2009 Programs and Events
U.S. Embassy Announces Annual Fulbright Fellowship Program
Riga, August 26, 2009 – The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce the launch of this year’s competition for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program and the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for academic year 2010-2011. The Embassy encourages all qualified students and scholars to apply.
Recipients of the Fulbright Foreign Student scholarship study at a U.S. university for one year. Recipients of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program conduct research, lecture or pursue combined lecturing and research in the United States. This prestigious award covers tuition and fees at an American university (for students), a monthly stipend, health insurance, and international airfare. Latvian citizens and holders of Latvian non-citizen passports are eligible to apply. Applicants must reside in Latvia at the time of application. All applicants should have strong academic records, proficiency in English and a desire to use the skills gained in the United States to serve Latvia upon completion of their studies.
Candidates for the Fulbright Student Fellowship must have received a Bachelor's degree by June 2010 in order to be eligible for the program, and they may apply to study in any field except medicine. Candidates for the Fulbright Scholar Fellowship must already hold a Ph.D. degree or be finishing their dissertation. Scholars may apply to conduct research in any field except medicine.
The deadline for applying to the Fulbright Non-U.S. Student Fellowship program is September 28, 2009. The deadline for Scholars program is November 24, 2009. Application forms and explanatory information are available on the internet ( http://riga.usembassy.gov/ ) and at the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section at 7 Smilšu Street, Riga.
The Fulbright Program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. With this goal in mind, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 300,000 participants with the opportunity to exchange ideas and observe each other’s cultures and political and economic institutions. Since 1992, the United States has offered Fulbright fellowships to 188 outstanding students, teachers, and senior educators from Latvia. Latvian Fulbright alumni include the Honorable Aivis Ronis, former Latvian Ambassador to NATO, the Honorable Inese Vaidere, EU parliamentarian and Mr. Gatis Smits, a prominent stage and film director.
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright, and is administered by the Department of State the Institute of International Education.
For further information regarding this program, or if you have questions about your eligibility or the application process, please contact Ingrida Bodniece at the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section at 67509024 or mail to: Bodniecei@state.gov