U.S. Senior Specialist

Applications for the 2011 grant year are open.

The Fulbright Senior Specialist Program supports Australian educational institutions to bring U.S. Senior Specialists to Australia for a two to six week period in selected disciplines .

The aim of the Fulbright Senior Specialist Program is to assist Australian educational institutions to exchange expertise and build collaborative linkages with United States faculty and professionals on curriculum and faculty development, institutional planning and a variety of other activities. For example, the recipient may:

  • Take part in specialised academic programs and conferences
  • Consult with administrators and instructors of post-secondary institutions on faculty development
  • Present lectures at graduate and undergraduate levels
  • Participate in or lead seminars or workshops
  • Develop and/or assess academic curricula or educational materials
  • Conduct needs assessments, surveys, institutional or programmatic research.

In accordance with the Fulbright Program's aim of promoting mutual understanding between Australia and the Senior Specialist may also have the opportunity to participate in activities organised by the U.S. Embassy in Australia, the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and the Australian Fulbright Alumni Association.

See examples of previous programs and Senior Specialists to Australia.

Eligble Disciplines

,
  • Agriculture
  • Environmental Studies
  • American ( U.S.) Studies
  • Law
  • Anthropology
  • Library Science
  • Applied Linguistics / TEFL
  • Peace Conflict Resolution
  • Archaelogy
  • Political Science
  • Business Administration
  • Public Administration
  • Communications & Journalism
  • Public / Global Health
  • Computer Science & IT
  • Social Work
  • Economics
  • Sociology
  • Education
  • Urban Planning

Grant Benefits

  • Economy class international air travel for the Specialist
  • Honorarium of US$200 per day for a maximum of 6 weeks (42 days) for the Specialist, in addition, Australian host institutions are required to pay for accommodation, meals and in-country travel. This honorarium is not received by the Specialist until their return to the U.S. and they have submitted their final report to CIES.

Duration

  • U.S. Fulbright Senior Specialists are required to spend a minimum of 2 weeks up to a maximum of 6 weeks.
  • The scholarship must be taken between 1 January and 31 December. This time may be split between more than one Australian institution.

Application Information for Australian Host Institutions

  • The Australian host institutions must identify a specific U.S. Senior Specialist whom they wish to host.
  • The Australian institution must submit an application form to the Australian-American Fulbright Commission. (Joint proposals by a group of Australian institutions are strongly encouraged.)
  • Applications should also include a brief (max 2 page) CV of the proposed U.S. Senior Specialist and letters of support from the potential host institution(s) in Australia.
  • Applications are assessed by an Australian Selection Committee. Successful applications are then forwarded to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES). The final decision on the acceptance or non-acceptance of an application lies solely with United States Department of State.
  • Applicants must be aware there is a minimum eight to ten week processing period from the time the selections are made to the time the Grant is formally approved provided the requested Specialist has already undergone registration by CIES.

Application Information for U.S. Senior Specialist

  • Coinciding with the Australian institution's application, the U.S. Senior Specialist must register for peer review with CIES to be included on the CIES Senior Specialist register.
  • American applicants recommended by specialist peer review committees and approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board  for the FSSP Roster become candidates for Fulbright Senior Specialist projects.

PLEASE NOTE: Senior Specialists are peer reviewed for inclusion on the Senior Specialist register on a rolling basis throughout the year. As the peer review process can take a number of months it is strongly recommended that the U.S. Senior Specialist register with CIES prior the host institution submitting an application to the Australian-American Fulbright Commission especially if the visit is to take place in the first half of the next calendar year. This will facilitate the implementation of the program should the host institution's application be successful. Each year the number of well qualified proposals greatly out numbers the Grants available. Final selection and the procedures to achieve this selection are at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and no correspondence will be entered into.

Timeline for Australian Host Institutions

1 July Applications Open
8 October Applications Close
November
  • Applications are assessed by an Australian Selection Committee.
  • Host institutions are informed of their application outcome at the begining of December.
  • Successful applications are forwarded to the United States for formal Grant Approval (this can take from 10 to 12 weeks provided the requested Specialist has already been formally registered for peer review and accepted on the Fulbright Senior Specialist Roster by CIES).
January 1 - December 31 Senior Specialist Scholarships are to be taken up during the calendar year

PLEASE NOTE: The earlier the requested U.S. Senior Specialist is registered the easier it will be to confirm dates and program details. Please refer to the CIES Timeline which indicates the timeline for peer reviews for the CIES Senior Specialist register. Potential host institutions are encouraged to have their requested U.S. Senior Specialist apply to CIES for inclusion in the September round of reviews at the latest. Institutions whose application is successful but whose U.S. Senior Specialist is not confirmed then will still be considered but may not receive confirmation of their program from CIES until mid 2011.

Timeline for U.S. Senior Specialists

As indicated above, the specified Senior Specialist should register for peer review with CIES as early as possible. Potential host institutions should encourage their requested Senior Specialist to apply and register for peer review with CIES before September to ensure that they are reviewed in the October cycle of reviews. There are eight cycles of peer review dates conducted by CIES, applicants should review the timeline with CIES to ensure that their application coincides with the Australian Host Institutions deadlines. See the CIES Timeline for more information.

Application Form for Australian Host Institutions

Australian Host Institutions must complete the application form and send it as a WORD document via email to: administrativeoffice@fulbright.com.au

 

U.S. Senior Specialist Registration Forms

U.S. Senior Specialists should be formally approved and registered with CIES. The American citizen being nominated/requested by a host Australian institution must individually apply for registration well in advance with CIES. The person concerned then goes through an approval process before they are considered to be formally registered.

Further information

For further information regarding this scholarship, contact the Program Manager at the Australian-American Fulbright Commission.

Final selection, and the procedures to achieve this selection, are at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and no correspondence will be entered into.

Page last updated: July 1, 2010