Information for Host Institutions (OLF)

The principal intent of providing the OLF travel award is to build relationships with institutions that are currently underrepresented within the Fulbright Program. Visiting Scholars can benefit U.S. students and faculty of host institutions and their communities by discussing their Fulbright experience, speaking about their home culture and country, and by providing access and expertise in their fields.

The Outreach Lecturing Fund Allows US Institutions to Invite Fulbright Visiting Scholars to:

  • Give department or campus-wide lectures to students or faculty (or both);
  • Hold lectures in classrooms where the scholar can make a contribution to the discipline or country/regional understanding;
  • Meet with faculty to allow for an exchange of ideas;
  • Have informal gatherings with students and faculty;
  • Meet with community organizations, professional, cultural or religious groups, K-12 schools, and school districts that have a special interest in international relations.

Host Eligibility

  • The application for a scholar to receive an OLF award must be submitted at least one month prior to the proposed lecture(s).
  • The host institution must be at least 75 miles away from the Visiting Scholar’s U.S. host institution.
  • Host Institutions must either be an institution considered a Priority Institution or if the host is not a Priority Institution, then they must partner with a Priority Institution or a local organization, which includes secondary K-12 schools, religious groups, museums and national organizations or businesses.
  • Every host must submit a completed evaluation.
  • Hosts are allowed to bring up to two Visiting Scholars to their campus per semester. If you wish to bring more scholars, please reach out to olf@iie.org directly.

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How to Identify a Scholar

Faculty and professional staff of U.S. colleges and universities can identify scholars to invite to their campuses for Outreach Lecturing Fund visits by consulting the Fulbright Visiting (Non-U.S.) Scholar List. After a suitable visiting scholar is identified, representatives of the inviting U.S. institution may contact the scholar directly via the faculty associate and host institution department information on the list, or they may contact CIES staff directly.

Responsibilities of Host Institutions and Organizations

Institutions wishing to invite a Fulbright Scholar for an Outreach Lecturing Fund visit should develop a comprehensive plan of activities and arrangements to share with the scholar well in advance of the proposed visit. Additionally, institutions are required to return a completed workshop flyer template to OLF staff to distribute and promote your event.

Host institutions are expected to cover the following costs for the scholar:

  • Local transportation
  • Lodging accommodations, and
  • Meals

It is important to inform the scholar, prior to arrival, about the support the host institution will provide. Institutions are to provide the scholar with a formal letter of invitation as part of their application.  If an institution wishes to offer a scholar an honorarium for the guest lecture, the scholar must request a letter of approval from CIES ahead of time in order to accept the funds.

Priority Institutions

To further expand the impact of the Fulbright Scholar Program, the Outreach Lecturing Fund gives preference to trips to U.S. academic institutions identified as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and other currently underrepresented institution within the Fulbright Program; including community colleges, small liberal arts colleges and geographically underrepresented institutions. Find out if you qualify as a Priority Institution.

An OLF trip that involves visits to more than one institution is recommended to broaden the reach of the program, as well to enhance the scholar’s educational and professional experience. View eligibility requirements for Fulbright Visiting Scholars.

The Fulbright Program is a federally funded program by Congressional appropriation. As such, any OLF events hosted should be free for their intended audiences. OLF's goal is to reach an ever-widening audience and therefore we want to avoid obstacles to attendance such as charging for admission.

Cost Sharing Expectations

Outreach Lecturing Fund Awards are provided directly to the Fulbright Visiting Scholars conducting the visit and will cover the cost of air transportation, including ground transportation. Awards will be paid to the Scholar through electronic deposit into their bank accounts upon receipt of the OLF event evaluation from the host institution.

Host institutions are expected to cover the following costs for the scholar:

  • Local transportation
  • Lodging accommodations
  • Meals

Priority Institutions that wish to request supplemental funding to offset these costs can do so at the time of application on a competitive case by case basis. Please email olf@iie.org for more details.

Honorarium

If the host institution offers an honorarium for a guest lecture, the scholar must obtain approval from IIE/CIES in advance. Scholars should refer to the Employment/Honoraria (PDF) section in the Guide for Visiting Fulbright Scholars for information on the steps you must take to obtain the approval. Any honorarium amount should be stated on the Outreach Lecturing Fund application form and within the formal invitation letter.

Host Institutions Limitations

Hosts are allowed to apply to bring two Fulbright Visiting Scholars a semester. If institutions wish to bring more scholars, then they must partner with another institution.