Study scholarships are available to Portuguese university professors doing research in US universities to diffuse and promote the Portuguese language and culture in the United States, with minimum duration of three and a maximum of 12 months, under a Protocol signed with the Camões Institute since 1999. Note that there are excellent Departments of Portuguese Studies at various universities in this country.
Camões, I.P. and the Fulbright Commission concluded there was a need to give greater relevance to Luso-American cultural relations. Thus substantial alterations were made with the signing of a new Protocol, with the introduction of another Programme granting scholarships to US students working on research projects with Portuguese language and culture. This new Protocol also includes new areas of work, with particular importance for accompanying new technologies in serving the diffusion of the language.
Protocol between the Camões, I.P. and Fulbright Commission
Whereas, in accordance with Organic Law, Camões, I.P. assures the orientation, coordination and execution of the Portuguese external cultural policy for the diffusion of the Portuguese language, together with other State bodies, including the implementation of programmes for the promotion and diffusion of the Portuguese language and culture abroad and the participation in activities of national, foreign and international organizations,
Whereas the Fulbright Commission has the objective of strengthening cultural relations between the United States of America and Portugal through the promotion of educational exchange,
Camões, I.P. and the Fulbright Commission agree:
- Camões, I.P., represented by its President, Simonetta Luz Afonso, and the Fulbright Commission, represented by the President of its Board of Management, João Ecsodi, sign this Protocol with the objective of promoting a joint plan for awarding scholarships under the two programmes designed to:
a) PROGRAMME A
Portuguese Doctorates and/or Professors/Researchers intending to carry out academic activities in US Universities in the areas of:
- Linguistics
- History
- Sociology
- Literature
- Political Science
- International Relations
- eLearning
These areas shall be circumscribed to the themes of Portuguese Language and Culture, with equal priority for projects of special relevance to Luso-American cultural relations.
The scholarships shall have a minimum duration of three and a maximum of 12 months, with the amounts being distributed in the following proportion:
USD $ 5,000 for stays between 90 and 120 days;
USD $ 6,500 or stays between 121 and 150 days;
USD $ 8,000 for stays between 151 and 180 days;
USD $ 10,000 for stays of more than 181 days.
The competition will be publicized from September of each year, with applications being open during February of the following calendar year, with the selection process taking place during March. Candidates selected can carry out their research projects between September of that year and August of the following calendar year.
b) PROGRAMME B
United States students working on research projects in the areas mentioned above, including those studying for master's or doctorate degrees in Portuguese universities.
The grants will have duration of 8 months, with a unit cost of €10,000, consisting of: Setting up expenses, €1,000; Accommodation assistance, €4,000 Grant, €4,000 (€500 per month); return travel, €1,000.
The competition will be publicized from September of each year, with applications open from 21 October, with the selection process running until the end of January of the next year. Candidates selected will carry out their research projects between September of that year and August of the following calendar year.
- Camões, I.P. and the Fulbright Commission will equally support the payment of the scholarships awarded each academic year.
- The Fulbright Commission will be responsible for paying the health insurance of scholarship winners and for the administrative costs inherent to the process.
- Camões, I.P. and the Fulbright Commission will set up a commission to make a selection of the candidates, which will appraise the curricular studies, an interview and an analysis of the programme to be carried out in the United States of America and in Portugal.
- Camões, I.P. and the Fulbright Commission will give the highest visibility to this programme using the media.
- This Protocol is valid for a period of five years and comes into effect on the date of its signing, and may be renounced by either of the Parties, with prior notice in writing, received by the 1st of September of the calendar year prior to the competitions, the starting date for publicizing the same.