PROGRAMS FOR Americans

The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP)

The program brings U.S. Scholar Specialists to Jordan on specific assignments with host institutions, strengthening linkages between the U.S. and Jordan.

Application cycle:

This Program is now closed
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This scholarship competition is now closed!

Overview

The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP), part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The program is a field-driven initiative in which Jordanian host institutions conceptualize and design projects of interest within an eligible discipline that represent a priority for their respective organizations. These projects are then paired with a highly qualified U.S. academic or professional, who shares their expertise and assists with strengthening linkages between U.S. and Jordanian host institutions. Participating Jordanian host institutions benefit by:

  • Gaining global perspectives from experienced U.S. academics and professionals;
  • Executing projects that require a rapid response or flexible timeline through short-term,
    year-round exchanges; and
  • Building sustained relationships with individuals and institutions in the U.S.

Eligibility

Institutions that may be eligible to request a Fulbright Specialist include, but are not limited to:

  • Institutions of Higher Education;
  • Government Institutions (ministries or agencies, courts, parliamentary or congressional bodies);
  • Cultural Institutions (conservatoires, museums, etc.);
  • Non-Governmental Organizations including issue-centered institutions and think tanks;
  • Medical Institutions (public health organizations, teaching hospitals, etc.).

Eligible Disciplines: Projects designed by prospective Jordanian host institutions should focus on one of the below eligible disciplines:

  • Agriculture
  • Environmental Science
  • American Studies
  • Law
  • Anthropology
  • Library Science
  • Archeology
  • Math Education
  • Biology Education
  • Peace & Conflict Resolution Studies
  • Business Administration
  • Physics Education
  • Chemistry Education
  • Political Science
  • Communications & Journalism
  • Public Administration
  • Computer Science & Information Technology
  • Public/Global Health
  • Economics
  • Social Work
  • Education
  • Sociology
  • Engineering Education
  • Urban Planning

If you are looking for information about the English Language Specialist program, please visit click here.

Fulbright Specialist Program Activities:

The Fulbright Specialist Program encourages Jordanian host institutions to tailor projects to their own needs. However, all projects should have an education or training focus. Due to the short-term nature of the exchange, projects should have concrete objectives that can be achieved over the course of the Specialist’s visit. Past Specialists have supported Jordanian host institutions by conducting activities such as:

  • Delivering a seminar or workshop
  • Consulting on faculty or workforce development
  • Developing academic or training curricula and materials
  • Lecturing at the graduate or undergraduate level
  • Conducting needs assessments or evaluations for a program or institution

Note: Personal research projects, including clinical medical research or projects involving patient contact, are not eligible for funding under the Fulbright Specialist Program.

Program parameters:
  • All exchanges must range from 14 to 42 days in length, including weekends, holidays and travel days.
  • Projects are restricted to Jordan only, and all project activities must take place in the country.
  • Each project is limited to only one Fulbright Specialist grantee.

Multi-visit (serial projects):

If a Jordanian host institution would benefit by having the Fulbright Specialist visit the Jordanian host institution more than once, Jordanian host institutions may apply for their project to be Multi-Visit. Please note that the majority of approved projects are not Multi-Visit, and Jordanian host institutions will need to provide a strong justification for why this approach would strengthen project outcomes. Please find below some general program parameters for Multi-Visit projects:

  • Multi-Visit projects cannot include more than a total of three trips.
  • All trips must be completed within a one-year period by the same Fulbright Specialist. The one-year period is calculated by adding 12 months from the initial start date of the first visit through the end date of the final visit.
  • Each visit must be a minimum of 14 days, and the total number of days across all visits cannot exceed six weeks (42 days).

Identifying Fulbright specialists:

Jordanian host institutions are not required to identify U.S. academics or professionals to serve as their project’s Fulbright Specialist prior to submitting their project proposal. On the contrary, if the hosting institution’s project is approved, the program’s implementing partner, World Learning, will identify candidates on the Fulbright Specialist Roster whose professional experience, academic credentials and foreign language skills match the knowledge and skills articulated by the host institution in its project proposal as being critical to the project’s successful implementation.

If a Jordanian hosting institution has identified a candidate that it would like to serve as the Fulbright Specialist, please note that the following conditions must be met:

  • The individual must be approved by the Fulbright Commission in Jordan;
  • The individual must be approved to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster; and
  • The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board must approve that individual to be matched with the host institution’s specific project.

For more information on the Specialist matching process and the Fulbright Specialist Roster, please visit click here.

Program funding and cost share:

The U.S. Department of State typically covers roundtrip, economy class international airfare, enrollment in a limited health benefits program, and a daily honorarium for participating Fulbright Specialists. In general, Jordanian host institutions should be prepared to provide the Specialist with lodging, meals, and in-country transportation, either through monetary or in-kind contributions, throughout their full stay in Jordan. The stipend for in-country transportation should allow the Specialist to travel to and from their lodging and project activity site as well as allow the Specialist to conduct local activities such as grocery shopping or visiting a local market, pharmacy, etc.

Application process for host institutions:
  • Prospective Jordanian host institutions must submit a project proposal via World Learning’s online portal here. The online portal accepts project proposals on a rolling basis throughout the year.
  • After a project proposal is received, it will be reviewed by the Fulbright Commission in Jordan. Only project proposals that are completed in their entirety will be reviewed. Please note that the Fulbright Commission typically receives more project proposals from prospective Jordanian host institutions than it is able to support with limited funding. Therefore, not all proposals submitted will be approved.
  • If your project proposal is approved by the Fulbright Commission in Jordan it must then be approved by multiple offices within the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

American scholars or professionals interested in serving as a U.S. Fulbright Specialists:

American scholars or professionals interested in serving as a U.S. Fulbright Specialist must meet all eligibility requirements including:

  • Be a US citizen
  • Have significant experience in one of the eligible disciplines, as demonstrated by professional, academic and or artistic achievements.

How to apply

For a complete list of eligibility requirements and information on how to apply to join the U.S. Fulbright Specialist Roster, please visit click here.

U.S. academics and professionals interested in applying to join the U.S. Fulbright Specialist Roster, should direct all questions to World Learning at fulbrightspecialist@worldlearning.org.

What do we cover?

All Fulbright Specialists receive round-trip, economy-class airfare, a one-time transit allowance ($100), enrollment in a health benefits program, and a foreign Per Diem rate. In addition, the program covers lodging, meals, and in-country travel expenses.

Diversity

The Binational Fulbright Commission in Jordan strives to ensure that its efforts reflect the diversity of both, Jordanian and American societies. The Commission seeks and encourages the involvement of people from traditionally underrepresented audiences in all its scholarships, grants, programs and other higher educational exchange activities and its workforce and workplace. Opportunities are open to people regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The Commission is committed to fairness, equity and inclusion.

Additional guidance

Prospective Jordanian host institutions should direct all questions to the Binational Fulbright Commission in Jordan to:

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