Stages of the Competition

Applications will be reviewed in three stages:

Round 1:

All applications will be evaluated by American and Russian scholars in the appropriate disciplines.

Round 2:

The best applicants from Round 1 will be interviewed in English by an American and Russian committee to evaluate each semi-finalist's communicative, adaptive and English-language skills. In-person interviews will be held in Moscow in the fall or December, 2010. Travel and lodging for Russian applicants residing outside Moscow will be reimbursed according to the following guidelines:

• If train travel from the applicant’s home city to Moscow will take more than 24 hours, the Program will cover the cost of an airline ticket on Aeroflot.
• If train travel from the applicant’s home city to Moscow will take less than 24 hours, the Program will cover the cost of a standard (4-person compartment) train ticket.
• If necessary, the Program will arrange and pay for one night’s stay in a hotel.

Round 3:

Final candidates will be selected by a joint American - Russian committee in December 2010. The committee will include representatives of the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

Finalist applications are then forwarded to CIES. CIES arranges affiliation with an appropriate U.S. institution. A finalist becomes an official Fulbright Scholar only after CIES has confirmed placement with a US host institution.

APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS

• Grants available to Russian scholars are for research and lecturing. Within this last category, professionals and artists may apply for giving master classes and workshops.
• You must submit your application no later than July 15, 2010.
• Initial screening and endorsement of a scholar’s application are done by the Fulbright office in Moscow, Russia.
• You will be notified by the Moscow Fulbright Office if you are selected, based on the timeline set by that organization. Before a grant can be confirmed, a Medical History and Examination Report is required and will be reviewed by appropriate personnel.
• It is the policy of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 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 under the program, to the extent not required to do so as a matter of law.
• You should not plan to arrive any earlier than late August of the year you are notified. You must complete projects on or before December 31 of the year following notification of selection.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR AFFILIATION WITH A U.S. HOST INSTITUTION

One of the most important components of the Fulbright Scholar Program is a formal affiliation at a U.S. university or research institution. In many cases, applicants are in contact with colleagues at U.S. institutions and have made preliminary plans for their own placements by securing a letter of invitation from the prospective host institution. However, if you are unable to make these preliminary contacts, you are strongly encouraged to identify two or three institutions that have appropriate facilities for the kind of project you wish to undertake and faculty specialized in your research interests. Please indicate the rationale for your preferences.

When determining which institutions to include on your preferred list, do not limit yourself to only large research institutes and the most well-known U.S. universities. Consider listing other institutions such as community colleges, regional universities or Minority-Serving Institutions (which include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities). These schools are often engaged in many dynamic areas of teaching and research. Though many U.S. institutions may not have an international reputation, they often do have appropriate facilities for scholars to conduct research. Scholars placed in these smaller and less renowned institutions often are given greater attention than their colleagues who are affiliated with larger and more well-known universities.

If you have studied previously in the United States, you should avoid seeking affiliation at your U.S. alma mater. This is to ensure that you expand your contacts within the U.S. academic community.

The task of affiliation is substantially facilitated if you have a project that is clearly defined and well written, as prospective host institutions also want to be assured that you can conduct research in English.