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.
One American scholar will be selected for the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award, designed to support research at the intersection of policy and technology that can improve the transatlantic understanding of issues at the heart of the US-EU relationship. The 2026-27 Innovation Award will give preference to proposals focused on the EU or US-EU approaches to innovative technologies and business models and their integration with new and existing policies and regulations. Successful proposals should address research topics focusing on the intersection of technological innovation and policy. The policy-oriented research funded by the grant should be of common importance for the US-EU relationship and/or EU affairs and tenable in one, two, or three EU Member States.
Candidates are welcome to submit applications affiliated with any appropriate institutions, including European higher education institutions, governments, non-profit organizations and think tanks. Applicants may not affiliate formally with EU institutions. All grantees are still able to contact the EU institutions for interviews or request information - under its general rules of access to information, as any other researcher - but candidates should primarily focus on affiliating with higher education institutions, think tanks or other research centers. Candidates are responsible for arranging their own placement, including letters of invitation from any host institutions.
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 will be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
European Union Member State(s), which are the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Activities in other countries are not eligible.
The ability to affiliate with multiple host institutions and divide up the grant among multiple EU Member States often draws candidates to the Fulbright-Schuman Program, but the decision to spend time in multiple countries comes with additional logistical challenges. Proposals will be considered both from candidates who plan to be based primarily in one Member State as well as candidates who will divide their time between host institutions in two or three EU Member States. Candidates planning to be based in only one Member State should ensure that their proposed research still demonstrates a pan-European perspective. On the other hand, candidates planning to divide up their time in two or three Member States should address the feasibility of these plans and should consider visa requirements for the countries involved. As long as candidates can prove that their research is better suited to the Fulbright-Schuman Program than to a binational exchange program, the Fulbright Commission in Brussels no longer gives preference to candidates who propose to be based in multiple member states, and will work with selected candidates to find a feasible visa plan for projects taking place in multiple countries.
In 2026-27, preference may be given to candidates who propose projects based at least partially in countries that have been historically underrepresented in the program. These countries include: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Grants will be considered for a minimum of three months and a maximum of nine months, with preference for projects of a one-semester (i.e., four- to six-month) duration. Grants must occur between September 2026 and June 2027. Grants running through August 2027 will only be considered if the project requires this flexibility and the host institution confirms support for the summer months.
Applicants to the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award may come from any field of study, but should make the case for the innovative nature of their research. Proposals should sit at the intersection of technology and policy. Possible specializations include, but are not limited to: artificial intelligence, biology and bionic technology, business, communications, computer science, cyber security, data privacy and protection, engineering, health and medical technology, information sciences, political science, and public administration.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Candidates are strongly encouraged to provide an invitation letter from a host institution in every country in which they wish to do substantive research. Candidates do not need to provide letters of invitation from institutions to which they plan to conduct only short research stays. The Fulbright Commission in Brussels is not able to assist candidates in securing letters of invitation.
Host country language ability commensurate with the requirements of the project.
In addition to traditional research scholars and postdoctoral candidates, community college faculty or administrators looking to exchange best practices with their European counterparts are also welcome to apply. Professionals such as policy-makers, policy analysts and researchers at think tanks, non-profit organizations (NGOs), associations, learned societies, foundations, decision-makers at state or federal government offices, and individuals in industry or the media with relevant professional experience are also encouraged to apply.
You may be asked to participate in an interview as part of the in-country selection process.
All semi-finalists for this award will be invited to a brief virtual interview with a panel composed by the Fulbright Commission in Brussels. Grantees will be notified of their interview date and time at least two weeks before it is scheduled, and the interview will be 20 minutes or shorter. More specific details of the interview process will by provided by the Fulbright Commission to all semi-finalists to give them time to prepare for the interview.
For more information about this particular award, interested applicants should consider contacting the Fulbright Commission in Brussels at info@fulbright.be or via the links below:
$3,159 per month (3000 EUR)
(Note: Grant will be awarded in euro; USD value may fluctuate.)
One-time travel allowance of $2,106 (€2,000 - for grantee only).
(Note: Grant will be awarded in euro; USD value may fluctuate.)
Before and during the grant period, the successful candidate will be supported by the Fulbright Commission in Brussels as well as the Fulbright Commission or local U.S. Embassy in the country or countries where they are based. Grantees are incorporated into local programming, including in-country orientation, cultural activities, and alumni associations.
All participants in the Fulbright Schuman Program who are in Europe on their grant at the time of the event will be invited to join Fulbright grantees from across Europe at the annual Fulbright Seminar on the European Union and NATO, hosted by the Fulbright Commission in Brussels, in February 2027. Highlights of the annual seminar include visits to the European Court of Justice, the European Commission, the U.S. Mission to the EU, and NATO Headquarters. Past participants have also had an opportunity to learn more about the culture and history of Belgium and Luxembourg through tours of Luxembourg City, Brussels, and Bruges as well as visits to the Bastogne War Museum and College of Europe. The Fulbright Commission will cover the cost of participation in the seminar as well as the cost of travel from the host country to/from Brussels.
Experiences from Past Fulbrighters
"Collaborating with researchers while living and working in their home countries is the eye-opening, life-changing experience offered by the Fulbright Schuman Innovation Program. The insights gained from meeting young researchers, making new friends, and encountering new life experiences extended far beyond the laboratory findings and opened exciting new avenues of inquiry and partnerships." - Dr. Rosalie Wolfe, 2019-2020 Fulbright Schuman Scholar
"I applied for this award because I was interested in studying an EU institution--the proposed Unified Patent Court--that involved several member states. The grant allowed me to split my time between Germany and France, which helped provide me with a broader perspective on my topic of research." - Sapna Kumar, 2018-2019 Fulbright Schuman Scholar
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.
The Fulbright-Schuman European Union Program offers grants for policy-oriented research proposals that address topics of common importance for the US-EU relationship and/or EU affairs and are tenable in one or more European Union Member State(s). Proposals are invited in a wide range of fields relevant to US-EU relations, EU policy, or EU institutions. In addition to traditional academic scholars, community college faculty or professionals such as policy-makers, policy analysts and researchers at think tanks, non-profit organizations (NGOs), associations, learned societies, foundations, decision-makers at state or federal government offices, and individuals in industry or the media with relevant professional experience are also encouraged to apply.
Fulbright-Schuman awards include: the Fulbright-Schuman Distinguished Scholar and the Fulbright-Schuman Postdoctoral Award at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy (see awards in Italy), the generalized Fulbright-Schuman European Union Affairs Program, and the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Applicants should note that the responsibility of obtaining a visa (both for the grantee and for any dependents) lies with the applicant, not Fulbright Commission staff. Grantees should therefore carefully look into visa issues in advance and allow plenty of time for the application process.