What's on offer

With support from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the National Lottery, the Fulbright Commission is accepting applications from Irish Language academics and professionals for a Fulbright Irish Language Scholar Award to teach and research at a recognised US higher education or cultural institution.

Close to 60 US colleges and universities are teaching the Irish language and or have Irish language libraries and archive holdings and may be interested in hosting a Fulbright Irish Language Scholar to:

• assist with Irish language teaching
• provide curriculum development support
• research, catalogue and disseminate its Irish language resources for a period of 3 - 9 months during the 2011-2012 academic year

The scholar will be expected to seek his / her own affiliation with a US institution and propose Irish language teaching and or research activities for the duration of the grant period. Contact the Fulbright Commission for further information about potential host institutions, preferred grant activities and qualifications.

The maximum grant offered by the Fulbright Commission will be €50,000 for a full academic year (9 months). The grant will be pro-rated for a candidate going for less than a full academic year. The Commission will consider offering 2 pro-rated grants for successful candidates who have secured affiliations of only 1 semester (3 – 5 months).

Successful candidates:

• will receive a monetary award (maximum €50,000 for the full academic year)
• accident and emergency insurance while in the United States
• can participate on a range of cultural and professional programs in Ireland and the US
• must apply for and be granted a J-1 visa for the United States which will remain their status until the completion of their approved academic program
• are subject to the 2-year home rule.  They will not be eligible for a US residency or work visa until they have fulfilled the two-year home residency requirement of the J-1 visa
• must take up their award within the academic year for which the award is granted.  All Fulbright awards are for one academic year only. If an awardee is unable to take up the award within that period, s/he will be asked to reapply the following year
• must submit progress reports during the course of their award.