The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends 800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad each year. Grantees can research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.
AWARD DETAILS
AWARD ACTIVITY AND DISCIPLINES
Category: U.S. Scholar Program.
Type: Teaching, Teaching/Research or Professional project.
Award Activity: The grantee will carry out a program of teaching or a combination of teaching and research, as agreed with the Portuguese host institution.
Scholars selected for this Awards can choose to:
- Advise and/or mentor students
- Assist in faculty, curriculum, and/or program development
- Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses designated by the host institution
- Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses of the applicant’s choosing
- Conduct a professional and/or artistic project
- Participate in a two-week group seminar
Disciplines: Projects are sought in all disciplines.
AWARD LOCATION AND PERIOD
Location: Applicant may propose an appropriate host.
Appropriate host institutions can be accredited higher education institutions, research centers, cultural institutions or museums, and governmental or non-governmental organizations with educational or scientific purposes.
Information about Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers in Portugal can be found on the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education’s Study & Research in Portugal website.
Other institutions not listed can still be considered suitable hosts. Please confirm with the Fulbright Commission in Portugal before seeking a letter of invitation.
Grantees are expected to live in the city (or metropolitan area) where the host institution is located.
Length: Four months.
Period: Award dates must be approved by the Portuguese host institution. Grants can begin at any time during the academic year, between September 2026 and May 2027.
Projects must be completed by August 31, 2027.
AWARD REQUIREMENTS
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Citizenship/Residency Requirement: Applicants residing in Portugal at the time of application or thereafter are not eligible to apply for this award.
Permanent residents of Portugal are not eligible to apply for this award.
Invitation Requirement: A letter of invitation is required.
Candidates are responsible for arranging their host affiliation and must submit a letter of invitation with their application.
A letter of invitation must express the host’s interest in the project and describe the proposed activities and timeline for the project; it must be written in English and printed on institutional letterhead.
Please note that Portuguese institutions will be on summer break from mid-July until early September and it may prove to be difficult to contact faculty and staff during that period. Candidates should expect longer turnaround times for receiving a reply to their queries.
Follow this link for guidance on seeking Letters of Invitation and developing contacts abroad.
Degree Requirements: Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) required
Career Profile: Artists, Early Career Academics, Mid-Career Academics, Professionals, Senior Academics.
Language Proficiency Requirements: None, English is sufficient. However, feasibility of conducting the project must be demonstrated in the project statement.
English is usually sufficient, but the candidate should confirm with the host institution if there are any language requirements.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION INFORMATION
The Fulbright Commission in Portugal seeks accomplished candidates who have the potential to make improvements in their fields of study and to foster long term collaborations. Candidates should demonstrate clearly the reasons for pursuing a project in Portugal and their choice of Portuguese affiliation.
Additionally, candidates should have a demonstrated interest in the country and its culture and in engaging with the wider community, while in Portugal.
As part of the selection process, some candidates may be invited by the Portuguese Fulbright Commission for an interview via Zoom video call, in January or February 2026.
CONTACTS AND HELPFUL LINKS
AWARD BENEFITS
AWARD ALLOWANCES
Grant stipend of €11.200 (approx. $12,180), which corresponds to a monthly stipend of €2.800 (approx. $3,045).
Award allowances are paid in a lump sum on the first month of the grant.
(Exchange rate of December 1, 2023)
TRAVEL ALLOWANCE
Travel allowance of €1.100 (approx. $1,196).
Travel allowance is paid on the first month of the grant.
(Exchange rate of December 1, 2023)
DEPENDENT BENEFITS
The Fulbright Commission offers funding for dependents who stay with the scholar during the entirety of the grant period.
Amounts are determined prior to the start of the academic year, according to availability of funds.
COUNTRY OVERVIEW
Over the last decades, Portugal has seen remarkable progress in learning, science and innovation, reflected in the quality of education offered at Portuguese universities. Internationalization and academic mobility are one of the priorities for Portuguese higher education institutions, which are increasingly attractive to a growing number of international students, scholars and researchers.
To learn more about Portuguese Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers, visit Study & Research in Portugal.
ESTIMATED COST OF LIVING
Rents are higher in larger metropolitan areas such as Lisbon and Porto: a two-room apartment in central Lisbon costs an average of $1,500/month. Grantees are responsible for finding their housing but are encouraged to contact their hosts and the institution’s international relations/mobility office for assistance in finding housing. The Commission can also provide a list of resources and websites for house searching in Portugal and informal advice concerning housing in Lisbon (average prices per location, safe neighborhoods).
Portugal offers an excellent public schooling system with a wide range of public (free, from nursery to 12th grade) and private (national and international) schools.
Foreign citizens with a valid visa can access the National Health Care Service (SNS), which is high-quality and reasonably priced: an emergency appointment at a public hospital costs approximately $25, and a medical specialty at a private hospital costs approximately $100.
The public transport system in Lisbon and Porto is easy to use, safe, covers the entire metropolitan area, and is quite affordable: a monthly public transport pass in Lisbon costs approximately $45.
VISAS
Fulbright U.S. grantees are responsible for obtaining a Temporary Stay Visa to Portugal. The Commission can provide informal assistance but the Portuguese Embassy and Consulates are the sole authorities in matters pertaining to visa issues. Grantees should carefully look into visa information and start the visa application well in advance of travel.
For additional information about National Temporary Stay Visas or the Portuguese Republic’s Consular Network in the U.S.A, visit the Diplomatic Portal.
APPLICATIONS
APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINE
Number of Grants: One grant to Award.
Applications: Applications must be submitted through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program website: https://fulbrightscholars.org/us-scholar-awards#steps
Deadline: Monday, September 15, 2025.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about the U.S. Scholar Program in Portugal, contact Dora Reis Arenga, U.S. Program Manager at the Fulbright Commission Portugal, darenga@fulbright.pt.