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.
During their grant period in Colombia, scholars may conduct research, teach graduate or undergraduate courses, participate in conferences and seminars, carry out fieldwork, and advise students or faculty members, among other activities. Projects that engage with communities beyond the host institution are of particular interest.
As part of their project proposal, candidates must specify the academic outcomes and products that they expect to achieve during their grant period. Concretely, the Fulbright Commission encourages candidates to highlight the contributions that they expect to make to the local community or host institution as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar.
Developing plans for building long-lasting connections with local counterparts and further promoting opportunities for exchange and academic mobility between U.S. and Colombian institutions will be highly valued in the selection process. All grantees, regardless of their award activity, are expected to lead at least one public conference related to their project or field of expertise during their grant period, enabling them to share their knowledge with the local community and foster connections with fellow researchers and scholars.
For the Teaching/Research load, the ratio of grant activities can be defined by the candidate according to their interests, project details, and previous agreements with the host institution. Therefore, there are no specific requirements related to minimum teaching hours or desired ratio of Teaching/Research activities.
Some awards may be co-funded by Colombian government institutions or local universities, as part of cooperation agreements with the Fulbright Commission. Upon notification of the finalist candidate and prior signing of the Terms and Conditions of Award, the Fulbright Commission will provide details of any additional guidelines based on the funding source, within the scope and timeframes outlined in the program application.
Any higher education institution, research center, NGO, or public institution in Colombia.
Candidates applying for a single visit (3 to 6 months long) must propose a project timeline that ensures their grant activities are carried out between September 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.
Alternatively, candidates applying under the Flex option can propose multiple grant segments between September 1, 2026, and June 30, 2028. However, the first segment of Flex grants must be completed by June 30, 2027.
Within these parameters, grantees may select the most suitable grant dates based on their availability and previous arrangements with the host institution in Colombia. A schedule of the grant activities should be included in the project statement.
Flex grants allow the grantee to split into multiple in-country visits. The minimum length of any grant segment is one month (30 calendar days) and the maximum length is three months (90 calendar days). Two or three segments may be spread across one or two consecutive academic years.
For migratory purposes, the Fulbright Commission recommends that the total duration of a Flex award should not exceed five (5) months within a single calendar year.
The candidate can choose the dates for each grant segment to take place between September 1, 2026, and June 30, 2028. Please note that the first grant segment must be completed before June 30, 2027.
All candidates applying for a flex grant must specify the expected dates for each segment of the grant in their applications.
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.
This award is open to all fields of study. However, projects that involve work with communities outside of the host institution will be particularly welcome.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Applicants must submit an invitation letter signed by the director of the department, academic unit, institute, or research center interested in hosting the candidate, or alternatively, signed by the professor or researcher who is interested in working with the candidate in the proposed project, provided that this invitation has been approved by the department director or dean.
Securing a letter of invitation is an essential step in the application process for this award. Applicants are encouraged to contact potential host institutions in Colombia as early as possible, given that response times will vary depending on the Colombian institution’s internal procedures and policies.
If you need assistance in identifying host institutions in Colombia, in the link below, you will find a list of recommended Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers in Colombia with relevant academic and contact information: click here.
In case of any specific questions or inquiries on how to contact potential host institutions in Colombia, please reach out to Ana María Carvajal, Educational Adviser at Fulbright Colombia, at consejeria@fulbright.edu.co.
Applicants are encouraged to consult the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) “Can-Do Statements” to determine if they are qualified.
Applicants must 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.
In general, intermediate or higher Spanish proficiency is recommended to help facilitate the scholar’s successful academic performance and interaction with Colombian counterparts, local populations, and other relevant stakeholders. However, the language requirements vary as required by the specific grant activity.
Please note: all applicants must submit the language proficiency evaluations, regardless of proficiency level, except for applicants claiming native-level Spanish proficiency. Candidates with basic or limited Spanish language skills will be considered if the host institution does not require a fluent Spanish speaker, and according to the proposed grant activities. In such cases, the language flexibility must be mentioned in the invitation letter provided by the Colombian host institution.
Inquiries about the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program in Colombia may be directed to Ana María Carvajal, Educational Adviser at the Fulbright Commission in Colombia, at consejeria@fulbright.edu.co. For more information about the U.S. Scholar Program in Colombia, please visit our website.
The scholar will receive a monthly stipend of US $3,700 to cover all expenses in Colombia, including settling-in maintenance, housing, and materials during the grant period.[1]
No additional allowance is provided for scholars traveling with dependents.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the 2026-2027 academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards, and allowances.[1]
Along with the first stipend payment, the grantee will receive a USD $1,500 allowance to cover economy-class round-trip international airfare.
Included in the stipend amount.
During their grant period, Fulbright U.S. Scholars in the Western Hemisphere (WHA) region may apply for a short-term regional travel grant for activities such as workshops, seminars, presentations, lectures, performances, exhibits, curricular advising, and similar projects at institutions in eligible WHA countries. (Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Uruguay). The Regional Travel Program covers travel to and from the destination; lodging may be offered by the host institution. Scholars may only apply for this grant once in the host country on their Fulbright grant. Scholars who apply for the Flex award are ineligible for the Regional Travel Program. Additional information can be found at the Regional Travel Program website.
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 and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
ABOUT COLOMBIA
Located in the northwest corner of South America, Colombia has a rich and complex geography that is shaped by three exuberant branches of the Andes mountain range system and lined by both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. With more than 50 million citizens, Colombia has the second-largest population in South America and is Latin America’s oldest and most stable democracy. Colombia is a free market economy with major commercial and investment ties to countries around the world, including the United States.
In the last five years, Colombia has established itself as one of the most innovative economies in Latin America. The country’s natural biodiversity is comparable to its rich cultural heritage reflecting the indigenous, Spanish, and African origins of its people. This makes Colombian food, music, dance, and art greatly diverse and unique.
Colombia is a paradigmatic example of a middle-income economy, and although still highly dependent on fossil fuels for national income, it is poised to transition towards a carbon-neutral and circular economy which could become a replicable example for other developing countries. Colombia's rich eco-systemic, economic, social, and cultural history offers an engaging setting for research projects that seek to find solutions to the largest global challenges of our times.
A remarkable location for biodiversity, sustainable development, and peace studies
Colombia has always been a preferred destination for students and scholars from around the world conducting research or interested in biodiversity and sustainable development. As the third most biodiverse country in the world, Colombia opens numerous possibilities for academic visitors to expand their knowledge. Colombia houses an unparalleled diversity of natural environments ranging from plains and deserts to high mountains, snowy peaks, Amazonian jungle, and Pacific and Caribbean coastlines— each with its own set of unique fauna and flora. Thus, it provides the perfect context for adventurous scholars aiming to engage in research on distinct ecologies and establish networks with local communities.
As one of the largest economies in Latin America, Colombia has the potential to influence the region as a whole, and in particular, exemplify a pathway towards sustainable development despite challenging sociopolitical contexts. The country’s strategic geographic location, as well as its historic drive in international contexts, position Colombia to lead efforts that can be transformative at the regional and global levels.
In recent years, the country has also become a primary destination for those studying peace processes, rural development, and social transformation. Colombia has undergone a remarkable transformation that has turned the tide on a long-running civil conflict. The signing of the peace agreement in 2016 between the 50-year-old FARC guerrilla group and the administration of former president Juan Manuel Santos opened up a historical opportunity for peacebuilding in Colombia, especially in regions heavily affected by decades of conflict.
There has been considerable progress in the implementation of the peace agreement, particularly in terms of the demobilization of the former insurgency, and the recognition of victims and their reparations; however, there are several key points of the agreement that are lagging, such as the comprehensive rural reform, FARC political participation, the cessation of violence in some regions, the solution to the problem of illicit drugs, and violence against demobilized ex-combatants.
Ivan Duque’s administration focused on and prioritized specific parts of the Agreement such as reincorporation, the formulation of national rural development plans, and issues related to the PDET (Programs of development with territorial approach, by its Spanish acronym). Among the main achievements in this field were the attention to the most abandoned municipalities of Colombia, the substitution of illicit crops, and the financing of productive projects led by ex-combatants.
Under the “Total Peace” policy, the current government aims to involve other armed groups and criminal bands that have caused violence in peace negotiations and processes of submission to justice. This policy places communities at the center of negotiations and creates a fund for peace that seeks social investment for distant regions highly affected by the presence of irregular armed groups. The current government has publicly announced its commitment to work on the breached agreements through the discussion of rural reform, and has also begun to conduct peace dialogues with the ELN guerrilla group to achieve more peace and stability.
While there have been major improvements in Colombia in terms of security, significant challenges remain for the successful implementation of the peace agreements and the reintegration of the members of the former insurgency.
Colombia’s current challenges and Government agenda
During the last decade, Colombia has consolidated a visible leadership in the area of sustainability on the political agenda in the region. In this sense, the country has gained recognition for implementing the first regional policy on circular economy.
The 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Cali, from October 21 through November 1, 2024, under the motto "Peace with Nature." This event highlighted global efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss while fostering inclusive dialogue with various stakeholders, including indigenous peoples, local communities, and youth. For further details about the achievements made in Cali, click here.
A connected system of higher education
In recent years, Colombia has made education a top priority in the country’s economic and social development, and has invested more resources in this sector than in any other area. Colombia has made great efforts to offer high-quality education for all by implementing policies that increase school hours for children, ensure opportunities for education of younger children, and strengthen the transition into higher education. The country has also focused on improving teacher training and development.
Colombia has a growing higher education system, composed of over 367 active higher education institutions, offering 2,800 master’s programs and 466 doctoral programs. Out of those higher education institutions, 131 count with High-Quality Accreditation. Colombian higher education institutions have been innovating their programs and procedures to attract more foreign scholars and students. The National Ministry of Education and its allies, MinCiencias and ICETEX, have invested heavily in advancing the installed capacities of Colombia's higher education system to improve the research and teaching on their campuses.
Furthermore, the nationwide initiative “Colombia Challenge your Knowledge” (CCYK), which is led by the top universities in the country, has been analyzing and implementing the best internationalization practices in order to attract more international visitors.
According to the Plan Nacional Decenal de Educación (2016 - 2026), the current government is working towards an education system that promotes the social and economic development of the country. It is also important to note that this plan seeks to enhance the quality of education by looking first into the social and economic aspects of how the education is provided to identify and attend the needs of the population eager to ample their knowledge in different regions of Colombia.
Colombia’s bet on Science, Technology, and Innovation
New partnerships between Colombian and U.S. universities have been cemented in recent years, many of them funded by Colombia Científica. As the flagship Colombian governmental initiative to promote internationalization, science, and research in the country, Colombia Científica has coordinated efforts with the productive sector and world-class institutions.
This inter-institutional initiative, supported by the World Bank, has gathered 148 stakeholders participating in eight Scientific Ecosystems in the following strategic focus areas: bio-economics, health, sustainable energy, food, and society. More than 1100 products have been developed in the framework of this alliance, including patents, prototypes, bioprocessing facilities, industrial design registrations, and spin-offs, among others.
The Territorial Ecosystems of Science, Technology, and Innovation (CT&I, by its acronym in Spanish), established by MinCiencias, also provide a framework for development in the different regions of Colombia. By integrating the regions' specific needs into strategic investment projects, competitive production areas, and development initiatives, the Department Councils of CT&I have played a key role in the alignment of regional initiatives and national goals and policies of science, technology, and innovation.
Finally, over the last decade, Colombia has experienced impressive progress in terms of digital government and policy-making for the strengthening of Information and Communication Technologies. As part of this achievement, the Colombian government has created Excellence and Appropriation Centers, aiming to position Colombia in the field of big data analytics.
Fulbright U.S. Scholars in Colombia
Since 1958, more than 220 researchers and experts have conducted academic activities in different cities of Colombia, as part of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Based on their feedback and comments, the following recommendations can facilitate future U.S. scholars’ adaptation process and overall experience in the country:
Fulbright in Colombia
The Fulbright Commission in Colombia has made determined efforts aimed to enhance the decentralization, and access to its portfolio of opportunities for graduate studies, research, teaching, and English teaching. Broadening the geographical presence of U.S. grantees in the country has been critical to achieving these objectives.
The extended coverage of Fulbright Programs for U.S. participants in the country has been possible thanks to the significant contributions from Colombian partners such as ICETEX, the National Ministry of Education, MinCiencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad del Valle, Universidad de los Andes, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad del Norte, Universidad del Rosario, and Universidad EAFIT.
To learn more about Colombia as a travel destination, visit: . http://www.colombia.co/
For questions related to the U.S. Scholar Program in Colombia, please contact Ana María Carvajal, Educational Adviser at Fulbright Colombia, who can be reached at: consejeria@fulbright.edu.co
If you are interested in the experience of previous U.S. Scholars in the country, please visit the Fulbright Commission’s website and follow the Fulbright Commission’s official accounts on social networks. For questions related to the U.S. Scholar Program in Colombia, please contact Ana María Carvajal, Educational Adviser at Fulbright Colombia, at consejeria@fulbright.edu.co.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Grantees with dual U.S. and Colombian nationality are required by Colombian law to enter the country on a Colombian passport.