Fulbright-Fondazione CON IL SUD (Foundation of Southern Italy) Award for Teaching/Research in All Disciplines
Italy
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.
Fulbright Scholars can either teach, or teach and conduct research, in the area of specialization.
Teaching: in agreement with their host institutions, Scholars should expect to teach two courses, and provide lectures, seminars, or workshops.
Teaching/Research: in agreement with their host institutions, Scholars will teach one course and provide lectures, seminars, or workshops. They will also conduct a research project, preferably in collaboration with the host faculty. Teaching will constitute the primary activity (at least 60%), and research should be considered secondary.
Other activity: Fulbright Scholars are strongly encouraged to participate in ongoing activities of the host department. They may be invited to consult on curriculum, program, and faculty development, and may have the opportunity to conduct seminars and workshops.
One of the 23 universities located in the six regions of southern Italy: Campania, Puglia, Calabria, Sardegna, Basilicata, or Sicilia. Universities can be found at the following link, searching by region: https://www.fondazioneconilsud.it/en/
Five to six months.
Grants may begin after October 1, 2025, and should be completed by June 30, 2026. Grant dates are to be arranged with the host institution and indicated in the invitation letter. However, they may be changed later, depending on circumstances, and finalized after selection. Exceptions to the grant length and grant period may be requested; such requests are subject to approval by both the host institution and the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission.
Applications are sought in all disciplines. The U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission particularly welcomes projects on contemporary topics and in the sciences and technology.
This award:
- promotes a better knowledge of the South of Italy and promotes knowledge, exchange, and research at universities in the South of Italy.
- allows applicants in most disciplines, to choose their activity, their host university in the South, as well as the period of grant.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Candidates must arrange their own affiliation and include a letter of invitation from the host institution in support of the candidacy, indicating also the dates of their grants.
Italian language fluency may be required for teaching, depending on the host university's preference. However, based on experience most scholars are asked to teach in English. Conversational Italian is helpful to better integrate into the local community, even for those who will teach in English.
Open to faculty of all academic ranks.
A listing of Italian universities and access to their homepages can be found at https://www.universitaly.it/. A valuable search engine can be found at https://cercauniversita.cineca.it/.
Useful links with information about the Italian academic system can be found on the website and the MIUR website. https://www.cimea.it/EN/
Fondazione CON IL SUD was established in 2006 as an alliance between bank foundations and the non-profit sector to promote the civic, economic, and social development of the South of Italy. Information on the Foundation can be found on the Fondazione Con IL SUD website.
Contact person at the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission: Barbara Pizzella, Senior Program Officer, bpizzella@fulbright.it, and Chiara Petrilli, Program Officer, cpetrilli@fulbright.it
Monthly stipend of €4,780 for a total of €23,900 for five/six months ($5,234 and $26,171; the amounts are approximate and may change depending on exchange rate fluctuations). The award, which is a maintenance allowance for the entire period, is disbursed in Euro currency and will be the same whether the Scholar decides to stay five or six months.
International Travel allowance of €1,100 (approximately $1,204; the amount may change depending on exchange rate fluctuations). The allowance is disbursed in Euro currency.
As a rule, large cities in the North and the Center of Italy are more expensive, while living in the South is less costly, even in larger cities. An average monthly budget for two persons could range between €1.400-€2.500 ($1,533 -$2,737 approx.). Rent is usually the major expense, ranging between €600-€1.500 ($657-$1,642 approx.). Individuals’ lifestyles and choosing to live downtown or on the outskirts of a city can make a difference. The following websites could help navigate the costs of living in Italy. While none of them is sponsored by official institutions, the information is provided mostly by international visitors themselves and ex-pats:
https://wise.com/gb/blog/cost-of-living-in-italy; https://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/cost-of-living-in-italy/; https://www.mondayfeelings.com/cost-to-live-in-italy/; https://www.internationalcitizens.com/living-abroad/costs/italy.php; https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Italy; https://www.forextradingitalia.it/costo-della-vita/italia.html
The Fulbright Scholars will be eligible for the Fulbright Inter-country Travel Grant Program, http://www.fulbright.it/fulbright-intercountry/, and to receive a travel grant to lecture, hold workshops, and conduct other relevant outreach activity at other Italian and European academic institutions.
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.
Italy
To learn more about Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards in Italy for 2024-25, please view our archived webinar and slides to hear directly from the Fulbright Commission, IIE staff, and U.S. Scholar alums regarding award details, the scholar experience, and application guidance.
The program in Italy is open to scholars and professionals from all disciplines; preferences are indicated under individual award descriptions. Scholars may be invited to give occasional lectures or seminars at various Italian universities. Some of the awards offer free housing (paid for by the host institution), or a financial contribution to offset housing costs.
Preference for candidates who have not already had substantial experience (5 years or more) studying or teaching in an Italian university.
The academic calendar, which is usually divided into two semesters, is generally October to June. However, dates may vary depending on the university.
Entry Visas to Italy: Selected grantees must enter Italy on a study or, in some cases, a research visa covering the authorized length of the grant. Information about the two visas and their application process is available on the Italy Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. The possibility of staying for longer periods and/or being accompanied by dependents is subject to the provisions and restrictions of Italian Law. Italian embassy and consulates are the sole authorities in matters pertaining to visa issues.
Basic Visa Information: U.S. grantees must apply for a Study Visa (D) at the Italian Embassy or Consulate having jurisdiction in the State where they reside. The Commission will support their application with a letter that will be sent to grantees after they have signed the official grant authorization but will not be able to assist grantees in their application procedures.
Due to restrictions in the Italian Immigration Law, there are potential challenges related to the duration of grantee stay in Italy, and the visa and permit-to-stay for their dependents.
The requested duration of the grantee's stay in Italy should not be much longer than the official grant period. In case of significant discrepancy (more than 30 days overall), the Consulate may reject the grantee's visa request.
Grantees who wish to be accompanied to Italy by their family dependents should be aware that the Commission cannot sponsor their dependents’ visas. Available options are:
1. Dependents may stay in Italy without a visa for 90 days
2. Dependents may enroll in an Italian language course and apply for their study visa (the Commission cannot assist in identifying the course, nor does it have the funding to allocate for this purpose)
3. Dependents could apply for a Ricongiungimento Familiare. The procedure entails that grantees travel to Italy on their own and once they arrive in Italy they must request a nulla osta per il ricongiungimento familiare. The nulla osta will be issued within 180 days from the request, which may exceed their grant length. Only then will dependents be able to travel to Italy to join the grantee and to apply for a permit to stay for ricongiungimento familiare.
Enrichment activity during your stay: Each June, the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission hosts a meeting where U.S. grantees returning to the States after their grant and Italian grantees departing to begin their grant meet, interact, network, and often start relationships that continue in the United States. The Meeting--a celebration of the Fulbright experience--is held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the United States. Italian alumni are also invited to participate in the day's activities.
HELPFUL LINKS
A listing of Italian universities and access to their homepages can be found at A valuable search engine can be found at https://cercauniversita.cineca.it/ https://www.universitaly.it/
Useful links with information about the Italian academic system can be found at and the MIUR website. https://www.cimea.it/EN/
To view more about life in Italy, visit here: https://madeinitaly.gov.it/en/
For further information on the awards, contact Barbara Pizzella, Senior Program Officer at the Commission, at bpizzella@fulbright.it, and Chiara Petrilli, Program Officer, at cpetrilli@fulbright.it.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Teaching awards: Applicants should submit a detailed teaching proposal in their application
Teaching/Research awards: Applicants should submit a detailed teaching proposal in their application, as well as a research project.
Grantees will be required to live in the city where the host institution is located.
Visa Information: see Country Overview.