Fulbright Visiting Chair at Florida Polytechnic University

The application period is open. Apply by October 1, 2024!

Purpose of the Grant Program

The purpose of the award is to enable Finnish scholars to conduct research at Florida Polytechnic University and at the same time act as ambassadors for the Fulbright Finland Foundation programs, Finland, and their home institutions, sharing their culture and contributing to the relations between Finland and the U.S.

The visiting chair will be focused on research pertaining to any of the following general subject areas:

• Computer science
• Computer engineering
• Data science
• Electrical engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Autonomous vehicles

In addition to carrying out the program of research, the visiting chair will teach selective lectures in support of research and instructional programs.

The award is funded by Florida Polytechnic University and the Fulbright Finland Foundation.

Florida Polytechnic University

Florida Polytechnic University is an accredited member of the State University System of Florida dedicated exclusively to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The University is a powerful economic engine within the state of Florida, blending applied research with industry partnerships to give students an academically rigorous education with real-world relevance. The campus is located in Lakeland, the heart of Florida’s High-Tech Corridor.

For more information on Florida Polytechnic University please visit: https://floridapoly.edu/

Cost of living in the U.S. 

The cost of living in the U.S. has been increasing recently and can be significantly higher than in Finland depending on city. The total costs (including potential host institution fees, insurance, and living costs) vary by institution and city. Living costs (accommodation, meals, and everyday expenses) typically range anywhere between USD 3 200 to 4 850 per month depending on the city. It is important to estimate the total costs of the grant term as accurately as possible and budget accordingly. 

For example, renting a studio apartment in high-rent regions such as San Francisco Bay Area, Stanford University campus, and New York City may cost between USD 2 500 and USD 3 000.

Benefits

• Grant: 21 500 USD for one semester. Minimum length of the visit is one semester.
• Personal advising and guidance services: Supporting you before and during the grant term. 
• Free visa: J-1 visa for you, and J-2 visa for family members who travel with you
• Orientation training: Extensive orientation training to U.S. culture, the higher education system, and details for the upcoming Fulbright period, including online materials, virtual meetings, and an orientation day in Helsinki.
• Networking opportunities: Enabling you to build connections professionally and internationally in Finland and the U.S. As a Fulbright grantee, you are provided an opportunity to participate in the Fulbright enrichment activities (Fulbright Enrichment Seminars, events, and workshops) allowing you to connect with fellow grantees from all around the world as well as local community members. In addition, you will be joining a global network of 400 000+ alumni as well as the Fulbright Finland alumni community.

You can find the full list of additional benefits and program services here.

Support for Grantees with Disabilities

Extra funding support is available for grantees with disabilities. If you have a disability that would cause additional costs for the grant term, contact the Foundation to discuss reasonable accommodations. Email the Foundation (emmi.jelekainen@fulbright.fi) by the grant application deadline your self-assessment with a description of the disability and the specific accommodations requested.

Please note that disclosing the need for disability accommodation does not affect the review and selection process.

Eligibility

Academic Requirements

• Degree: You must hold a doctoral degree at the time of application deadline.

Ambassadorial Role

• Cultural ambassador of Finland: You are motivated to learn about other cultures and to share your own. The grantees contribute to the enhancement of Finland-U.S. relations by acting as citizen ambassadors of their home country and institution, and by promoting cultural understanding.
• Representing a Fulbright Finland Foundation grant program: You may seek and receive additional funding for your time in the U.S. from other organizations or foundations, but your primary affiliation is always with the Fulbright Finland Foundation as your stay in the United States will be on the Fulbright program and on a Fulbright sponsored visa. 
• Motivated to learn and share: You are motivated to develop your field of specialization and share your knowledge and learning during and after the grant term. After the grant term, you are interested in engaging as an alum of the Foundation.

Visa Requirements

• J-1 Visa: You will travel to the U.S. with an exchange visitor visa (the J-1 visa) organized by the Fulbright program.
• Finnish citizenship and residence: You must be a Finnish citizen (if you are not a Finnish citizen but work as a researcher in Finland, please consider our travel grant programs). You cannot have Finnish-American dual citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the U.S. The grant cannot be given to an applicant who already resides in the U.S. The applicant has to start their research visit in the U.S. with this grant.
• Previous stay in the U.S. (for both applicant and family members): Due to the 12-month bar and 24-month bar regulations, if you and your family members have visited the U.S. with a J-1 or J-2 visa within the past 24 months, please contact the Foundation when writing your application.
• Two-year home country residency requirement: Grantees and/or their dependents cannot apply for a work permit or an immigration visa to the U.S. immediately after their grant period has finished. One has to reside in their home country/country of residence for two years after the grant period. However, normal tourist visits and for example studying in the U.S. is possible. Read more about this requirement here.

How to Apply?

The detailed application instructions and more information on the application process can be found in the links below. Please read them carefully.

• Information on the application procedure and grant interviews
• Instructions on how to fill in the online application form

These instructions, targeted at Finnish applicants, provide you with further information on the questions of the application form and guide you through the application step by step. Please follow the instructions while you are filling in the form. If there is any contradictory information in the form and the instructions, always follow the instructions for Finnish applicants specifically.

Application and attachments

The application is submitted through the IIE online application form.

Remember to follow the application instructions when filling out the application.

The application must include the following documents:

• Project statement
• Curriculum vitae
• Copy of a Finnish passport
• Bibliography
• Recommendations (2). Read instructions for submitting a letter of recommendation.
• Preliminary project budget
• Signed checklist

Use the checklist to make sure you have attached all the required documents in the application. 

The applicant is responsible for saving all the required attachments in the application system by the deadline.

Evaluation criteria

The applications are evaluated according to the evaluation criteria set by the Fulbright Finland Foundation Board, and the interviews focus on the following attributes. The Foundation does not provide feedback on individual applications, their review process, or on any single grant decision.

As part of the application review process, IIE, our U.S. partner organization, will screen the applications to identify any instance of plagiarism.

If you face any technical difficulties when filling in the application form, you should immediately contact the Fulbright Finland Foundation.

What is the Fulbright Finland Foundation?

The Fulbright Finland Foundation is a private, independent, not-for-profit organization based in Helsinki, Finland. The Foundation’s aim is

• to promote a wider exchange of knowledge and professional talents through educational contacts between Finland and the United States, and
• to support the internationalization of education and research in Finland, and help U.S. and Finnish institutions create linkages.

What Makes the Fulbright Finland Foundation Programs Unique?

• In addition to the grant, the Fulbright Finland Foundation offers the grantees several additional benefits and free support services, as well as an access to a global, multi-professional network.
• We are looking for applicants who want to impact the future and to make a difference – applicants who want to facilitate positive change, develop and advance their own profession or discipline, and find solutions to national and international challenges in their field.
• The grantees also act as ambassadors for the Fulbright Finland Foundation, their home country, and their home organization and, in this way, do their part in sharing their home country and culture and contributing to the relations between Finland and the U.S.

This program is part of the global Fulbright program operating in over 160 countries worldwide.