Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Blog Contact Us

Bulgaria

1 Fulbright Study/Research Award in Archeology/History

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
6-10 Months
Award Type
Special Study/Research
Award Profile

This special grant aims to support research in areas related to both Balkan archaeology and museum and heritage studies. It grew out of the Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission’s partnership with the Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF), an NGO whose mission is to support the study, preservation and promotion of cultural and historical (both tangible and intangible) heritage of Southeastern Europe (www.balkanheritage.org).

The award in 2024-25 is suitable for individuals whose ongoing research or research interest is related to one of the following topics:

  • Inter-relations between Ancient Greek and Thracian civilizations (5th – 2nd c. BCE)
  • Roman civilization in the Balkans (2nd c. BCE - 4th c. CE)
  • Early Byzantine/Early Christian Balkans (4th - 7th c. CE)
  • Architecture and arts of late medieval and post medieval Balkans (12th -17th c. CE)
  • Heritage and Museum Studies: National and International Perspectives and Practices
  • Underwater Archaeology
  • Bioarchaeology research based on human remains from the necropoleis of the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. 

Candidates are strongly encouraged to attend information sessions organized by the Balkan Heritage Foundation (www.bhfieldschool.org) online to discuss which field schools and research areas would be most appropriate to this grant.

The grantees can spend up to 10 months in Bulgaria working on individual research. They will be supervised and supported by an English-speaking academic supervisor and will have the opportunity to take part in an archaeological field school.

The grantee will arrive in Bulgaria in August/September. Depending on their field of research they will either start or finish their program with attendance to one of the relevant archaeological field schools by Balkan Heritage Foundation (www.bhfieldschool.org). The BHF field schools combine lectures on Bulgaria’s history and cultural heritage, archaeological excavations, conservation workshops and study trips to important historic and archaeological sites and museums. The field school is to supplement the student’s individual research and provide valuable hands-on experience. The Fulbright program will support the student with access to museums, libraries and specialists in the research field. If appropriate to the research plan, the student could take one university course (at a Bulgarian university) to further broaden their knowledge and to provide the student with an academic community. At the end of the academic year, the student will be expected to produce a publishable paper or conference presentation on the research topic. Knowledge of Bulgarian is not required.

Grant Length
6-10 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

Applications will be considered for grant periods of six to ten months. Grant begins in August/September in accordance with the BHF field school of choice, or later if the grantee chooses to participate in the field school at the end of their grant.

Orientation
In-Country Orientation

Grantees are encouraged to take part in the orientation seminar for US grantees beginning Sept. 1, which includes language instruction, as well as cultural and social events. The Commission will organize one-day orientations for grantees arriving later in the academic year.

Candidate Profile

Well-qualified candidates holding a Bachelor's degree will be considered, but preference is given to Master’s and Ph.D. candidates. Applicants should have an interest and background in archaeology, anthropology, history, art history, preservation of cultural heritage, museum studies and other directly related fields. Previous experience in Bulgaria and the region is not considered a disadvantage.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are eligible
Residency in host country permitted in year prior to grant
Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Special Application Instructions

Please indicate in the project proposal that you are applying for the special archaeology/history award offered jointly with Balkan Heritage Foundation. All candidates in archaeology/history or related fields not interested in collaboration with Balkan Heritage Foundation should apply for the general Fulbright Student Research grant in Bulgaria.

Foreign Language Proficiency
Not Required
Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter recommended but not required at deadline

Grantees will be affiliated with the Balkan Heritage Foundation (BHF). List of applicable field schools is available on the BHF website www.bhfieldschool.org. Applicants should indicate their field school preference in their project proposal, but note that schedule and programming changes may occur; the Fulbright Commission and BHF will coordinate final field school choices with the selected grantee. 

 

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition covered in grant benefits

The grant covers all tuition and fees associated with Balkan Heritage Field School except the tuition fee for Underwater Archaeology in the Black Sea field school that is partly covered (minimum 50%; the balance must be covered by the participant).

The standard grant benefits include:
  • Monthly stipend – $1,200 per month
  • Travel and relocation allowance to cover round-trip international travel – $3,000
  • Research, book and incidentals allowance – $500
  • Bulgarian language training allowance – $500
  • Health benefit plan for grantees only
Housing Arrangements

Grantees are responsible for arranging their own accommodation.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Country Overview

A mountainous country of seven million people, Bulgaria boasts a rich archaeological and artistic heritage, with many well-preserved artifacts and sites from various periods in its history (Thracian, Greek, Roman, Medieval Bulgarian and Byzantine, Ottoman, Modern, Communist and post-Communist). The country is traditionally Orthodox Christian but has a sizeable Muslim minority (more than 10%). Bulgaria is also known for its vibrant folklore, especially its unique folk singing and dancing traditions. Bulgaria produces a number of unique types of wine (Gamza, Mavrud, Misket, Melnik) and has been known for centuries for its roses and yogurt.  

Since 1989, Bulgaria has been a parliamentary democracy, joining the EU in 2007. Although it remains the poorest country in the EU and struggles with challenges such as emigration, demographic crises, corruption and rule-of-law, Bulgaria has nevertheless generally been politically and economically stable.

The academic year for most Bulgarian universities begins around October 1 and consists of fall and spring semesters, ending in June. The academic year covers up to 30 weeks. Classes usually meet once a week for 75 minutes or for two 45-minute periods with a 15-minute break in between. Education is highly valued in Bulgaria and a relatively large share of the population has completed secondary or higher education.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EUR@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
http://www.fulbright.bg/en/
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Rada Kaneva: rkaneva@fulbright.bg
Additional Online Resources
Fulbright Special Award in Archeology/History: https://www.fulbright.bg/en/graduate-students-usa/