2026 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award with the University of Notre Dame For Ugandans

If you're a Ugandan academic, researcher, or university administrator seeking to expand your horizons through international collaboration, the 2026 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award with the University of Notre Dame presents an exceptional opportunity. This prestigious program, administered by the U.S. Mission in Kampala, offers two Ugandan scholars the chance to engage in postdoctoral research or curriculum development in the United States during the 2026–2027 academic year. Applications are now open, with a submission deadline of June 7, 2025.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

• Location: University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

• Host Institution: University of Notre Dame

• Level: Postdoctoral research or curriculum development

• Target Group: Ugandan university faculty, administrators, and research institute professionals

• Fields of Focus:

  • Sustainability, resilience, mitigation, and adaptation

  • Peacebuilding, including peace processes, religion and peacebuilding, and the role of new technologies

  • Global health, including WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), nutrition, and maternal health

  • Language curriculum development to foster global citizenship in students (specifically evaluating and updating the Swahili language curriculum)

• Funding: Covers travel, living expenses, and provides access to Notre Dame's facilities and programs

• Award Duration:

  • Research Grants: 3 to 9 months

  • Program and Curriculum Development Grants: 3 to 5 months

• Application Deadline: June 7, 2025

• Start Date: August 2026 or January 2027 (aligned with U.S. university schedules)

• Eligible to: Ugandan citizens

📘 Fellowship Overview

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program aims to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through academic and professional exchange. Selected scholars will conduct research or engage in curriculum development projects that align with their professional duties and contribute to their home institutions upon return.

• Research Grants: Intended for scholars with a Ph.D. and a strong academic record. Projects should be directly related to the applicant's ongoing teaching or research responsibilities. Funding typically supports one semester (approximately four months), but longer durations may be considered if justified by the project's scope.

• Program and Curriculum Development Grants: Designed for scholars holding at least a master's degree. These grants support reading and research activities that will benefit both the scholar and their home institution, particularly in updating and improving classroom instruction.

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

• Comprehensive funding covering travel and living expenses

• Access to the University of Notre Dame's academic resources and facilities

• Engagement with a vibrant academic community

• Opportunity to enhance professional skills and contribute to home institution development

✅ Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a Ugandan citizen

• Strong command of the English language

• For Research Grants: Possession of a Ph.D. and a productive scholarly record

• For Program and Curriculum Development Grants: Minimum of a master's degree

• Proposals must align with the applicant's professional duties and demonstrate potential for impact upon return

• Applicants should not have visited the United States within the past five years

• Proposals involving clinical medical research with patient contact are ineligible

• Applications for doctoral dissertation research, postdoctoral research immediately following the completion of a doctorate, or general professional travel are not eligible

• Plagiarism in any part of the application will result in disqualification

📝 Application Procedure and Required Documents

1. Online Application: Submit your application through the official portal: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2026

2. Project Statement: Provide a detailed proposal outlining your research or curriculum development project, its relevance to your professional duties, and how it will benefit your home institution.

3. Academic Credentials: Include copies of your academic degrees and transcripts.

4. Curriculum Vitae (CV): Highlight your academic and professional experience.

5. Letters of Recommendation: Obtain letters from individuals familiar with your work and qualifications.

6. Language Proficiency: Demonstrate proficiency in English through relevant certifications or assessments.

🕵🏻 Selection Process:

• Applications are reviewed by a local selection panel in Uganda.

• Final nominations are reviewed in the United States, with selections made by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted after the review process.

ℹ️ Contact Information:

For further inquiries, please contact: kampalaexchanges@state.gov

🔗 OFFICIAL LINK

2026 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award with the University of Notre Dame For Ugandans