The Fulbright-NATO Security Studies Award is part of the U.S. Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, handled by the Fulbright Commission in Brussels.
Post-doctoral researchers, professors and professionals from NATO member countries spend three months researching and/or lecturing at a U.S. university or non-profit research institution. The work must connect to NATO, for example cybersecurity, military history, non-proliferation, or security and transatlantic studies.
Benefits & funding
- €9,000 for the three months, plus a €2,000 travel stipend.
- A health benefit plan, J-1 visa sponsorship, pre-departure support and a local advisor in the U.S.
- No funds for host tuition or fees; the stipend is the same wherever you are hosted.
- Afterwards, the J-1 two-year home residency rule applies before a U.S. work visa or permanent residency.
Eligibility
- Citizens of a NATO member country other than the U.S.: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, UK.
- Eligibility rests on citizenship; living in a NATO country without its passport does not qualify.
- A PhD or other terminal degree, proficiency in English, and academic excellence or an outstanding personal or professional background.
- Not eligible: U.S. residents, dual U.S. citizens and Green Card holders at application, anyone already in the U.S. when applying, or anyone who lived in the U.S. for five or more of the six years before applying.
- Only one Fulbright application per year.
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.
“Candidates who are already in the United States at the time of application and those who have resided in the U.S. for five or more years in the six-year period preceding the date of application are ineligible to apply.” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Albania · Belgium · Bulgaria · Canada · Croatia · Czechia · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece
+ 19 more
Hungary · Iceland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Montenegro · Netherlands · North Macedonia · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Türkiye · UK
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Andorra · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Bahamas
+ 186 more
Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belarus · Belgium · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China · Colombia · Comoros · Costa Rica · Croatia · Cuba · Cyprus · Czechia · DR Congo · Denmark · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Estonia · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Finland · France · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Germany · Ghana · Greece · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong · Hungary · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Ireland · Israel · Italy · Côte d'Ivoire · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Latvia · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macau · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Malta · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Monaco · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Netherlands · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · North Macedonia · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Palau · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Poland · Portugal · Qatar · Republic of the Congo · Romania · Russia · Rwanda · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · San Marino · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Slovakia · Slovenia · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Korea · South Sudan · Spain · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Sweden · Switzerland · Syria · Taiwan · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · UK · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vatican City · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
PhD
Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Arrange your own affiliation with an accredited U.S. university or non-profit research institution; its letter must be in the application.
- 2Submit a complete English application on the Fulbright/IIE platform by 1 December, noon CET, with a Project Statement showing NATO relevance; incomplete files are not considered.
- 3Three recommenders upload their letters by the same deadline.
- 4Top-ranked candidates are invited to a virtual interview.
- 5Nominations need final approval from the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Program timeline
Application deadline
Dec 1, 2026 (noon CET)
Virtual interviews
Late January 2027
Nomination notices
Late February 2027
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board approval
Late March 2027
Departure to the U.S.
Late July–August 2027