Fulbright Grantees

We present the Fulbright grantees for academic year 2026-27. See the networking opportunities of the Fulbright Alumni, too.

Grantees from Bulgaria

Grantees from the USA

Resources for U.S. grantees

Special care for all Fulbright grantees

Assistance with application processes

Assistance with on site integration

Events and networking opportunities

Academic and professional growth

Grantees from the U.S.

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Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bulgaria

Scholars

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Dr. Sonia Hirt

Field of Specialization: Urban and Environmental Planning
Home Institution: College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Host Institution in Bulgaria: University of Forestry, Sofia

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Dr. Iliya Lefterov

Field of Specialization: Medical Sciences
Home Institution: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Medical University of Varna, Varna

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Dr. Zhivka Valiavicharska

Field of Specialization: Cultural Studies
Home Institution: Pratt Institute, New York, NY
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia and Plovdiv

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Galina Yamshchikov

Field of Specialization: Public Health
Home Institution: No affiliation, Kensington, MD
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv

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Meglena Zapreva

Field of Specialization: Education
Home Institution: No affiliation, New York, NY
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Plovdiv University, Plovdiv

STUDENT Researchers

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Paul Gonciulea

Field of Specialization: History
Project Title: Soccer under State Surveillance: Football Politics in Cold War Bulgaria and Romania

Host Institution in Bulgaria: New Bulgarian University, Sofia

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Amelie Ionescu

Field of Specialization: Health Economics
Project Title: Using GIS to Address Inequalities in Healthcare Across Bulgaria
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Medical University of Varna, Varna

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Nicholas Ricardo

Field of Specialization: History

Project Title: Faith in Exile: Imperial and Socio-Religious Identity in the Wake of the Fourth Crusade

Host Institution in Bulgaria: Sofia University, Sofia

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Ellis Andrew (Drew) Rollins

Field of Specialization: Creative Writing
Project Title: Writing an Original Book of Poetry and Translating in Bulgaria
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Elisabeth Kostova Foundation, Sofia

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Katrina (Amelia) Russell

Field of Specialization: Economics
Project Title: Developing economic management plans for cultural preservation in Bulgaria and Greece
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Balkan Heritage Foundation, Sofia

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Sophie Tomov

Field of Specialization: Public Health
Project Title: Pediatric Care Across Cultures: A U.S.–Bulgaria Exchange on Family-Centered Medicine
Host Institution in Bulgaria: For The Good Foundation, Sofia

ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Charlotte Buchman

Field of Specialization: Music, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Varna, Bulgaria

Isabella Burcsak

Field of Specialization: English—Literature, Culture and Writing

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sofia, Bulgaria

Isabella Chambers

Field of Specialization: Multidisciplinary Studies, International Development Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Smolyan, Bulgaria

Delaney Cotton

Field of Specialization: English

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Kyustendil, Bulgaria

Karina Dale

Field of Specialization:  English, TESOL

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Panagyurishte, Bulgaria

Thomas Desiano

Field of Specialization: Communication

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sliven, Bulgaria

Isabella DiMeo

Field of Specialization: Political Science, Classical Civilizations, Philosophy

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Vidin, Bulgaria

Eileen Dockery

Field of Specialization: Environmental Studies, Film and Screen Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sofia, Bulgaria

Sophia Feightner

Field of Specialization: Secondary Education

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sofia, Bulgaria

Lindsey Frost

Field of Specialization: Business Management, Sport Management and Sport Law

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Kardzhali, Bulgaria

Travis Gould

Field of Specialization: English, Religion

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Ruse, Bulgaria

Hayden Hill

Field of Specialization: History, Comparative American Studies, Africana Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Dobrich, Bulgaria

Alison Holst

Field of Specialization: Political Science, Anthropology

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Ruse, Bulgaria

Daniella Jacob

Field of Specialization: Religion, Anthropology

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Samokov, Bulgaria

Mallie Kermiet

Field of Specialization: Russian Studies, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Psychology

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Dobrich, Bulgaria

Logan Lankford

Field of Specialization: Health Science, Health Humanities

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Shumen, Bulgaria

Thea Larsson

Field of Specialization: Psychology, Family Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Razgrad, Bulgaria

Meadow Morse

Field of Specialization: Education, English Education

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Jennifer Osorio Ferretiz

Field of Specialization: Biology, Biology Education, Teacher Education

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Alessandro Pogorzhelsky

Field of Specialization: Political Science, Labor Studies and Employment Relations

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Petrich, Bulgaria

Ashwin Prabaharan

Field of Specialization: Political Science

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

Autumn Reynolds

Field of Specialization: Family and Community Health, Public Health

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Lovech, Bulgaria

Lauren Rhodes

Field of Specialization:  Journalism, Political Science, Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sofia, Bulgaria

Jake Ryan

Field of Specialization: Neuroscience and Behavior, Global Health, Chemistry

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Silistra, Bulgaria

Sarah Schalkoff

Field of Specialization: Japanese Studies, Leadership Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Emma Steadman

Field of Specialization: English, Psychology

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria

Kate Struble

Field of Specialization: Journalism, Public Policy, Theatre Arts

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Burgas, Bulgaria

Rory VanGorder

Field of Specialization: Economics, Political Science, Spanish

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Gabrovo, Bulgaria

Olivia Waranis

Field of Specialization: Elementary Education, Equity Studies

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Sofia, Bulgaria

Aleksander Zablotski

Field of Specialization: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Mathematics

Project Title: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Haskovo, Bulgaria

Resources for US grantees

Fulbright Bulgaria Grantees at Rila Monastery

Fulbright ETA LinkedIn Group Facebook group for ETAs & students

Grantees from Bulgaria

Graduate Students

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Boris Tomov

Thanks to Scandinavia Award

Degree Objective: MM (Master of Music)

Cleveland Institute of Music

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Viktor Ivanov

Thanks to Scandinavia Award

Degree Objective: MFA (Master of Fine Arts)

CUNY, City College

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Slavena Galabova

Degree objective: MSF (Master of Science in Finance)

Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business

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Monika Boyadzhieva

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: MJ (Master of Journalism)

University of California, Berkeley

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Sofia Lefterova

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: LLM

Harvard University, Law School

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Tsvetelina Mancheva

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: Master of Science (Technology Management)

Columbia University, School of Professional Studies

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Zahari Dimitrov

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: MFA (Design)

Yale University, School of Art

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Mihail Barnev

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: MEng (Engineering)

Georgia Institute of Technology

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Kliment Markov

Bulgarian Leaders

Degree objective: LLM

University of Pennsylvania, Law School

Visiting Researchers

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Radoslav Tashev

Medical Sciences

Home Institution: Plovdiv Medical University

Host Institution: University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

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Gergana Velyanova

Environmental Sciences

Home Institution: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Host Institution: University of North Dakota

Visiting Scholars

Anita Mihaylova

Pharmacology

Home Institution: Plovdiv Medical University

Host Institution: St John’s University, New York

Pancho Dachkinov

Computer Sciences

Home Institution: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Host Institution: Harvard University

Angela Pencheva

Archaeology

Home Institution: Balkan Heritage

Host Institution: Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania

Petya Gergova

Public Relations

Home Institution: National Institute of Justice

Host Institution: American University, Washington, D.C.

Stefaniya Georgieva

Dance Arts

Home Institution: NATFA – Drama / Theater Arts

Host Institution: UCLA – University of California, Los Angeles

Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Award

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Rosen Tsvetkov

Journalism

Home Institution: bTV

Host Institution: Arizona State University

You can find some photos of the Bulgarian Fulbright cohort for AY 2026-27 here:

Browse album

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