Grants for scholars and experts
Grants for graduate students
Grants for English teaching assistantships
Grants for short-term research
2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bulgaria
Grants for US Scholars and Professionals
Up to 5 awards per academic year are open to specialists in any field except for clinical medicine and dentistry. Awards are for 3 to 5 months. Opportunities are available for college and university faculty and administrators as well as for professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers, and independent scholars.
Students
The Fulbright U.S. Student Award offers an opportunity for U.S. citizens holding at least a BA to conduct individually designed research, engage in civic initiatives or develop their talents in Bulgaria. MA/PhD candidates, young professionals and artists are encouraged to apply. Candidates do not need to currently be enrolled in a graduate program to be eligible.
Fulbright | America for Bulgaria Foundation English Teaching Assistantship
The program offers graduate students in all fields the opportunity to teach English in Bulgarian public schools or universities for one academic year.
The Fulbright Specialist Program
The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP) awards grants to qualified U.S. faculty and professionals, in select disciplines, to engage in short-term collaborative two- to six-week projects at eligible institutions in Bulgaria.
Country Description
A mountainous country of seven million people located in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria boasts a rich archaeological heritage and vibrant artistic culture, including its unique folk music and dance traditions as well as contemporary literary and performance practices. Thanks to its striking natural landscape, rich agricultural roots, and four-season climate, Bulgaria is an increasingly popular destination for outdoor and culinary tourism. Bulgaria also has a strong ICT and start-up sector, based primarily in Sofia, and some Bulgarian companies have started receiving international recognition for their innovations.
Bulgaria has a relatively homogenous majority population of Slavic-speakers who traditionally identify as Orthodox Christian; however, the country is also home to Turkish and Roma communities and has a sizeable Muslim population (more than 10%). While Bulgarians are known for their warm hospitality, some communities may not have extensive experience interacting with foreigners. Younger Bulgarians often have solid levels of English-language competence thanks to access to digital and online resources, while older generations, who had limited access to English instruction under communism, may have studied Russian, German or French instead.
Since the fall of communism in 1989, Bulgaria has been a parliamentary democracy, joining the EU in 2007. Although Bulgaria has one of the lowest standards of living in the EU and struggles with challenges such as emigration/brain-drain and rule-of-law issues, the country has nevertheless generally been politically and economically stable. All applicants are urged to consult the most recent State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices, which offers the most exhaustive and up-to-date description of political, social and cultural trends in Bulgaria.