All Disciplines
Tunisia
Number of recipients
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.
Host institutions welcome scholars to teach full-time, conduct a combination of teaching and research (either simultaneously or divided by semester), or conduct a professional project in any discipline in Tunisia.
For teaching or combination of teaching/research proposals, scholars may be required to advise and/or mentor students; assist in faculty, curriculum, and/or program development; conduct a research project designated by the host institution or the applicant’s choosing; and teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses designated by the host institution or the applicant’s choosing.
Teaching courses can be at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants should suggest courses for consideration in their Fulbright proposals in addition to contacting prospective universities in Tunisia regarding potential courses. Undergraduate and graduate courses are generally two hours long and have between 30-100 students. Grantees should expect to teach at least 8 hours per week and work with the university to conduct additional professional development activities for faculty or students. Activities and courses will be finalized in consultation with the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and the host institution. More information about application components, including project proposals, is available here.
The Professional Project grant may include visits to organizations in the applicant's field of expertise, practical experience in day-to-day operations, public lectures, artist residencies, or other professional activities to promote and support the organization’s development objectives.
Placements are possible in a wide range of locations across Tunisia. Recent placements have been at universities in Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, Gabes, and Beja.
Grants can range from 3 to 10 months, beginning in either September 2025 or January 2026 to coincide with the beginning of the semesters. Please note that grants must end by June 2026 at the end of the Tunisian academic year. Grantees coming for the full academic year are encouraged to arrive in early September to participate in the in-country orientation prior to beginning their teaching and research duties. Please note that the academic calendar may be adjusted due to Islamic and local holidays.
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 in-country segments. Applicants must select Flex in the application form and clearly describe their plans for Flex in their project statement, which must include a timeline. Flex grantees may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host-country academic community.
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.
The award is seeking projects in all disciplines. Some Tunisian institutions have expressed interest in the following disciplines: STEM, Economics, Legal Studies, Journalism and Media.
During their grant period, Fulbright U.S. Scholars in the Middle East and North Africa region may apply for a short-term regional travel grant (three to fourteen days) for participation in a variety of activities including faculty and student lectures, graduate or faculty seminars, curriculum development, public lectures, panel presentations, needs assessment, conferences, or some combination thereof. Scholars who apply for the Flex award are ineligible for the Regional Travel Program.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange an affiliation prior to submitting their application. For assistance in researching a host institution and obtaining a letter of invitation, please refer to the contact information for prospective Tunisian host institutions listed below. Note that this list is not exhaustive. U.S. Embassy Tunis recommends that scholars coordinate with host universities and request an invitation letter before the summer break as faculty and/or administrators may be difficult to reach from June through August.
None, English may be sufficient. However, the feasibility of conducting the project in English must be demonstrated in the project statement and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Working knowledge of French and/or Arabic may be necessary depending on discipline and proposed project.
$1,550 for relocation, in-transit, and excess baggage fees.
Plus a round-trip, economy-class, international travel arranged by travel agent selected by IIE.
For Flex grants: round trip travel will be included for each segment of the grant. The relocation, in-transit, and excess baggage allowance will be divided by number of segments.
$750 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.
$2000 research allowance for research-only grants.
Additional living (monthly) allowance is provided for grantees with one accompanying dependent or two or more accompanying dependents. These amounts range from $450/month to $1000/month.
Round-trip, economy-class, international travel is arranged by travel agent selected by IIE, for up to two dependents. Dependent travel will not be provided for Flex grants.
Dependent tuition allowance for dependents in grades K-12 is provided on a reimbursement basis upon submission of receipts, and based on the availability of funds. Reimbursement is based on actual cost of tuition and fees only.
- One semester grants: up to $5,000 per child, or $10,000 per two children.
- Two semester grants: up to $10,000 per child, or $20,000 per two children.
- For Flex grants: dependent tuition allowance will not be provided.
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.
The allocated stipend will be adequate to cover your day to day expenses including your housing and transportation costs. Please note that larger metropolitan areas such as Tunis and Sousse will have higher costs of living than smaller metropolitan areas, such as Gabes and Kairouan.
- $900 one-time allowance to cover medical and notary fees.
- 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.
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.
Tunisia
Tunisia is a fascinating, engaging, and beautiful country currently working through democratic growing pains at a time of economic difficulty. French and Arabic are the official languages, but English is becoming much more widely spoken among young people. English is the official language at one public university (Tunis Business School) and university deans across the country are eager for English-speaking professors in a range of fields. Although Tunisia’s outward orientation has traditionally been directed toward Europe, the country’s youth are very interested in the United States as a model for higher education.
Tunisia’s rich history (including magnificent Roman ruins), beautiful scenery, and dynamic civil society make it an attractive destination for scholars. Harvard University and Columbia University have permanent offices here and an increasing number of American universities are establishing exchange programs in Tunisia.
COVID-19 Guidance: There are currently no COVID requirements for entry to Tunisia or requirement to show proof of vaccination. For the most updated information on COVID-19, please contact the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy.
General Medical Care: As a grantee, you are not covered by the Tunisian public health care system, and medical facilities do not accept American insurance. You would be expected to pay for any medical services directly. Facilities will provide receipts that you can submit for reimbursement to your insurance company. Please note that it is advisable to bring adequate supplies of prescription medications for any chronic health problems; not all prescription medications available in the United States are legal in Tunisia. Grantees taking prescription medications who have concerns should discuss them with the Public Affairs Section.
Housing: Housing options can vary depending on placement and location within Tunisia. Some host institutions will provide furnished apartments for grantees’ use. However, we recommend that you consult with your host institution on housing options as early as possible in the grant process. Please note that housing in certain areas of Tunis is more expensive than housing in other cities.
Dependents: For dependent children of families who will be based in Tunis, The American Cooperative School in Tunis is popular with American families. Interested grantees should contact the school in advance to enroll their children. Very few other schools offer English-language education in Tunisia, although there are many French and Arabic language schools.
Contact: For more information, contact Dmitri Tarakhovsky at the U.S. Embassy Tunis (TarakhovskyD@state.gov).
Dr. BelGacem Raggad, IT Professor from Pace University in New York conducting a presentation on Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity at the Higher Institute of Commercial Studies of Carthage in Tunisia
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
If you need further support, please contact Dmitri Tarakhovsky at the U.S. Embassy Tunis (TarakhovskyD@state.gov).