Egypt
8 Open Study/Research Award
Accepted Degree Levels
|
Grant PeriodSeptember StartGrant Length9 Months |
Award Type
CLEA Availability
- Yes
Award Profile
The Fulbright U.S. Program is now open and accepting applications for academic year 2023-2024. The goal of the Fulbright Program in Egypt is to ensure students have a deeply enriching and productive experience, academically and culturally, and to promote mutual understanding between Egypt and the United States. Egypt is a country with a rich history, a beautiful and diverse topography, and a robust and nuanced cultural context. It is known for its bustling capital, its rapidly growing population, and its unique role in the region. As a destination, it offers a chance for Americans to learn about civilization’s origins and experience the thrill of navigating a complex locale.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program to Egypt provides grant opportunities for American Master’s and doctoral degree students in all fields to conduct their graduate dissertation research in Cairo. Fulbright U.S. Students are placed at public or private universities or research institutions in Egypt. The Fulbright Commission in Egypt provides substantive support through the affiliation and pre-arrival process. The Commission will liaise with Egyptian universities on U.S. Students’ behalf to confirm affiliation, assist with the general clearance process, and provide guidance regarding travel and arrival logistics. Clearance from the Government of Egypt is required for all Fulbright U.S. Student grants and must be obtained for award issuance. The Commission will facilitate this process on the students’ behalf. Final awards for 2023-2024 are contingent upon medical clearance, clearance by the Government of Egypt, the availability of funds, the security situation in country and the operating status of the host institutions and the Fulbright Program in-country.
Grant Length
Grant Period
All grants should have an official start date of on/about September 1, 2023, with an end date of on/about May 31, 2024.
If awarded a Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) in conjunction with the research grant, the CLEA grant period will begin on/about September 1, 2023, and the research grant date will be adjusted by the Fulbright Commission accordingly.
Orientation
No in-person Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO). However, the Fulbright Commission in Egypt will schedule a Virtual Pre-Departure Orientation (VPDO). Grantees will also receive pre-departure material prior to arrival.
The VPDO is held for Fulbright grantees prior to their arrival in Egypt. An in-country orientation is also held at the beginning of the academic year in Egypt. All grantees are required to attend these orientations. The Fulbright Commission in Egypt is committed to the safety and security of all grantees and the orientation will include a security briefing. The orientations will also include information about living and working in Cairo, dependent support, program requirements, and the higher education system in Egypt. All grantees are required to attend.
Candidate Profile
The program is open to students currently enrolled in master's or doctoral degree programs in the U.S. Ideal candidates are serious, research-oriented individuals, who have well thought-out research projects that can be reasonably accomplished in nine months. Candidates who present research projects showing specific knowledge of Egypt, the Arabic language and/or the region, or Islam, for example, will have a better grasp of research possibilities. Moreover, the program is a good fit for individuals who demonstrate sensitivity to the current geopolitical situation in the MENA region and who are committed to mutual understanding and cultural exchange in line with the spirit of the Fulbright Program.
Eligibility
Accepted Degree Levels
- Master's
- Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Arabic language proficiency is recommended, but not required. However, feasibility of conducting the project in English must be demonstrated in the project statement.
Applicants may also apply for a Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) to improve the feasibility of their proposals. Additional details CLEA, and the Egypt-specific CLEA guidelines, can be found in the Critical Language Enhancement Award section.
Critical Language Enhancement Award
The Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) provides an opportunity for Fulbright U.S. Student Program grantees to receive intensive language study in addition to their research grants. The award provides tuition reimbursement for grantees to pursue language training in the host countries. Application for CLEA is made in conjunction with the Fulbright U.S. Student application. However, being awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student grant does not guarantee receipt of CLEA since review of each award is conducted separately and is contingent upon several factors. For additional information and requirements on the award, please see Critical Language Enhancement Award details.
Acceptable Languages: Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and/or dialect.
Prior Language Study: A minimum of one year of prior Arabic study is required.
Dates and Timing: Grant duration is a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months. CLEA awards may start up to 2 months before the Fulbright research grant and then continue 1-4 months concurrently with the Fulbright grant. Approvals are granted on a case-by-case basis. All grantees should arrive in Egypt on/about September 1, 2023. The start of the CLEA grant must precede the start of the Fulbright grant, i.e. the CLEA grant period should begin on/about September 1, 2023. A U.S. Fulbright U.S. Student grant, or a CLEA, may not begin earlier than September 1, 2023.
Approved institutions (subject to change):
- The American University in Cairo
- Hedayet Center, Cairo
- Kalimat Language School, Cairo
The study of Arabic language may include formal classroom instruction or tutoring with an instructor from one of the abovementioned approved institutions, or a combination of both. All activities funded by CLEA must have the prior approval of the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt.
Critical Language Enhancement Award Team:
US Team, The Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt: usteam@bfce.eun.eg
Fulbright Proposal Types
Yes
No
Affiliation
No affiliation letter required at deadline
Each grantee must be affiliated with a host institution approved by the Fulbright Commission in Egypt. The Commission arranges host-institution affiliations for grantees. Applicants may indicate a preferred host institution in their application. It is not required to submit a letter of invitation from the preferred host institution. However, an invitation letter may be included in the application. Final decision on affiliation is made by the Fulbright Commission. Research which involves travel outside of the greater Cairo metropolitan area will be subject to review and approval by the Fulbright Commission on a case-by-case basis.
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Research grants carry a modest provision for Arabic language study. The Commission does not cover any supplemental tuition or private instruction fees, other than CLEA (if applicable).
Housing Arrangements
All housing must be approved by the Fulbright Commission and the U.S. Embassy's Regional Security Officer.
Dependents
The Commission provides limited dependent support to offset the costs of those accompanying dependents who reside in Egypt for at least 80% of the grant duration.
Special Considerations
Applicants who become semi-finalist candidates for grants to Egypt and who subsequently pass the initial in-country review stage can be asked to provide the following documents for the purpose of receiving Government of Egypt (GOE) clearances: an abstract of their projects in Arabic and English; a one-page resume; and a narrative outlining their project's objectives, research methodology, timeline, host country resources (if any), and a copy of their passport. The additional required documents and instructions for their completion will be provided by the Fulbright Commission in Egypt when appropriate.
Applications involving research outside major metropolitan areas are subject to review and approval by the Fulbright Commission.
The Fulbright Commission in Egypt issues grants approved by the GOE. The Fulbright Commission applies for GOE project clearances on behalf of Fulbright U.S. Students. Not all fieldwork is permitted (particularly fieldwork that involves the administration of surveys or structured interviews), and projects regarding subjects that are socially, culturally, or politically sensitive may be denied clearance. Projects that are denied GOE project clearances will not be funded.
Projects that require access to specialized libraries, national archives or certain public institutions in Egypt may require additional permits that are applied to independently of the GOE project clearance.
Security Information
Please consult with the State Department Travel Advisory for Egypt for information on living in and traveling to Egypt.