U.S. Senior Specialist
Applications for the 2010 grant year are open and will close on Friday, 9th October 2009.
The U.S. Senior Specialist Scholarships support Australian educational institutions to bring U.S. Senior Specialists to Australia for two to six week periods.
The aim of the Fulbright U.S. Senior Specialist program is to support Australian educational institutions to exchange expertise and build collaboration 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 U.S., 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.
Fields of Study
- Agriculture
- Anthropology & Archaeology
- Applied Linguistics
- Business Administration
- Communications & Journalism
- Economics
- Education
- Environmental Science
- Information Technology
- Law
- Library Science
- Peace and Conflict Resolution
- Political Science & Public Administration
- Public/Global Health
- Sociology & Social work
- U.S. Studies
- Urban Planning
Scholarship Benefits
- Economy class international air travel
- Stipend of US$200 per day for a maximum of 6 weeks, in addition, Australian host institutions are expected to pay for accommodation, meals and in-country travel.
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 support letters from the potential host institution 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 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 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 if the visit is to take place in the first half of the calendar year. This will facilitate the implementation of the program should the host institution's application be successful. See below for review dates. Each year the number of well qualified proposals greatly out numbers the Scholarships 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 |
|---|---|
| 9 October | Applications Close |
| November |
|
| 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 or October round of reviews. Institutions whose application is successful but whose U.S. Senior Specialist is not confirmed in the 15 November review period will still be considered but will not receive confirmation of their program from CIES until December or February.
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 Forms 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.