely dependent on contributions from local and multinational corporations operating in Trinidad & Tobago, as well as the government of Trinidad & Tobago.

Matching funds are provided by the U.S. Embassy in the form of tuition waivers from U.S. universities, negotiated by LASPAU (Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas), affiliated to Harvard University. GRE/GMAT scores apply. Interested persons are advised to register for the relevant exams as soon as possible. The areas in which scholarships are awarded are determined by the sponsors and thus vary from year to year. The availability of these scholarships and the fields of study in which they will be awarded for the next program cycle (2008-2010) will be announced in the daily newspapers in due course.

Fulbright American Studies Institutes to the United States
These are six-week academic programs for multinational groups of university faculty from all over the world. The programs are held at university campuses throughout the United States and focus on a particular theme or topic within the discipline of American studies. Eighteen to thirty foreign educators participate in each program, generally geared to more junior faculty. We encourage applicants to consider that their applications need to be most professional, as candidates will be competing with worldwide applicants. Programs are of 6 weeks duration. The next deadline will be announced in due course.

Fulbright Hubert H. Humphrey Program to the United States
This program provides grants to local mid-career professionals for a year of study and work-related practical experience in the U.S. The program is intended to strengthen and develop the Fellows' capacities to assume greater professional responsibilities, to give them an opportunity to broaden their perspectives, and to establish international professional relationships. Fellows are recruited from both the public and private sectors in the following fields: Communications/Journalism, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration, Economic Development, Law and Human Rights, Substance Abuse. The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad & Tobago sends one-two candidates a year on this program. Application forms are available upon request by e-mailing: gregoirej@state.gov. The deadline for the submission of applications is July 15, 2007.

Fulbright LASPAU Ecology Program to the United States - SUSPENDED.
This program is in coordination with the Organization of American States and offers scholarships for graduate study in the United States in fields related to ecology and the environment at the Master's level and above. Candidate requirements: Undergraduate degree and excellent academic performance, nomination by an institution, regional interest in ecology and sustainable development; interest in transnational cooperation; demonstrated field experience and ongoing field activity, multidisciplinary focus and policy orientation, and a commitment to return to home country following the degree program. Application forms are available upon request by e-mailing: gregoirej@state.gov. Hard copies can also be obtained from the Public Affairs Section, United States Embassy, 7-9 Marli Street, Port of Spain. This program has been suspended until further notice.

Fulbright LASPAU Faculty Development Program to the United States
The Fulbright-LASPAU program supports graduate study in the United States for professionals who are dedicated to college or university teaching. The grant competition is open to professors who are nominated by institutions of higher education in Trinidad and Tobago and who have outstanding academic and professional qualifications. Applications can be submitted for study in any field. Grants provide maintenance through completion of Master’s, Ph.D. or one-year non-degree program. Approximately 2-3 grants are awarded per annum. Fulbright-LASPAU grantees receive a monthly maintenance stipend (which varies according to the cost of living in different locations in the U.S.), a book allowance, health insurance, and round-trip airfare to the U.S. Funds are also available to cover expenses related to graduate study such as thesis preparation. The admitting university covers tuition. Grantees receive up to two years of funding for master’s level or doctoral-level studies. Candidates for doctoral-level study must already possess a master’s degree.

The grant does not provide funding for grantees’ family members. Expenses for dependents are the grantee’s responsibility. Interested persons are advised to register to take the GRE/GMAT exam as soon as possible. Application forms are available upon request by e-mailing: gregoirej@state.gov, or a hard copy can be obtained from the Public Affairs Section, United States Embassy, 7-9 Marli Street, Port of Spain. The deadline for the submission of applications is May 31, 2006

Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program to the United States
The primary objective of the worldwide Scholar-in-Residence Program is to bring scholars and professionals from other countries to U.S. colleges and universities that do not often host visiting scholars, upon the request of the U.S. institution. This program differs from other Fulbright senior scholar awards because the primary activity is lecturing rather than research. Under this program, interested U.S. institutions submit proposals to invite scholars for one or both terms of the academic year to teach and consult in interdisciplinary programs that focus on global issues, or in courses where participation of a foreign scholar can provide a cross-cultural or international perspective. A special committee that determines the strongest proposals and recommends them to the U.S. Embassy reviews the institutional proposals. Some of the proposals request a certain scholar, while others ask for a scholar to be recruited from a certain country or from a certain world area. To be announced.

FY-2007 Central America/Caribbean Visiting Fulbright Researcher Program to the United States - SUSPENDED.
Research awards for a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months are offered for scholars and professionals from countries of the Caribbean and Central America to conduct research in the United States, between May 1 – December 31. A limited number of grants will be fully funded under this program. Applicants will be considered in all fields, but preference will be given to those in the following thematic areas/disciplines listed below:

Sustainable Development: Education; Environmental Sciences; Urban Planning; Public Health/Mental Health; Economic Growth, Trade and, Business Administration; Migration.

Democratization: Governance and Institutional Strengthening; Political Science/Public Policy; Law/Administration of Justice; Civil Society/ NGO Development.

Application forms are available from the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, 7-9 Marli Street, Port of Spain, or may be requested by e-mailing: gregoirej@state.gov.  This program has been suspended until further notice.

The Fulbright New Century Scholars Program
The New Century Scholar Program is a global program that brings together approximately 30 research scholars and professionals to conduct multi-disciplinary research on a theme of global significance. This program, now in its fifth phase, has as its theme for 2007-2008, "Higher Education in the 21st century: Access and Equity".  Further information can be found at http://www.cies.org/ncs/. The application deadline for the sixth phase 2008-2009 will be announced in due course.

Fulbright University Affiliations between the United States and host Countries
This program provides institutional grants to support linkages between U.S. and Latin American/Caribbean universities, at the request of the U.S. Institution. Eligible fields are very wide from social sciences, business, law, journalism, and public administration. Grants of up to $120,000 covering three years support exchanges of faculty/staff between affiliated institutions. Proposals are solicited annually in the Federal Register and on the State Department website. To view the Federal Register see website: http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html. To view the State Department Request for Proposals, see website: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/.

Fulbright Senior Scholar Program from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago
This program brings U.S. scholars and professionals to Trinidad & Tobago for 3-12 months, where they lecture or conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. Each year, the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad & Tobago arranges for two to three lecturers/researchers to be assigned to the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and/or other institutions at their request. Further information can be found on the CIES website: http://www.iie.org/cies/.

NEW:

Fulbright Senior Specialist Program from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago
This program can bring U.S. academic experts to Trinidadian/Tobagonian institutions for two to six weeks, to lecture, lead seminars and work with foreign counterparts in the development of curriculum and course materials as well as conduct needs assessments, at the request of the local institution. The program is open to qualified U.S. academics and professionals in the fields of anthropology/archaeology, business administration, communications and journalism, economics, education, environmental science, information technology, law, library science, political science/public administration, sociology and social work, U.S. studies (for example, art, art history, dance, economics, government, history, literature, music, popular culture, theater) and urban planning.

Costs for the Fulbright Senior Specialist Program must be shared with the host institution. The U.S. Embassy provides international travel and a daily honorarium. The co-hosting institution must cover lodging, meals and in-country travel. Participating institutions to-date, have been the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), the Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (Niherst). Institutions must submit applications at least 3 months in advance of the anticipated arrival of the scholar. Further information can be found on the CIES website: http://www.cies.org/cies/specialists/ or by emailing: gregoirej@state.gov.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago
This program offers U.S. students the opportunity for up to one academic year of post-graduate study or research abroad with either full or partial support from the Fulbright Program. Applicants must have a BA or equivalent degree before the start of the grants. Information and application forms are available from the Institute of International Education (IIE). Two to three students visit Trinidad & Tobago per year under this program. Further information can be found on the IIE website: http://www.iie.org.

Forms and additional information can be found at the Public Affairs Section, United States Embassy, 7-9 Marli Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Tel. Nos. 822-5561.

April 2007