The Fulbright Scotland Distinguished Scholar Award at Edinburgh

• Research visit at the University of Edinburgh for six months
• The Award is accompanied by a stipend of £27,500, and an accommodation stipend of up to £1,250 per month. The stipends are intended as a contribution towards US-UK travel, institutional fees, and general maintenance costs while in the UK
• Dedicated office space at IASH, University e-mail and library access
• Weekly Fellows’ Lunch to build community
• Collegial work-in-progress seminar series for testing new ideas
• Calendar of engaging events at the Institute and College

IASH provides an enviable location in one of the world’s most intellectually inspiring cities, together with a dynamic network of international connections.

Home to the Scottish Enlightenment, Edinburgh has a rich cultural heritage of scholarship and creativity that continues to the present day. In this haven of libraries and archives, galleries and music venues – all set amid iconic architecture – IASH takes the humanities beyond campus to engage the public and work with organisations in a variety of different sectors.

The Institute welcomes visiting researchers from across the world. Since 1970, over 1,500 Fellows have stepped through our doors. Up to 30 researchers are in residence at any one time in our amazing – and eclectic – nineteenth-century building just on the edge of the University’s central campus, boasting views of the Meadows.

From upwards of 65 countries, IASH Fellows form a global alumni community, and many career-long connections begin at the Institute.

• We offer Fulbright scholarships known as 'Fulbright Awards' to American and British students seeking to do a postgraduate degree or research across the Atlantic, and to American and British scholars—and mid-career professionals—seeking to do research or teach in each other’s country.
• We partner with the Sutton Trust to support high achieving state school students from low income families across the UK explore the possibility of US study and apply for admission to top US universities and comprehensive financial aid.
• We work with UK universities to bring bright American undergraduates who have never been abroad to a four to five-week themed summer schools in the UK.
• We partner with EducationUSA to offer programmes, events and advice for UK students interested in studying at accredited higher education institutions in the USA.

• Prof. Marianne Boruch (English Literature: LLC), 2012
• Prof. Mark Macgowan (Social Work: SPS), 2013
• Prof. Karen Beckwith (Political Science: SPS), 2014
• Dr Matthew Bampton (Geography: Geosciences), 2015
• Prof. Adriana Cracun (History: HCA), 2016
• Prof. Melinda Gann Hall (Law: School of Law), 2017
• Prof. William Sharpe (American Studies: LLC), 2018
• Dr Pamela Lawton (Art Education: MHSE), 2019
• Dr Margaret McAllister (Composition: Reid School of Music), 2020
• Prof. Ashli Quesinberry Stokes (Communication Studies: SPS), 2021
• Dr David King (History / Religion: Divinity), 2022
• Prof. Marcy L. Karin (Law: School of Law), 2023
• Dr Kyle Mays (History: HCA), 2024.
• The 2025 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar will be Dr Miriam Boeri (North Jersey Community Research Initiative), collaborating with colleagues in the School of Health in Social Sciences.

The Commission assess more than the intellectual merit of proposals and applicants' professional and academic record. The best applications are from well-rounded individuals who can demonstrate:

• Ambassadorial skills
• Intercultural sensitivity 
• Genuine desire to learn more about the UK and to share aspects of American culture
• Extracurricular activities
• Community involvement
• Leadership potential
• Plans to further the Fulbright mission and give back to the US upon returning

Applicants must be US / dual-nationality citizens. Preference is given to proposals that involve community or outreach work. Recipients are also expected to form long-term links between their home and host institutions.

Full details of the Fellowship and how to apply are published on the website of the Fulbright Commission.

Visit the website of the Fulbright Commission.

The deadline for applications for the 2025-26 awards was 16 September 2024, 17:00 EST.

• The UK is the most competitive Fulbright programme in the world, so please make sure your prospective proposal is eligible before you apply.
• Selection committees and interview panels will be looking for clear reasons for selecting your UK university preference.
• Candidates are expected to have conducted a thorough university search and to provide clear evidence that Edinburgh is a strong fit for their academic, personal and professional goals.
• Applicants will require a letter of support from the most appropriate School within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science. As the host, IASH itself does not provide letters of support. Full details of all Schools, research priorities and staff profiles are available here.