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.
Teach courses at the associate degree, undergraduate or graduate level in field of specialization and/or conduct collaborative or independent research, as desired.
For teaching/research projects, scholars should plan a 60/40 ratio of teaching to research. Applicants for teaching and teaching/research awards should be available for at least one semester. In some cases, requested grant lengths may need to be adjusted at the discretion of the Fulbright Program.
Below is a list of the main educational institutions on each island with which scholars may affiliate. Please note that in the online application, you will need to select "Barbados" as the country and then indicate your host institution on the Award Details page. You will be able to indicate the specific island to which you are applying in the “Additional Comments” box under the host institution dropdown menu.
This list is not exhaustive. If an applicant wishes to affiliate with an institution or entity other than the ones listed above, she/he/they should contact the U.S. Embassy in Barbados to ensure that the host institution under consideration would be acceptable and appropriate.
Three to six months for non-flex grants only.
Four to six months for Flex grants. For additional information on Flex grants, please see the Flex Option section.
Grant dates are flexible and may begin from the start of the academic year, or later. The first semester begins in September 2026, with a preference for arrival in late August 2026. The academic year traditionally begins in September and ends in December. The second semester begins in January 2027.
All Scholars to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean are required to attend a pre-departure orientation, which is arranged by ECA and IIE and is held prior to beginning their Fulbright grant.
Flex awards are offered for professional projects and research grants only.
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.
The U.S. Embassy in Barbados is accredited to seven island nations in the Eastern Caribbean. The countries Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and Grenadines are independent nation-states that share a rich cultural heritage. It is important to note that while the islands share common challenges, there is diversity not just in landscape but also in the areas that they identify as priorities. The ethnic composition of this region is approximately 93% Afro-Caribbean with the remaining 7% comprising persons of European, Asian, and Indo-Caribbean descent.
The educational Institutions can be contacted to provide advice on suitable housing options and communities as well as to offer guidance on options for transportation while on the island.
Immigration Requirements
Each island has specific immigration requirements for visitors. As the duration of a Fulbright program usually exceeds the amount of time given to visitors to the islands, some islands have specific requirements for 'long stay' visitors. While crafting the application for the scholar program, applicants must discuss with their host institutions what these requirements are so that any necessary applications and submission of documentation can be started in a timely manner. Please remain in contact with the U.S. Embassy to provide updates on this process.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The U.S. Embassy encourages applicants to liaise with their respective host institutions to obtain letters of invitation. Applications will still be considered if not accompanied by a letter of invitation but the applicant must show proof that the proposed project is endorsed and supported by a local host institution.
Scholars with a Ph.D. are encouraged to apply, but applicants who possess a master's degree with substantial professional experience will be considered. At least three years of teaching experience is required for projects with a teaching component. Applicants must also demonstrate the feasibility of conducting the proposed project in their project statement.
For additional information on the region and the work of the Embassy, please visit the U.S. Embassy's website. We welcome your queries, which can be directed to Public Engagement Assistant for Professional and Academic Exchange Programs Lisa Howell.
$2,650
For Flex grants, round-trip travel will be included for each segment of the grant for the grantee only. Dependent travel will not be provided for Flex scholars.
$1,000 books and educational materials allowance for teaching and teaching/research grants; these materials should be donated to the host institution or other entity upon grantee's departure.
$300 - $500 research allowance for research-only grants.
Additional living and housing allowance is provided for grantees with one accompanying dependent or two or more accompanying dependent. These amounts range from $900/month to $1,400/month.
In addition, travel allowances are provided for up to two dependents. These amounts range from $1,300 to $2,600.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.
The cost of living in the Eastern Caribbean varies from country to country. What should be kept in mind is that the major foreign exchange contributor on each island is the tourism industry and this has implications for the types, availability and costs of goods and services on the islands. Housing costs will vary based on their proximity to tourist attractions or amenities; the season i.e., whether winter season or offseason and the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and whether furnished or unfurnished. You may choose to use a cost-of-living calculator to do further research on potential costs.
The ease/cost of getting around on the islands varies based on the topography and road networks on the islands. Please contact the embassy to receive country-specific guidance on this aspect of your award.
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, 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 they are in country on their Fulbright grant. Scholars who apply for the Flex award are ineligible for the Regional Travel Program. Additional information can be found on the Regional Travel Program website.
Please refer to the figures above for an estimate of total monthly Fulbright award benefits. Benefits may include a monthly base stipend, living and housing allowances, and additional one-time allowances. Benefits may vary based on a scholar's current academic rank (or professional equivalent), the city of placement, the type of award (teaching, teaching/research, or research), and the number of and duration of stay of accompanying dependents. Research-only or Professional Project grantees receive a standard stipend that is not adjusted for academic rank. In most cases, dependent benefits will not be provided to Flex grantees, or to grantees pursuing grants less than four months (or a semester) in length.
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 reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Barbados administers the Fulbright Program for the Eastern Caribbean region and serves as the local point of contact for incoming U.S. Scholars. The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, is headed by an Ambassador who has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and is accredited to the seven sovereign island nations of the Eastern Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Fulbright Scholars electing to conduct their projects in the Eastern Caribbean can chose any one of the seven island countries to do so. Each island offers a unique cultural and geographic experience.
The Eastern Caribbean region boasts a fully accredited higher educational institution, the University of the West Indies, which was established in 1948 and has a main campus located in Barbados and open campuses across the region. In addition, a community college is located on each of the seven islands.
As you prepare your Fulbright application, we encourage you to read the country summary located on the CIA World Factbook's website to learn more about the demographics and profiles of the countries, the U.S. Embassy in Barbados website and the CDC country page for information on health and safety considerations.
Fulbright U.S. Scholars to the Eastern Caribbean have conducted projects in diverse fields. Click here to view a full list of U.S. Scholar alumni to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
Learn more here about Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador Professor Kimberly Jackson, who taught biochemistry at Antigua State College.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Applicants are encouraged to directly contact the various educational institutions in the region or the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown for further information.
University of the West Indies - Cave Hill Campus:
The Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies is a multi-campus regional university serving the English-speaking Caribbean, with campuses located in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad. It is the only university at that level in our area of responsibility. It offers many fields of study in disciplines such as liberal arts, pure and applied sciences, and education, as well as professional training in law and medicine. Postgraduate programs are offered in all disciplines under the aegis of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Over the years, the university has developed major areas of strength at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in legal education and training, environmental studies, alternative energy, biotechnology, executive management and chronic diseases, among other fields.
The Campus has also developed centers of excellence in numerous fields, including:
Teaching and research are supported by a number of institutes and projects, among them the Cave Hill School of Business, the Caribbean Law Institute and Justice Improvement Project, the Center for Environmental Studies and Resource Management, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, and the Distance Learning Center and its Open Campus, which is available in 16 Caribbean islands. Visit the website for the University of the West Indies. Contact Information: Ms. Anthea Hinkson, Assistant Registrar, Human Resources; telephone: 246-417-4073.
Community Colleges in the Eastern Caribbean:
Antigua and Barbuda
The Antigua State College offers programs in the liberal arts and in pure and applied sciences under its Advanced Level Department; Department of Business; Engineering Department; Department of Teacher Education; School of Nursing and Department of Undergraduate Studies. Emerging out of an agreement with the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill, the College offers Level 1 and Level 2 programs throughout the faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Science and Technology. Contact: The Principal, Tel 1-268-462-1434
Barbados
The Barbados Community College offers associate degrees in arts, economics, applied arts and applied sciences. The college also offers three bachelor's degree programs in fine arts, technical and vocational education, and tourism and hospitality management. Contact Annette Alleyne, Principal. Tel - 1-246-426-2858.
The Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology offers certification in technical and vocations areas of studies. Contact The Principal at 1-246-535-2201.
Dominica
Dominica State College offers associate programs in the liberal arts, economics and the sciences. The associate of arts program is designed for students who plan to transfer into a bachelor's degree program at universities overseas. The college now also offers a bachelor’s degree program in nursing. Contact The Registrar; telephone: 1-767-440-4941.
Grenada
The T.A. Marryshow Community College offers associate degrees in art and design, building construction, cultural studies, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, nursing, general education and tourism and hospitality management. These degrees are administered through its three schools: the School of Arts, Sciences and Professional Studies; the School of Applied Arts and Technology; and the School of Continuing Education. The main campus of the College is located in Tanteen, St George's. The College operates an Agricultural Department at Mirabeau in the parish of St. Andrew. A campus with selective programs was established on the sister isle of Carriacou in October 2004. Contact The Principal; telephone: 1-473-440-1389.
St. Kitts and Nevis
The Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College offers associate degrees in the arts and sciences, education, health sciences, and technical and vocational education. Established in 1988 as the College of Further Education, it was mandated to consolidate and augment opportunities for tertiary-level education. Clarence Fitzroy Bryant came into existence with the amalgamation of four previously existing institutions: the School of Nursing inaugurated in 1966; the Teacher's College established in 1967; the Technical College organized in 1971; and the Sixth-Form school. Contact The Office of the President, telephone: 1-869-465-2856.
Sir Arthur Lewis Community College is the premier tertiary institution of Saint Lucia and offers students a variety of professional and vocational study opportunities commencing from the Certificate level through to the Bachelor's degree level. Under its Departments of Arts and Humanities; Building Studies; Business; Continuing Education; Curriculum Development; Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology; Health Sciences; Hospitality and Tourism; Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Mechanical Engineering and Technology, the college offers instruction in the following areas: business, building, computer systems, hospitality, electronics, primary and secondary education, home economics, agriculture (including livestock, field crops, marketing and business), nursing, food and nutrition, midwifery and general arts and sciences. Contact The Principal or the reception desk at 1-758-457-7349.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College offers associate degrees in psychology, business, law, information technology, performing arts, and media studies. The college teaches years one and two of the University of the West Indies' economics program. In addition, the college offers bachelor's degrees in computer science, nursing, family and consumer studies, education and a diploma in engineering. Contact Mr. Nigel Scott, Director; telephone: 1-784-457-4503 or 784-528-5328 or 784-457-5248