The Polish-American Fulbright Commission awards over one hundred grants every year to Polish and American scientists. We ask dr hab. Anna Kłonkowska, prof. UG, ambassador of the Fulbright Programme, about what a Fulbright grant is, who can receive it and under what conditions.

Professor Kłonkowska will hold a meeting for those interested in applying for the grant: on Monday, February 20, at 1 pm for students and doctoral students and on Tuesday, February 21, at 1:30 pm for employees of the Fahrenheit University: UG, PG and MUG. The meetings will be held in the main auditorium of the UG Library.

EMW: - The Fulbright Programme is the United States' most extensive academic and cultural exchange programme. Thanks to the initiative, outstanding students, doctoral students and researchers can obtain a scholarship to travel to the USA. You have taken advantage of this offer. What were the benefits of your trip?

Dr hab. Anna Kłonkowska, prof. UG: - There are so many that I don't know where to begin!

Firstly, it is possible to realise your scientific project in the USA, the publications in international journals and the established academic cooperation, which I continue to this day.  

The Fulbright grant is also an opportunity to disseminate the achievements of Polish scientists and scholars in the States, which sometimes go unnoticed abroad because they are published in Polish. Many scholarship holders also share my conviction that it goes beyond academic life and that they felt a bit like ambassadors of Polish culture during their stay.

Besides, the benefits of going on a Fulbright grant have the advantage that they can be shared with others: such as the contacts I make with people in Poland or the experience and knowledge I can use to enrich my teaching or use various social activities I engage in.

Of course, one should remember the personal benefits! When you live and work in the United States for a year or so, you get to know the culture of the country - and I don't just mean knowing the tourist attractions, but also being able to look at everyday life in the USA through the eyes of a local resident. For me, the friendships I made there and which I still maintain today are extremely important. There are also countless benefits that the trip brought to my children, as my family accompanied me during my stay in the States.

- What are the opportunities and types of scholarships?

- The Fulbright programmes are designed for people at different stages of their education or academic career and represent various academic disciplines. There are, therefore, programmes aimed at those completing their bachelor's or master's degrees for doctoral students and for those already holding a doctoral degree. Some of the scholarship offers are designed to cover a wide range of scientific disciplines, but there are also programmes dedicated solely to, for example, the humanities or STEM fields.

I will talk about the details during upcoming information meetings; current information on the offer is also available on the website of the Polish-American Fulbright Commission.

- Who can benefit from the scholarship? What are the conditions for receiving it?

- As I have already mentioned, the various programmes are open to persons completing their bachelor's or master's studies, doctoral students, and those who already have a doctoral degree.

The formal criteria for receiving a Fulbright grant from the Polish-American Commission include Polish citizenship and no dual Polish-American citizenship or green card. You must also not be in the US at the time of application, and your total residence in the US in the last 6 years preceding the application should be less than 5 years. Naturally, you must also be familiar with the English language.

Notably, academic achievements, open-mindedness, creativity and the potential to bring about social change are essential in the selection of candidates.

The Fulbright programmes are looking for people who are curious about the world, active in academia and society, and with ideas for research in the US that can contribute to the advancement of science and the dissemination of knowledge.

- Why is this programme worth taking an interest in?

- Because of the already mentioned myriad of benefits - academic or personal- these programmes provide.

Most importantly, Fulbright grants make us go beyond the walls of academia - whether in terms of our own experience of living in the United States or in connection with such profiling of projects that their results contribute not only to the development of a given scientific discipline but also to the popularisation of knowledge and benefits for local communities.

This is one of those experiences that has a massive impact on us. You go on a Fulbright grant for a limited time, but you are a Fulbrighter for life.

- What can a Fulbright scholar count on?

- Fulbright grants do not only provide coverage for travel, living expenses or medical insurance in the States. Also invaluable is assistance in preparing for the trip, care during the stay and, upon return, membership in the alumni network. What is very important - the costs of the visit of the scholarship holder's immediate family are also covered, which is extremely important for those who do not go alone.

- Until when can scholarship applications be submitted?

- Application deadlines vary depending on the programmes. Applications are currently open for the Graduate Student Award, Junior Research Award, Senior Award, and STEM Impact Award categories. Applications for the Scholar-in-Residence Award can also be submitted until June 1.