The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka has announced the opening of applications for the 2026-2027 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program. This program offers Bangladeshi professionals, university faculty, and researchers at think tanks or related organizations with at least ten years of experience an opportunity to conduct post-doctoral research or teach at institutions in the United States.
Selected scholars will receive grants for six to nine months, beginning in September 2026. The grants are intended for research or lecturing assignments at American universities. The program is open to candidates from all disciplines, with particular attention given to proposals in social sciences, humanities, business, STEM fields, and topics such as American studies, supply chain management, economics, educational policy, international relations, public health policy, and engineering.
According to the Embassy’s announcement: "The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides six-to-nine-month research grants to scholars in all disciplines to conduct needs assessments and research related to institution or program development, consult with administrators and instructors of post-secondary institutions in faculty development, and develop and/or assess academic curricula or educational materials."
In addition to research grants, the program offers lecturing opportunities: "This program also offers one or two semester lecturing grants to Bangladeshi scholars and academics interested in teaching at American universities. Candidates interested in lecturing grants must have extensive teaching experience and a confirmed invitation to lecture at a host institution to be considered for a Fulbright grant."
Eligibility requirements include holding a PhD or equivalent professional training or experience; a minimum of ten years’ professional experience; strong publication records; excellent English language skills; an invitation from a U.S. institution; a detailed project statement; and a commitment to return immediately to Bangladesh after completing the assignment.
Applicants must submit several documents including a detailed project statement describing their proposed activity in the United States, supporting bibliographies or course syllabi depending on their proposal type (research or lecturing), an invitation letter from the host U.S. institution, curriculum vitae/resume, three reference letters, and support from their home institution.
Applications must be submitted by December 20, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. BST (Washington D.C. time). Interested applicants can find further details about submission procedures on the official website: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2026.
For more comprehensive instructions regarding application requirements and process steps for this cycle of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program visit: 2026 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program application instructions.
For additional questions about eligibility or documentation requirements applicants may contact dhakausexchanges@state.gov.