Fulbright Scholar Awards for Sri Lankan Academics, Artists, and Professionals

Eligibility Requirements and Guidelines for Applying Overview of Fulbright Scholar Awards for Sri Lankan Academics, Artists, and Professionals

If you are a Sri Lankan academic, artist, or professional who is interested in going to America to do post-doctoral research, teach, perform, consult, or do other activities, please consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Award for Sri Lankans. Favor will be given to individuals that will benefit Sri Lanka upon their return, to fields that are particularly important to the Sri Lankan context, and to candidates who have not previously spent time in the U.S. You need a letter of invitation from a host university, think tank, institution, or organization. 

Awards are open for:

  • professionals or artists from all fields to undertake a project with a collaborator in the United States, that will help build capacity in Sri Lanka.  Applicants must possess a minimum of 5 years of professional experience, demonstrated significant accomplishments, commitment to developing the field and meeting other listed requirements.
  • scholars in any field, to pursue postdoctoral research and/or lecturing at a U.S. university or research institution.  Individuals with a Ph.D., plus a minimum of 5 years of professional experience and meeting other listed requirements are encouraged to submit applications

Grant Benefits

  • Pre-departure orientation program in Colombo
  • Monthly living stipend while in the USA
  • Round-trip economy class air travel from Sri Lanka to the host organization in the U.S.
  • Health insurance
  • Fulbright enrichment activities
  • Immigration advising and immigration sponsorship support

Please note: The Fulbright program does not provide any financial support for accompanying dependents.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Sri Lankan citizen
  2. Must have continuously resided in Sri Lanka for a minimum of 2 years immediately prior to the award application deadline
  3. Demonstrate aptitude and accomplishment in the your academic, artistic or professional field thorough awards received, achievements and output
  4. Have a minimum of 5 years of experience in your field
  5. Demonstrate commitment to sharing knowledge with counterparts and the public in Sri Lanka
  6. Possess a letter of invitation from a host institution in the U.S.
  7. Must not be applying for or holding permanent resident visa (Green Card) in the United States, not be dual U.S.-Sri Lanka citizen, and not hold work or resident visa in another country
  8. Must provide evidence that leave will be granted for the fellowship period, if selected
  9. Must reside in Sri Lanka for a minimum of 2 years following the completion of the grant
  10. Demonstrate proficiency in the English language and superior communication skills
  11. Commitment to foster understanding and peace between the people of the U.S. and people of Sri Lanka
  12. Possess a letter of invitation/affiliation from a host institution in the U.S.*
  13. Possess a letter of approval of leave from employer for the period of the grant

Eligibility Preferences 

  1. Must have very few or preferably no previous opportunities to travel to the U.S. 
  2. Demonstrate a commitment to return to Sri Lanka to live and work for at least 5 years after the conclusion of the program
  3. Demonstrate strong academic, artistic or professional leadership potential
  4. Demonstrate the ability to function well in the U.S.
  5. Be able to live and work closely with people from a variety of backgrounds and interact in a culturally sensitive way with others

Not Eligible

  1. Staff or families of staff at a U.S. Embassy or US-SLFC
  2. Misrepresentation, false information, or plagiarism of any kind during the application or grant period is grounds for selection withdrawal or immediate grant termination

Period of Award

Up to 6 months. Start and end dates of the award should fall between July 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027.

Application Deadline

Next Steps for Short-listed Candidates

Mandatory Interviews at US-SLFC Offices in Colombo during February 2026 (dates will be sent if you are shortlisted)

For More Information and To Apply

To learn more about and apply for the Fulbright Awards for Sri Lankan academics, artists, and professionals, please see this website from our partners at IIE https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2026

Please note: You must register on this website to access information and apply.

Additional note: US-SLFC’s free Educational Advising services, including Fulbright Sri Lanka’s library and other resources, can assist you to research and identify potential U.S. universities or organizations where you can pursue your program activities.

Application Instructions: 

The application for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program must be submitted online using the link below and must be completed fully with all the required support documents uploaded to the online application by the deadline.

  • You need to have an email address to create a log-in to complete the application
  • Please read “Guide for Obtaining a Letter of Invitation from a U.S. University/Institution,” as an affiliation and a letter of invitation from a U.S. university/institution are required for the awards application for Sri Lanka. This information must be uploaded to the online application within the section “Project Proposal.”
  • Other Required Forms: Letter of Support from Home Institution.  The completed form must be uploaded to the online application within the section “Additional Information – Country-Specific Materials.” Please print, sign, scan and upload as PDF to application.
  • Link to the online application form and detailed instructions: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2026   

IMPORTANT: 

  • Each applicant may not apply to more than one award category during a competition cycle. 
  • Applications received after the deadline will NOT be considered.

 Due to the large volume of applications for this award, US-SLFC is unable to acknowledge receipt of applications, and only candidates shortlisted for interviews will be notified.

For questions, write to: inquiries@fulbrightsrilanka.org