Before your Arrival

Following your selection and the approval of your nomination, the Fulbright American Program Coordinator will contact you on the necessary steps to complete before your travel to Greece. You will be invited to create an account on the Fulbright Greece Portal as it will assist in navigating through relevant information, instructions and documents on matters pertaining to your travel and stay in Greece. Areas addressed concern your grant documents/grant benefits, health records, process for obtaining a visa for your travel to Greece, airfare, settling-in, orientation sessions and other matters for a smooth transition to your host country. The American Program Coordinator will also discuss your grant travel dates/arrangements with you and approve the travel cost in advance.

Identifying fellow Fulbrighters is a good way start to make new contacts prior to your arrival in Greece. You can register to the Fulbrighter Network and reach out to current Fulbright grantees and alumni, research fellow international Fulbrighters and their current affiliations, and post messages and events.

Orientation Programs/Activities During the Academic Year

Pre-arrival online orientation (while still in the U.S.)
About two months before your grant begins, Fulbright Greece will organize an online pre-arrival meeting to discuss logistics and to meet your fellow grantees. 

Welcome Orientation
This takes place in late September (exact date tbc).  Grantees are required to attend this program, and their dependents are welcome to attend as well.  Both Greek and American speakers address a variety of subjects at orientations, and social functions are included. For those who will arrive later in the year, the Fulbright Foundation will provide assistance on an individual basis.

Spring Get-Together
Grantees present and provide updates on their projects. The program also includes an educational and cultural component. Grantees are required to attend this program, and their dependents are welcome to attend as well.

Throughout the academic year, Fulbright Greece informs its grantees about cultural enrichment activities and forwards invitations to events/lectures. It is important that you maintain regular contact with the American Program Coordinator to ensure that you keep abreast of events and other information important for your Fulbright year. Informal gatherings (“get-together meetings”) are arranged periodically as an opportunity to meet with other Fulbrighters and discuss projects and other areas of interest.

There are also other gatherings and important events for Fulbrighters arranged throughout the year. In mid-December, the Fulbright office hosts a holiday gathering that brings together alumni, current grantees, U.S. Embassy staff, friends, and supporters of the Fulbright program in Greece.

The highlight event of the year is the Annual Awards Ceremony, which takes place at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in mid to late June to honor U.S. and Greek Fulbright grantees and acknowledge donors and supporters of the Fulbright program in Greece.

*During the global pandemic, programs may be held online as necessary

Support on the Ground

Fulbright Greece will offer you support and assistance throughout the duration of your grant in Greece and Fulbright Fiscal Office will assist you on matters related to grant benefits and payments.

Your hosts will support your research, lecturing or other assignments. You should keep Fulbright Greece abreast of your collaborations during your grant period.

U.S. Embassy in Athens: Public Diplomacy and American Services sections are available to help out American citizens on a variety of issues and work closely with the Fulbright Foundation in Greece.

Emergency Action Plan for U.S. Grantees

The purpose of the Emergency Action Plan is to ensure adequate preparation for grantees and staff in the event of emergency and crisis situations and to effectively manage them.

This document outlines safety procedures to be applied in case of emergency. 

Emergency and crisis situations include natural disasters, civil unrest, incidents of violence, pandemics or other broad health-related crises, or other emergency circumstances that may affect Fulbright grantees.

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Academic and Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E) has overall responsibility for the Fulbright Program worldwide under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, which was renamed the Fulbright-Hays Act.

In crisis situations, it is critical that Fulbright Greece consult closely with the relevant ECA/A/E regional Fulbright Branch, the U.S. Embassy in Athens, and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding any decisions concerning the safety of Fulbright participants in Greece. In consultation with the U.S. Department of State’s Europe/Eurasia Regional Bureau and the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section, the ECA/A/E will make the final determination on any case of Program suspension or reinstatement.

Emergency Action Plan for U.S. Grantees

Engaging with Fulbright Greece

Fulbright Greece organizes and participates in a variety of outreach events throughout the year and asks grantees for their active participation. U.S. Fulbright scholars may also be asked to participate in review committees for the Greek scholarship program.

Fulbright Greece is involved in educational outreach programs and activities to promote studies in the U.S. and in Greece, and the Fulbright Scholarship Programs.

Your participation and support will be requested for some activities throughout your grant term, and we hope to make this part of your Fulbright grant experience. Through your knowledge and experience of the U.S. educational and university system and your Fulbright grantee status, you have a lot to contribute to Greek student audiences.

Reports

U.S. grantees are required to submit a brief, one-page monthly report through the Fulbright Greece Portal.

In addition, the Institute for International Education (IIE) requires all grantees to submit a final report and U.S. student grantees to provide an interim report. 

Documenting your Fulbright Grant Experience

Fulbright Greece encourages all grantees to submit or collect stories, video clips and photographs to document their stay and to share their experience with current and future candidates. We will channel these efforts, called Grantees Speak and Alumni Speak, into a comprehensive overview of past and current impressions. The Foundation will take it for granted that any documentation, including quotes, can be used for public dissemination to promote the Fulbright programs and objectives (website, social media¸ videos) unless otherwise stated. Please visit the Fulbright website for updates, sign up for the Newsletter, like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. Whether you are a student, a researcher, an artist, or a teacher, whether you stay for 5 weeks, 5 months or 5 years, we would very much like to hear from you!

After Completion of your Fulbright Grant

Your Fulbright experience doesn’t have to end just because you returned home. There are many ways to stay involved and engaged with Fulbright Greece following the completion of your grant.

Once you conclude your Fulbright grant it is important you stay in touch with the Fulbright Foundation so we can update your file, and assist you in networking. We encourage you to maintain contact with the Fulbright Foundation in Greece in the years to come and look forward to seeing you at our alumni events both in Greece and in the United States. We will regularly keep you informed of the Foundation's activities and request your support and participation at events such as recruiting, screening and orienting future students and researchers. We also look forward to receiving your news for the Foundation's newsletter and website – alumni highlights on your academic and professional development. And don't forget, there are many different ways to get involved!

Fulbright Year Calendar