Fulbright Scholar Award

All Disciplines

Armenia

Application Deadline
closed
Award Code
25097-AM
Activity Type
Research
Research includes activities involving scientific research, qualitative research, quantitative research, and practice-based research, including artistic research. Research can take place in locations such as the laboratory, the field, the archives, or an artist residency. It can be experimental, clinical, or applied. It can include examining policies, systems, theories, methods, interactions, and works of art and music, with the objective to evaluate or develop new knowledge or works. Quantifiable (tangible) outcomes can include publications (books, journal articles, scripts, etc.), conference presentations, artistic and musical compositions, exhibitions, performances, films, and patents.
Teaching
Teaching includes classroom teaching, as well as giving guest lectures, workshops, and seminars, and engaging in other related activities. Classroom teaching is typically at the undergraduate and graduate level, and courses may be designed by the scholar or prescribed by the host institution and may be taught or co-taught by the scholar. The teaching load varies by award, as well as the host institution. Scholars may also consult on building research capacity, advise graduate students, and assist with thesis advising.
Teaching/Research
A combination of teaching and research as described above. Refer to the award description for any specifications on percentages of time that should be devoted to teaching vs research.
Degree Requirements
Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) required
Career Profile
Artists
Awards are open to individuals who have more than seven years of experience in an artistic profession.
Early Career Academics
Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for no more than seven years.
Mid-Career Academics
Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than seven, and less than 13, years.
Professionals
Awards are open to individuals who have more than seven years of experience in a particular profession.
Senior Academics
Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than 13 years.

Number of recipients

Approximately
3
Award Start Period
September 2026 or January 2027
Award Length
3 months - 12 months
Flex Option
Yes
Multi-Country/Area Award
No
Disciplines
Projects are sought in all disciplines
Scholars selected for this award will be required to
Advise and/or mentor students
Assist in faculty, curriculum, and/or program development
Conduct a research project of the applicant’s choosing
Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses of the applicant’s choosing

In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities‎.

Award Activity

Teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses is a requirement for all grantees regardless of proposed grant activity. The scholar may be asked to assist with student advising and curriculum development and collaborate in research projects. Applicants wishing to undertake Teaching/Research grants should dedicate at least 30% of their grant activity to teaching. 

For Flex grants, see Flex Option box.

Scholars selected for this grant will be required to attend a mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation in Summer 2025.

Locations
Location Selection: Applicant may propose an appropriate host
Award Length and Period

Three months to 12 months. For Flex grants, see Flex Option.

September 2025 or late January 2026 for one-semester grants; September 2025 for academic-year grants.

Flex Description

Flex awards are offered for teaching and teaching/research grants. For Flex options, Post will allow for a grant segment to be conducted in summer months if the scope of work is feasible for those months.

The Flex Award is designed for scholars who require multiple visits to the host country. This option allows grants to be conducted over two or three short segments. Applicants must select Flex in the application form, and clearly describe their plans for Flex in their project statement, including a project timeline. Flex grantees may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host-country academic community.

Grant segments are allowed to be conducted in summer months (June, July, and August)
Yes
SEGMENTS MAY BE PROPOSED FOR Up to a 2 year PERIOD
3 Segments MAY BE PROPOSED
MAXIMUM LENGTH OF THE TOTAL GRANT IS 12 MONTH(S)
MINIMUM LENGTH OF THE TOTAL GRANT IS 4 MONTH(S)
Special Features

The host university will assist scholars with housing by providing contacts of local real estate agent(s) and by providing advice on pre-selected choices or related questions. Scholars are normally advised to stay at a hotel for two to three days to choose an apartment from their pre-selected two or three options. The apartments will be fully furnished, usually with a washing machine, a gas stove, and an electric or gas heater. The Embassy can recommend a real estate agent who has worked with Fulbright grantees in the past, however, scholars will need to bear the related fees.

Please note: Housing for families with pets is in short supply and tends to be more expensive. Many 5-story buildings do not have elevators. 

All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).

Citizenship/Residency Requirement
Applicants residing in the award country at the time of application or thereafter are not eligible to apply for this award.
Invitation Requirement
A letter of invitation is preferred.
Invitation Requirement Additional Information

The U.S. Embassy encourages applicants to reach out to their potential host institutions with their projects and to solicit invitation letters. If that is not possible, the U.S. Embassy will still consider the application and will find an appropriate placement.

Language Proficiency Requirements
None, English is sufficient. However, feasibility of conducting the project must be demonstrated in the project statement
Additional Language Requirement

Applicants are encouraged to register qualified language evaluator, such as a language instructor or a translator, to conduct the external assessment in the application. Being a native speaker alone does not qualify an individual to conduct the assessment.

Applicants who are native speakers do not need to complete an external evaluation.

Additional Qualification Information

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or the appropriate terminal degree and have at least five years of teaching experience at the university level or the professional equivalent.

Additional Comments

In addition to their duties at the host institution, grantees are usually asked to deliver guest lectures at other institutions and/or American Corners and U.S. Embassy-initiated events. Grantees may also be asked to serve on the U.S. Government exchange program selection committees, if time permits.

In addition to the universities listed in the Locations box, other Armenian universities can also be considered as possible host institutions. For further information on potential host institutions or details on specific discipline interests, applicants should contact Hasmik Mikayelyan, Cultural/Education Specialist at the U.S. Embassy, at mikayelyhb@state.gov.

You may be asked to participate in an interview as part of the in-country selection process.

Award Allowances

Grant benefits include a monthly maintenance allowance, comprised of a base stipend and living and housing allowances. The base stipend varies based on a scholar's current academic rank (or professional equivalent). Living and housing allowances vary based on the city of placement, and the number of accompanying dependents. Dependent housing and living allowances will not be provided to Flex grantees.

Researcher and Professional Project Monthly Allowances
$3570
$4070
Teaching or Teaching/Research Award Monthly Allowances
$4340
$5060
Estimated Travel and Relocation Allowance for Grantee

$4,050

For Flex grants: round trip travel will be included for each segment of the grant for the grantee.

Estimated Book and Research Allowance

$1,000 books and educational materials allowance for teaching and teaching/research grants; should be donated to the host institution (or other entity) upon grantee's departure.

Do you offer additional dependent benefits
Yes

Additional living and housing allowance is provided for grantees with one accompanying dependent or two or more accompanying dependents. These amounts range from $250/month to $400/month.

In addition, travel allowances are provided for dependents: $2,500 for one dependent and $5,000 for two or more dependents.

Reimbursement for dependent education expenses may be available on a limited basis, depending on funding availability and grant duration. Grantees should confirm with IIE that proposed expenses meet eligibility criteria; however, availability of funds may not be known until the end of the academic year. 

Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.

Please refer to the figures above for an estimate of total monthly Fulbright award benefits. Benefits may include a monthly base stipend, living and housing allowances, and additional one-time allowances. Benefits may vary based on a scholar's current academic rank (or professional equivalent), the city of placement, the type of award (teaching, teaching/research, or research), and the number of and duration of stay of accompanying dependents. Research-only or Professional Project grantees receive a standard stipend that is not adjusted for academic rank. In most cases, dependent benefits will not be provided to Flex grantees, or to grantees pursuing grants less than four months (or a semester) in length.

Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.

Armenia

What is life like for Fulbrighters in your country?

Armenia enjoys a unique geopolitical location; it borders Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, which makes the country a fascinating place for regional studies across disciplines. There is interest in joint research and publications and, under certain conditions, interested scholars can travel in the region. In some cases, the U.S. Embassy may be able to provide support to Scholars who wish to serve as guest speakers in Georgia and Azerbaijan in addition to their grant activities in Armenia.

Armenians greatly value higher education. Armenia has a 99% literacy rate, and a high percentage of high school students go to universities. Quality higher education is outlined as one of the government’s strategic goals for economic development. Armenians are hospitable people and have positive attitudes towards Americans. Yerevan, the capital, is a safe city with a charming, pedestrian-friendly downtown area. The country is small and there are plenty of opportunities to travel and lecture at different universities and American Corners throughout the country.

In spring 2018 Armenia went through a major transition of power labeled by many as a velvet revolution. Armenia is firmly going through major reforms fighting corruption and making tangible steps towards strengthening democratic institutions and processes in the country. Here are some links to the articles from international news outlets: https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/11/07/armenias-democratic-dreams/https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/10/15/the-counterrevolution-is-coming-to-armeniahttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43948181. In fall 2020 a violent conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno Karabakh, which left over 5,000 dead on both sides and resulted in redesigning the borders, especially in the southern part of Armenia. At the moment, travelling to the territories bordering Azerbaijan is not recommended due to the lack of security.  Articles in English can be found here: https://www.civilnet.am/news/2020/12/20/Uncertainty-Looms-Over-the-New-A... or https://www.civilnet.am/en/. 

For travel to Armenia and COVID-related details about Armenia please follow this link. Following armed hostilities in the fall of 2020 and fall of 2023, Azerbaijan took control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Further military activity could occur in the region. For more information about the situation on the ground please follow this link: Armenia Travel Advisory (state.gov) and U.S. Embassy in Armenia (usembassy.gov).

The academic year runs from September through June with a long break for the holidays and exams from mid-late December through January. Grantees with academic-year grants are expected to remain in the country, engaged in Fulbright-related activities such as guest lectures, consultations, etc., for all but approximately two weeks of that period. 

The U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) will confirm affiliation and placement of Fulbright U.S. Scholars. Applicants may email Ms. Hasmik Mikayelyan, Cultural/Education Specialist, at mikayelyhb@state.gov for more information about awards or university placement.

Here is a nice short clip covering some beauties of Armenia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO5KNNgfd_U

Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.