Fulbright Science and Technology Doctoral Fellowships

Program Overview

The US Department of State will award 45 Fulbright Science and Technology Fellowships to outstanding students, planning to begin doctoral programs in science, technology or engineering at US universities in the fall semester of the 2011/2012 academic year.

The Program Fellows will be selected from a pool of candidates from nations around the world.  The United States-Israel Educational Foundation will nominate two Israeli candidates to this international competition.
 
Eligible fields of study include:

• agriculture (entomology, plant biology, plant pathology and soil science)
• astronomics/aeronautical engineering
• astronomy/planetary sciences
• biology
• biomedical engineering
• chemistry
• computer science/engineering
• energy
• engineering (chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, ocean, and petroleum)
• environmental science/engineering
• geology/earth and atmospheric sciences
• information sciences/engineering
• materials science/engineering
• mathematics
• neuroscience/brain and cognitive sciences
• oceanography
• physics
• public health (theoretical research only)

Recipients of the award will receive guidance and assistance in the submission of applications to be accepted as doctoral candidates at accredited US universities.  Potential candidates should note that they will not apply directly for admission to US universities. Instead, submission of their applications for admission will be carried out by the Institute of International Education, which administers the Program on behalf of the Department of State. 
 
Candidates should note that receipt of a Fulbright Science and Technology Fellowship affects eligibility to receive a Post-Doctoral Fellowship. A former Science and Technology Fellow will not be eligible to begin work in the United States as a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellow until five years have passed since the conclusion of his/her stay in the United States as a Student Fellow.  See the regulations regarding repeat fellowships in the Fellowships section above.

Grant benefits

• tuition for up to 36 months
• monthly stipend for up to 36 months
• limited health insurance for grantee only
• book, equipment and conference allowances
• travel support
• enrichment activities
• pre-departure orientation meeting

Eligibility criteria

• Candidates must be Israeli citizens. Dual American-Israeli citizens or permanent residents of the United States are not eligible to apply.
• Candidates must be resident in Israel at the time of application and must continue to be resident in Israel until the beginning of their studies in the United States as Fulbright Fellows.  Students who have already begun their doctoral program in the United States or are planning to begin study in the US before the Fall 2011 semester are not eligible to apply.
• Candidates must have completed an undergraduate degree before August 1, 2011.
• Candidates must be in good health. All applicants selected for a Fulbright grant are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before their grants can be activated.
• Prior conviction or current indictment for a felony may result in disqualification.

 Evaluation criteria

• Academic excellence is the primary criterion for the evaluation of candidates.
• English language proficiency is an important evaluation criterion.  Candidates must have a recent TOEFL score of 92-93 (internet-based test) or higher.
• Candidates should have a quantitative score of at least 700 on the GRE General Exam.
• Leadership qualities are an important evaluation criterion.
  Preference will be given to applicants who have not had a substantial, recent, academic experience in the United States.
• Possession of skills required to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Israel is an important evaluation criterion.
• The candidates selected for nomination to the international competition will be required to submit TOEFL and GRE General Exam scores for presentation to US-based final screening committees.  Candidates should have a quantitative score of at least 700 for the GRE General Exam.  The GRE Subject Exam is also required in certain fields.

 Conditions of award

• Funding is for three years only. After three years, provision of further funding will be provided by US host universities until completion of the Ph.D.
• Grantees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements.
• Grantees must travel on a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsored by the Fulbright program. 
• Upon the conclusion of the three-year Fulbright funding period, grantees must arrange transfer of their visa sponsorship from the Fulbright program to their American host institutions.
• Fulbright grantees who transfer sponsorship to their host institutions are eligible, after completion of the doctoral programs, to apply for visas for up to 18 months of academic on-the-job training (provided the fellow has a concrete job offer), or for up to 36 months of post-doctoral research.
• It is a condition of the visa that upon expiration of their exchange visitors’ status, grantees must return to Israel and reside in the country for two years before being eligible to immigrate to the US, to apply for permanent residence in that country or to request a US work permit. The purpose of the two-year home residency requirement is to ensure that exchange visitors return home and fulfill the exchange objectives of the Fulbright program.
• Holders of J-1 student visas who have departed from the United States after a stay of six or more months will be required to remain abroad for up to twelve months before being allowed to re-enter the United States with a J-1 professor/research scholar visa. 
• The above restrictions do not apply to re-entry to the United States as the holder of a J visa in another category (short-term scholar, specialist, international visitor), or as the holder of a student or tourist visa.
• Dependents of grantees will enter the US as holders of J-2 visas. Many conditions applying to the grantees as holders of J-1 visas, such as the two-year home residency requirement, also apply to the holders of J-2 visas.
• Unless they have received a waiver of the two-year home residence requirement, Fulbright Students, holding J-1 visas, are ineligible to change their status from J-1 to J-2 while in the US. Similary, accompanying dependents, who possess J-2 visas, are ineligible to change their status from J-2 to J-1 while in the US, unless they have recived a waiver of the home residence reqirement.
• Grantees must begin their studies in the United States no later than the fall semester, 2011.  Awards cannot be deferred to the following academic year

Instructions on the preparation and submission of applications

• All required documents must be submitted in English. 
• Applicants will be required to submit an online application, print out a hard copy, and send it to the United States-Israel Educational Foundation.    Application instructions and forms may be accessed through the Embark website.
• The complete application package must include the following items:
  • a clearly written description of study/research objectives (application item 27);
  • a complete curriculum vitae (application item 29);
  • three letters of reference (use the option for on-line submission of letters by referees);
  • scans of official academic transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended (application item 30);
  • report on proficiency in English (supplemental form);
  • information concerning foreign student academic records (supplemental form);
  • TOEFL score report form (from a testing date within the past two years);
  • GRE General score report form (from a testing date within the past five years);
• The transcript release form is not required, unless you have undertaken academic studies at a US university.
• Candidates must complete their on-line applications and present a complete hard copy to the United States-Israel Educational Foundation by May 15, 2009.  The address for submission of the application is: United States-Israel Educational Foundation, POB 26160, Tel Aviv, 61261 or 10th Floor, Migdalor Building, One Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv. Faxed or e-mail copies of applications are not acceptable. 

 Fulbright Science and Technology Fellowship
Timetable for 2011/2012

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