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 / Research.
Award Activity: The selected scholar will research and teach subjects such as Marketing, Public Relations, Digital Film Production, Business Model Journalism and Digital Strategic Communications.
Program Contents: Social Media Research (Digital objects and methods); Emergent digital communication practices; Thematic Seminars on Public Relations Strategic Management; Thematic Seminars on Advertising and Marketing; Marketing & Society.
Target: Bachelor and Master students of Public Relations; Master students of Advertising and Marketing
Scholars selected for this Awards can choose to:
- Advise and/or mentor students
- Assist in faculty, curriculum, and/or program development
- Conduct a research project designated by the host institution
- Conduct a research project of the applicant’s choosing
- Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses designated by the host institution
- Teach graduate and/or undergraduate courses of the applicant’s choosing
Disciplines: Communication, Journalism, Marketing, Media Studies
Areas of Interest: While this award is open to any project in the disciplines listed above, there is interest in scholars from any of these particular areas:
- Advertising
- Audiovisual and Multimedia
- Communications & Journalism
- Digital Communications & Media/Multimedia
- Organizational Communication
- Public Relations / Image Management
- Digital Strategic Communication
- Marketing
- Public Relations
AWARD LOCATION AND PERIOD
Location: Award is hosted by the institutions listed below:
ESCSL-IPL – Escola Superior de Comunicação Social de Lisboa (Lisbon School of Communication and Media Studies), Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa (Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon), Lisbon, Portugal
ISCAL-IPL – Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Lisboa (Lisbon School of Accounting and Administration), Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa (Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon), Lisbon, Portugal
Length: Four months.
Period: Award dates must be approved by the Portuguese host institution. Grants can begin anytime 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 optional.
If applicants can obtain the letter of invitation, the 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.
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: Early Career Academics, Mid-Career Academics, Senior Academics
Language Proficiency Requirements: None, English is sufficient.
CONTACTS AND HELPFUL LINKS
Contacts:
For more information about the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, contact the Coordinator of the International Relations Office, Ms. Cristina Marques, Email: cmarques@sp.ipl.pt, Telephone: +351 210 464 762.
Questions about qualifications, profiles sought and requests for invitation letters can be sent to:
- President of ESCS -IPL (School of Communication and Media Studies), Prof. André Sendin, Email: asendin@escs.ipl.pt, Telephone: +351 217 119 006
AND
- President of ISCAL-IPL (School of Accounting and Administration), Prof. Pedro Pinheiro, Email: pmpinheiro@iscal.ipl.pt, Telephone: +351 217 984 500
AND
- Head of the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon’s International Relations Office, Cristina Marques, Email: cmarques@sp.ipl.pt, Telephone: +351 210 464 762.
Helpful Links:
Politécnico de Lisboa / Polytechnic of Lisbon
Diplomatic Portal – Country Profile: Portugal
AWARD BENEFITS
AWARD ALLOWANCES
Grant stipend of €11.200 (approx. $11,829), which corresponds to a monthly stipend of €2.800 (approx. $2,957).
Housing Allowance of €3.000 (approx. $3,169), which corresponds to a monthly allowance of €750 (approx. $792).
Award allowances are paid in a lump sum on the first month of the grant.
(Exchange rate of December 1, 2024)
TRAVEL ALLOWANCE
Travel allowance of €1.100 (approx. $1,162).
Travel allowance is paid on the first month of the grant.
(Exchange rate of December 1, 2024)
DEPENDENT BENEFITS
The Fulbright Commission offers funding for dependents who stay with the scholar during the entire period of their grant, in the following amounts:
- Travel allowance of €1.100 (approx. $1,162) per dependent;
- Monthly dependent allowance of €250 (approx. $264) for spouse and of $500 (approx. $528) per child (under 18 yo).
Dependents allowances are paid on the first month of the grant.
(Exchange rate of December 1, 2024)
SPECIAL AWARD BENEFITS
The host institution provides computer facilities, laboratorial space, internet access and e-mail, office space and secretarial assistance.
The selected scholar has the possibility to attend Portuguese Language and Cultures Classes, free of charge, at the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon.
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 of Portuguese higher education institutions, which are increasingly attractive to a growing number of international scholars and researchers. Warm hospitality, a great climate, and an affordable lifestyle also make Portugal an enticing destination.
The academic year starts in mid-September or October, depending on the higher education institution. The fall semester ends in December and the spring semester starts in February and ends in May or June. In general, Portuguese faculty and students have good proficiency of English language; students can speak and understand enough to attend classes taught in English.
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.
PREVIOUS FULBRIGHT RECIPIENTS
The list of US Grantees to Portugal, as well as testimonies about their projects and experience, can be found on the Commission’s Fulbrighters page and on YouTube’s Fulbright_PT Grantees and Alumni playlist.
APPLICATIONS
APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINE
Number of Grants: One grant to Award.
US Scholar Program Catalog of Awards: Award #261063-PT – Fulbright Award in Marketing, Communication & Media Studies / IPL-Politécnico de Lisboa: https://fulbrightscholars.org/award/fulbright-award-marketing-communication-media-studies-ipl-politecnico-de-lisboa-2
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.