Fulbright Lectureship in Public Diplomacy at the Catholic University of Milan
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.
The Fulbright Scholar is expected to teach three courses to be defined in agreement with the host department. The time breakdown is 60% teaching, 40% research.
Type of courses: Lectures and workshops
Level: Master's and PhD level.
Teaching load: 30 hours per semester. 9 hours course for the First Level Specializing Master in Advanced Global Studies; 12 hours course for the First Level Specializing Master in Advanced Public and Cultural Diplomacy for International Relations; 9 hours for the PhD Program of Institutions and Policies
Average class size: 20 students
Course and syllabus requirements: To be defined in coordination with the host department.
Other Grant Activity:
Advise and/or Mentor Students
Conduct a Research Project Designated by the Host Institution
Conduct a Research Project of the Applicant’s Choosing: Fulbright scholars are also encouraged to propose and pursue independent research projects that align with their academic interests and expertise.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: https://www.unicatt.it/en.html; https://www.unicatt.it/
ASERI – Graduate School of Economics and International Relations, https://aseri.unicatt.it/
Collaborative and Cultural Strategies; Policy Design and Evaluation; Cultural Diplomacy; Reputational Security.
Research and collaboration with peers.
Introduction and interaction with the local and university community.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Conversational Italian is helpful to better integrate into the local community, but it is not mandatory.
The successful candidate should have expertise in both the theory and practical cases of Public and Cultural Diplomacy, and a track record of preparing students for government and/or NGO Service. They should be familiar with experiential learning techniques to develop professional capacity in students, and have the academic track record to develop research-based insights among students. Preference will be given to someone willing and able to coordinate a symposium on issues in International Cultural Relations to spark debate and provide institutional leadership to scholars and practitioners in the region.
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 €4,500 for a total of €13,500 for three months ($4,726 and $14,177; the amounts may change depending on exchange rate fluctuations). The award, which is a maintenance allowance for the entire period, is disbursed in Euro currency.
International Travel allowance of €1,100 ($1,155; the amount may change depending on exchange rate fluctuations). The allowance is disbursed in Euro currency.
The estimated monthly cost of living in the city of Milan, in the neighborhood of Sant’Ambrogio (where Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and ASERI have their buildings) is around 2000/month, taking into account accommodation, day to day expenses, and transport.
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 ($1,470 -$2,625 approx.). Rent is usually the major expense, ranging between €600-€1.500 ($631-$1,575 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 expats.
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…
Assistance in finding accommodation in Milan will be provided. The approximate range of the monthly cost of accommodation in the city in Milan is around 1000 euros/month.
The following resources and facilities will be made available: secretarial assistance, library facilities, office space, access to the computer network, access to the university canteen, and facilitated access to other on-campus resources.
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 2026-27, 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 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.
Fulbright Italy Alumni Meeting September 30, 2019, at Museum MAXXI in Rome
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.