United States – Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission

Fulbright Professional Scholar Awards

Applications Currently Open!

General Information about the Fulbright Program and the Professional Scholar Awards:

Fulbright Professional Scholar Awards: The United States Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission (US-SLFC) invites applications from Sri Lankan professionals in all fields including the humanities, fine/performing art (such as music, theatre, writing, painting, design, photography), sports, journalism, law, sciences, paramedical services and management.  These awards provide grantees, through projects developed by the grantees, opportunities to gain exposure in the U.S. to the latest developments in their respective fields.  Priority will be given to applicants who propose projects that will build capacity and will be sustainable in Sri Lanka.  Preference will be given to applicants who have not had any previous U.S. experience.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be Sri Lankan citizens and have continuously resided in Sri Lanka for a minimum of 2 years immediately prior to the award application deadline
  • Demonstrate aptitude and accomplishment in the field thorough professional involvement, awards received, achievements or output
  • Have a minimum of 5 years experience in the proposed field
  • Demonstrate commitment to developing the proposed field in Sri Lanka and sharing knowledge with counterparts and the public in Sri Lanka
  • Possess a letter of invitation from a host institution in the U.S.*
  • Possess a letter of approval of leave from employer for the period of the grant
  • Applicants from universities will be required to utilize air travel funds from their institutions
  • Age: All things being equal, preference will be given to applicants who are not close to retirement

Duration of Award:  4 months. Start and end dates of award should fall between August 01, 2022 and September 30, 2023

Applications: Currently Open

Application Deadline: October 01, 2023 (including all support documents)

Mandatory Interviews (shortlisted candidates only): December/January 2021/2022

Application Instructions:

The application for the Professional Scholar Awards must be submitted online using the link below and must be completed fully with all the required support documents uploaded to the online application by the deadline.

  • Link to the online application form and detailed instructions: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2022/                 
  • You need to have an email address to create a log-in to complete the application
  • Please read “Guide for Obtaining a Letter of Invitation from a U.S. University/Institution”, as an affiliation and a letter of invitation from a U.S. university/institution are required for the awards application for Sri Lanka. This information must be uploaded to the online application within the section “Project Proposal”.
  • Other Required Forms: Letter of Support from Home Institution. The completed form must be uploaded to the online application within the section “Additional Information – – “Country-Specific Materials”. Please print, sign, scan and upload as PDF to application.
  • *US-SLFC’s free Educational Advising service, including the US-SLFC library and other resources, can assist you to research and identify potential U.S. universities/institutions where you can pursue your Professional Scholar program activities. 
  • For questions: Write to: inquiries@fulbrightsrilanka.org.

IMPORTANT:

  • Each applicant may not apply to more than one award category during a competition cycle.
  • All successful candidates will be required to reside in Sri Lanka for a minimum of 2 years following the completion of the grant. 
  • Dependents will not be supported financially on this grant, but grantees may take their dependents at their own expense.
  • Material misrepresentation (e.g., plagiarism) at any time during the application or grant period is grounds for selection withdrawal or grant termination, as well as ineligibility for application to any US-SLFC grants in the future.
  • Applications received after the deadline will NOT be considered.
  • Prospective Fulbright awards applicants should be aware that public health conditions, availability of consular services and travel, as well as U.S. institutional operating status and policies may affect their ability to travel to the U.S. and participate in academic programs

Due to the large volume of applications for this award, US-SLFC is unable to acknowledge receipt of applications, and only candidates shortlisted for interviews will be notified.