This award sits within the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and is offered in Iceland in partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation. About one to two grants may be available per competition.
Grantees spend about nine months on their own Arctic-relevant research project, hosted by a university, research body or other partner in Iceland that they arrange themselves. Fields range across the social and natural sciences, from anthropology and governance to glaciology and geology; clinical medicine is excluded.
Benefits & funding
- US$2,100 a month after a master’s, or US$2,750 a month for PhD students plus a US$300 monthly research stipend, for up to 9 months.
- A one-off US$1,000 travel grant and a US$300 baggage stipend.
- Accident and sickness cover, a 24/7 mental-health line and 12 months of U.S. federal non-competitive hiring eligibility.
- No support for dependents.
- Virtual pre-departure and in-country orientations are mandatory.
Eligibility
- U.S. citizens or nationals at the deadline; permanent residents and dual U.S.–Icelandic citizens are not eligible.
- A completed master’s or current PhD study in the social or natural sciences; PhD students are preferred, and Ph.D. holders by the deadline are not eligible.
- An Arctic-relevant, research-focused project and the skills to carry it out abroad.
- Not eligible if you lived abroad five or more of the six years before the deadline.
- Up to a year already lived in Iceland does not automatically disqualify, though applicants new to Iceland are preferred.
- No language evaluation; projects are expected to be feasible in English.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“The following individuals are not eligible for consideration: … Applicants who currently hold or will hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) by the national application deadline. … Anyone who has resided abroad for five or more years in the six-year period preceding the national application deadline.” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
USA
Education required
Master
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Application process
- 1Arrange your own host affiliation in Iceland; if it is non-academic, a second, academic affiliation is preferred.
- 2Apply through the Fulbright U.S. Student online application, choosing this Iceland award.
- 3Submit by the national deadline: 6 October 2026 for 2027–28 (closed); the 2028–29 application launches in spring 2027.
Program timeline
6 October 2026
2027–28 deadline (closed)
Initial notification
End of January 2027
Spring 2027
Final selections, on a rolling basis; virtual orientation in March or April
Grant begins
Mid-August to 1 September 2027