For first to third year undergraduate students (up to fourth year for students enrolled in 5-year integrated study program), aged 18 to 25, currently enrolled at a recognized Greek institution of higher education. Given the very limited number of available slots, selected universities and departments will be invited to ensure diversity. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Fulbright Greece accepts recommendations and applications from the following institutions: Athens School of Fine Arts, University of Western Macedonia, University of Patras, University of the Peloponnese, Harokopio University, University of West Attica, International Hellenic University.
APPLICATION PERIOD:
October - November 2023
No applications will be accepted beyond November 30, 2023 at 23:59 EET
Photo Credit: Georgios Agoritsis, 2021 Summer Institute on Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Overview and Guidelines
The Fulbright Foundation in Greece will award up to two grants to Greek undergraduate students to attend the 2024 Summer Institute on Environmental Issues.
Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders are intensive short term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of European undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. Each institute will have 20 student participants. The five-week Institutes will consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities within the local community. The Institutes will include an academic residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic study tour of approximately one week. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to engage in educational and cultural activities outside of the classroom. The Institutes will include cultural components that allow students to become familiar with their host community. The Department of State is pleased to work with several U.S. universities, which will host these programs. The Institutes are aimed at non-elite undergraduate students who have not had an opportunity to travel to the United States, and represent diverse populations within your country. All activities will be conducted in English.
The Study of the U.S. Institute on Environmental Issues, hosted by Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, will provide participants with an overview of climate change along with its impact on local communities, natural resources, and the local economy. Academic sessions and experiential learning opportunities will explore clean energy, sustainable development, the risks of natural disasters, and the intersection of climate justice and community activism. To enhance the academic experience, the Institute will focus on specific themes and sub-topics such as strategic communication, social justice, emergency response, water rights, agriculture and food systems, biodiversity, and energy efficiency and sustainability. Academic activities will be supplemented by opportunities to engage with the local community, including a weekend homestay and meeting with local environmental non-profits. Program components may include hiking a section of the Appalachian trail, a visit to the Chincoteague Bay Field Station, and a kayak tour with the Susquehanna Riverkeepers, an environmental organization.
Candidates are nominated on the basis of academic excellence, potential for professional development, civic engagement, extra-curricular activities, and personal qualities/abilities to serve as a cultural ambassador for Greece. All awards are subject to the Fulbright Foundation policies in compliance with the Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) guidelines and all governmental regulations regarding visas, immigration, travel and residence.
Students will be encouraged to implement a public service project when they return home, contribute to a better understanding of American society among their undergraduate classmates and compatriots, help promote academic exchange programs among their peers, and become active alumni of the Summer Institutes for Student Leaders from Europe program.
Accommodations will be made in each institute for students with disabilities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. With guidance from Mobility International USA, systems have been put in place that allow better support to students with disabilities.
Summer Institutes Program Dates
The Summer Institutes typically take place in various locations in the United States and start mid-to-end June. Final selection of candidates and placement at the Institutes will take place in Washington D.C. by the Branch for the Study of the United States of the U.S. Department of State in March 2024.
Eligibility Requirements
Participants must:
- be recommended by their Greek institution following invitation.
- be interested in the Institute topic and justify this preference and expressed interest in the essays;
- be enrolled as a first through third year undergraduate student (up to fourth year for students enrolled in 5-year integrated study program) at a Greek AEI and aged 18-25 by the start of the program;
- be proficient in English so that they can actively participate in the academic program;
- be committed to return to their home universities following completion of the program to continue study at a post-secondary institution in the fall of 2024;
- have a high level of academic achievement, as indicated by academic grades, awards, and teacher recommendations;
- demonstrate strong leadership qualities and potential in their university and community;
- have had no or extremely limited study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere outside of their home country;
- indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States;
- demonstrate commitment to community and extracurricular university activities; be mature, responsible, independent, confident, open-minded, tolerant, thoughtful, and inquisitive;
- be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service, and educational travel;
- be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home country;
- be able to participate in any pre-departure information sessions held by the Fulbright Foundation;
- be prepared to submit a report to the Fulbright Foundation on their program experience.
"On this trip, I was able to get a deeper understanding of different cultures. We exchanged and established deep ties, which will for sure stay in our minds and hearts forever. We also learned about the climate crisis that is happening in the world and collectively developed mechanisms to fight against it. We met some extraordinary people, as speakers, that inspired us to do better and become the change we want to see in this world. We learned about American culture and experienced by firsthand the generosity and hospitality of the American families. Last but not least, this journey has changed me as an individual. It opened my mind and made me realize what we, as people, can do when we work together towards a common goal. I will forever be grateful to Fulbright for this once in a life-time experience."
Dimitris Lazaridis, 2022 Summer Institute on Environmental Issues at University of Nevada, Reno
Grant Benefits
The Institutes are fully funded, with all participant costs covered, including:
- round-trip airfare from home city to the host university in the United States, domestic travel and ground transportation including a stop in Washington, D.C. at the conclusion of the program;
- J1 Exchange Visitor Visa sponsorship;
- tuition and fees at the host university;
- lodging and meals on the host university campus: housing will be in shared university dorms on campus with common bathrooms. Participants may be expected to share a room with another student of the same gender. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own;
- program administration;
- book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances;
- a daily allowance for incidental expenses and/or meal tickets;
- accident and sickness coverage: all participants will receive Department of State's health insurance coverage (A+SPE) with a max. benefit of $100,000 per sickness or per injury and with $25 co-pay per medical visit, $75 co-pay per emergency entry or hospitalization for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered;
- a comprehensive academic and cultural program;
- participation in the Fulbright Annual Awards Ceremony;
- membership in the online global community for all participants of U.S. government sponsored exchange programs (such as the Fulbright program).
Terms and Conditions
- Online submission of a complete application package is mandatory. A first evaluation and selection will take place at the Foundation prior to the interviews, based on the requirements and aims of the SUSI program.
- A Fulbright Selection Committee will interview candidates on a specific date. Shortlisted candidates will be informed of their interview appointments with the Selection Committee by email. Interviews last for about 15 minutes. Interviews are conducted in English and held virtually. Following the interviews there will be an additional group discussion with all candidates of up to one hour.
- Candidates will be informed of their nomination status on the day following the end of the interview cycle. Final selection of the participants is the responsibility of the program organizers depending on available placements.
- The Fulbright Foundation and the Summer Institutes program organizers observe geographical and gender diversity, give priority to candidates from non-elitist background, and strive for equal representation from urban and rural areas.
- All participants will be required to obtain a J-1 visa prior to traveling to the United States. The U.S. Department of State will issue the relevant paperwork, and the Fulbright Foundation will arrange the visa interview.
- Participants may not be accompanied by family members or friends for the duration of the program.
- Participants must return to their home country immediately at the conclusion of the program.
Please note that the following are grounds for the revocation of the award and early return from the program:
· unauthorized absences from program activities;
· failure to comply with the program’s terms and conditions;
· violations of any laws of the U.S. or the home country;
· actions that are contrary to the spirit of mutual understanding; and
· conduct that may have the effect of bringing the Department of State, the Fulbright Commission, or the host university into disrepute.
Application Procedures
Once submitted, your application form will be automatically available to the Fulbright Foundation for review. You will receive a confirmation email in the days following your submission. The Fulbright office in Athens must receive your complete application by November 30, including the following documents:
- Your completed online Fulbright application form including three short essays (to be uploaded with your application form in pdf.file format, max. 1 MB each);
You can prepare the essays from before on the following topics:
A. Why are you interested in participating in this program? What do you hope to learn?
B. Using one or more examples, please describe a challenge at school, work, or in your personal life that you have had to overcome. How did you resolve the situation?
C. Participants in the Summer Institutes use their summer experiences to give back to their communities. In what ways can you imagine giving back to your community after you participate in the Summer Institute? - A copy of your latest grades (school certificate or first/second year university results) (to be uploaded with your application form in pdf.file format, multiple pages possible, max. 1 MB per file);
- Two completed reference forms, written in English and submitted online. The reference forms should be filled out by professors under whom you are studying or by someone who has supervised you in the recent past.
Contact
Greek Program Coordinator, The Fulbright Foundation
A 6 Vassilissis Sofias Avenue, 106 74 Athens
T 210 724 1811 or 210 724 1812, ext. 203
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