Fulbright-Université Grenoble Alpes Award
France
Number of recipients
Conduct research and collaborate with colleagues at the Université Grenoble Alpes.
An academic department, institute, laboratory, or research center affiliated with the Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA). UGA is based in and around the city of Grenoble, at the foot of the French Alps.
The Grenoble Alpes region is one of the most important research, technology, and innovation hubs in Europe, and one of the most dynamic industrial areas in France with the highest concentration of Research and Development jobs. Grenoble has developed as an important university and experimental research center since the mid-twentieth century, when Physics Nobel Prize winner Louis Néel led the creation of the Grenoble Nuclear Research Centre (CENG, later CEA-Grenoble) in 1956; the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) was established in Grenoble in 1962; and the world-leading neutron research facility, Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), was installed in 1967. Other major European institutions followed, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s site in France (EMBL Grenoble) in 1975, the Institute for Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM) in 1979, and the European Synchrotron (ESRF) in 1988.
Université Grenoble Alpes stands out for its close collaboration with higher education institutions, research bodies, and major European and international research infrastructure. The Université Grenoble Alpes has been named an “excellence initiative,” because of the synergies of its laboratories shared with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the French National Institute for Research and Digital Science and Technology (Inria), the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), the Grenoble Alpes University Hospital (CHU Grenoble Alpes), and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD).
Université Grenoble Alpes is also home to the Maison de la Création et de l'Innovation (MaCI), a 5000 square meter center for the arts and the humanities which opened its doors in 2019 and welcomes cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Candidates are eligible to apply to all departments of the University and to its affiliated laboratories and institutes.
Projects are sought in all disciplines.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Questions regarding obtaining an affiliation may be addressed to Caroline Bertonèche.
Charlotte Goodwin, US Program Officer at the Franco-American Fulbright Commission
€2,800 (approx. $3,000) per month. There is no allocation for accompanying dependents. Applicants are responsible for finding their own housing, although some host institutions may facilitate the process. The Euraxess network can also help with housing and local logistics.
International travel allowance provided for grantee only. All research scholars receive a travel allowance of €1,200 (approx. $1,300).
The average monthly rent for a studio apartment in Grenoble is 464 euros (approximately $507). A public transportation pass costs 66.40 euros per month (approximately $72).
Visa fees will be waived for Fulbright grantees and their accompanying dependents. The Fulbright Commission will provide support and guidance for the visa process.
France
Why France?
France has been the world's top tourist destination for over 25 years. Visitors come from all over to enjoy French cuisine, tour its famous museums and monuments, and explore its beautiful cities. More on French tourism and attractions.
The country has an excellent and accessible healthcare system, a high-quality public school system starting at nursery school, comprehensive public transportation and high-speed rail networks, and lively cultural scene.
France is also a key place to do research, teach, or pursue professional development. It is home to 72 universities, 227 engineering schools, 220 business schools, 45 state art schools, 22 architecture schools, and 3000 private institutions of higher education. Research is a high priority: 2.22% of the country's GDP is devoted to research and development. The CNRS (national scientific research council) produces the highest number of scientific publications in the world. More on reasons to choose France and the French research landscape.
Applicants can find useful practical information about life in France (housing, schooling, etc.) through the free national Euraxess network.
Being a Fulbrighter in France
Fulbright France hosts two all-grantee events every year (orientation in September and mid-year meeting in February) in Paris. Fulbrighters gather together to get practical information, meet each other, learn about important issues in French society, and explore the cultural sites of Paris. There are also other activities on offer, including conferences, informal gatherings around a galette des rois or French cheeses, and concerts from Fulbright musicians.
Candidates interested in applying can visit the Franco-American Commission's website. For more detailed information, contact Charlotte Goodwin, US Program Officer at the Franco-American Fulbright Commission, at cgoodwin@fulbright-france.org.
Quotes from Fulbright scholar alumni:
"My fellowship helped me establish new connections and cement existing research collaborations with French scientists and their students in a substantial way that will carry forward for at least the next decade. The program also gave me a new window into the graduate education of French students that I will bring back to my home institution and that will benefit them and future exchanges that will occur. Finally, the experience gave me, and my family a much more detailed picture and appreciation of France and its people with new insights into its history and prehistory, people, and society."
"I refer to this year as the 'magical year' because I was able to focus on my research, to make enduring connections with researchers based in France, to drastically deepen my ability to work in French, and to enjoy my daily life in a way I often find impossible while I’m in the midst of a full semester of teaching, administrative work, and meetings at my home institution. I came to better understand French academia and to build professionally meaningful relationships at my host institution. I was a citizen of a city, a member of an institution, and a speaker of a language in which I was immensely happy."
“The Fulbright program enabled me to develop several completely new avenues of research that would have been absolutely impossible without having this extended time to be in residence in my French host lab. On a personal level, Fulbright enabled me and my family to have a fascinating and immersive year in European culture that will especially benefit our kids for decades to come.”
Fulbright France has an active YouTube channel with many interviews of Fulbrighters past and present: https://www.youtube.com/user/ComFulbrightFR.
The Université Grenoble Alpes is ranked among the top ten universities in France, and the top 150 universities in the world. It brings together 59,000 students, of whom 10,500 are international. The university has 30 departments and schools, representing a wide variety of fields, from literature to particle physics to engineering to architecture to political science to sociology to biology. The Université Grenoble Alpes is well-known for its strong research infrastructure, with 13 doctoral schools, 70 laboratories, 6 research clusters, 13 laboratories of excellence, and many international collaborative projects.