The Fulbright Faculty Development Program is a one semester, non-degree, professional development program that provides promising junior university faculty with the opportunity to:

• develop new courses and implement curriculum reform at their home institutions
• cultivate teaching skills and techniques based on personal observation of U.S. educational methods
• expand the information base in their fields of study
• become a vehicle for on-going contact and exchange between their home and host institutions.

The Fulbright Faculty Development Program offers scholarships in any academic field. To qualify for the Fulbright Faculty Development Program, an applicant must:

• must have citizenship and live permanently in the Republic of Moldova (permanent residents of the Transnistrian region may be considered regardless of citizenship)
• be eligible for a U.S. J-1 visa. Program participants must return to and reside in Moldova for two years after completion of their programs.
• hold a university degree
• be currently teaching at a Moldovan institution of higher education
• have at least two years of teaching experience at an institution of higher education by the time of application
• suggest a feasible research project
• demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English (selected finalists will be required to take the TOEFL test, which the Embassy will pay for)

One of the important components of the Fulbright Faculty Development Program is a formal affiliation at a U.S. university. It is not required, but in many cases, applicants are in contact with colleagues at U.S. institutions and have made preliminary plans for their own placements by securing a letter of invitation from the prospective host institution.

Because the Fulbright Faculty Development Program is a non-degree program, Fellows will not receive transcripts, grades or credit.

Please note: Applicants for the Fulbright Faculty Development Program in Moldova will need to fill out the online application for Fulbright Foreign Student Program. This application is used for both the Foreign Student and Faculty Development programs.

How to apply

Only short-listed candidates will be interviewed, and the final selection and placement will be made in the spring of the following year.

• Instructions for completing the application (.docx 401 KB)
• Application link https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2024

If you have questions, please write to: education-moldova@state.gov

We highly encourage you to read FAQ section below:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Plagiarism? 

• Cite – Citations should be included whenever referencing another individual’s work, whether paraphrasing or quoting.
• Citations usually include the author(s) and the date of the publication or similar information.
• Quote citations usually include the author(s) and the page number, or paragraph number in the case of web content.
• A reference page or page of works cited at the end of your essay should include the author(s), date of publication, title, and source.

• Paraphrase – Read the source text you would like to reference in your essay and put it into your own words, making sure not to copy the work verbatim. If you use text as written in the original, you must use quotation marks. Citations for paraphrased work must be included.
• Quoting – If quoting a source, use the quote exactly as it appears in the original work. It is important to note that most higher education institutions discourage “block quotes” or quotes of 40 words or more. Quoting should be done whenever using someone else’s text as written and must be cited to avoid plagiarism allegations.

If I’m selected, what are the time demands of the Fulbright Faculty Development Program?

The Fulbright Faculty Development Program (FFDP) is quite rigorous.  Participants audit classes, participate in faculty meetings, present at workshops, work in libraries, and attend professional development activities.  In addition, the program starts and ends with 3-day Workshops on Curriculum Development usually organized in New York City in late August and early January respectively.

Is the Fulbright Faculty Development Program a degree-granting program?

No. It is a one semester, non-degree program.

What does it mean to be eligible for J1 visa? 

To qualify for a J visa, an applicant must show that they meet the qualifications for the exchange program, have no visa ineligibilities, and overcome the presumption of being an intending immigrant by sufficiently demonstrating strong ties to their home country that will compel them to leave the United States at the end of their temporary stay.

I’m a Moldovan citizen and for the last year (or more) I’ve been living abroad.  But my permanent residence is in Moldova.  Am I eligible for the program?

One of the qualifications requirements is to have citizenship of the Republic of Moldova and permanent residence in the country.  Permanent residence in program terms means that candidate is living and working in Moldova at the moment of application and during the whole process of selection.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline varies from year to year.  Usually the program is announced in early April and the deadline is in early June.  The deadline of October 1, mentioned on the program website, is for the Embassy to submit the nominations of selected candidates to Washington DC for final review and candidates’ approval.

At the start of the application there is a question on contacting the U.S. Embassy.  Whom we should contact?  

The on-line application is part of a worldwide system. Unlike in other countries, in Moldova you can start completing the application without contacting the Embassy.

Should I take TOEFL test before applying?

No. All semi-finalists selected for the last step of the competition will be asked to take TOEFL test.  The program offers vouchers that cover the cost of this test.  Tests should be taken by semi-finalists in the fall of application year.

How selection for the program is made?

The selection of semi-finalist is done in several steps by a selection committee made up of representatives of the U.S. Embassy.  These steps include application review, evaluation of study objectives, and in-person interviews with candidates.  TOEFL scores are taken into consideration at the following step. The final decision of selecting finalists is made by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

What is a transcript? 

A transcript is a certified record of a student throughout a course of study, including all courses (or subjects) completed, grades earned, and degrees conferred. It is issued by the educational institution. In Moldova it is called diploma supplement or academic certificate. You should upload scanned copies of original transcripts into your on-line application.  “Supliment la Diploma” is your original transcript.

Should I submit my original transcripts?

Those selected for the final stage of competition will be asked to submit an official transcript, not the original.  The official transcript should be stamped and signed by the issuing university and should be received by the Embassy in a sealed envelope with the university stamp on it.  It can be a copy of the original transcript (if it was in English,) but it must be issued by the educational institution with all required signatures and stamps.  Please pay attention that the official transcript should be issued by the university.  Notarized copies of your original transcript (Supliment la Diploma) are not acceptable.

The candidate should submit all official transcripts issued by higher education institutions they have attended, including exchange or study abroad programs, that list all subjects and grades.  An attested copy of the original document must be stamped and certified by the Registrar or appropriate issuing authority at the institution.

Please note – if the official transcript is issued in Romanian (or other) language it should also be translated into English by the issuing university.

I work part-time teaching at a Moldovan University.  Does this qualify me for the FFDP?

FFDP offers non-degree research grants for promising junior university faculty who have at least two years of teaching experience at a university, including part-time teaching.

May I bring my family with me?

Fellows may choose to apply to have their family join them in the U.S.  Please consider that the program does not provide an additional maintenance allowance for dependents. To be able to have dependents join the fellow for the program, fellows must show proof of financial support, adequate insurance coverage for their dependents that meets U.S. State Department requirements, and childcare plans before they may be approved to apply for J-2 visa(s) for their dependents.

Does the program accept candidates who plan to develop curriculum or conduct research on teaching methodology in the medical field?

Proposals related to curriculum development and research on teaching methodology are eligible. The Fulbright Program cannot authorize proposals for medical research that involves clinical training, patient care or patient contact.

May I choose the university I will go to?

You have the option to conduct research at the university of your choice.  You are encouraged to get in contact with colleagues at U.S. institutions and make preliminary plans for your placement by securing a letter of invitation from the prospective host institution.

What does the Program stipend cover?

The Program provides funds for:

• Payment fees at the assigned host university
• A maintenance (living) allowance, including a one-time settling-in allowance
• Accident and sickness coverage
• Air travel (international travel to and from the U.S. for the Program)
• A Professional Development allowance

What is the timeline of the Program?

The program is announced in April and closes for applications in early June.  The Embassy must submit its nominations of semi-finalists to Washington, DC by October 1.  Approved candidates are notified in April the following year and start their program in the U.S. in late August of the same year.

If I’m not selected this year, may I reapply?

Participants generally may reapply for the Program. Please note that we recommend looking for ways to strengthen your application package and potentially your English language ability if you plan to apply again.

Am I eligible if I’m an alumna/us of other exchange programs?

Participation in other exchange programs does not disqualify for FFDP, but preference is given to qualified candidates with little or no previous U.S. experience.

Where can I access the FFDP application?

Please note, that you can submit application only in time period when the program is open for applications in Moldova.  It is announced annually around April 1 with the deadline at the beginning of June. The direct link to the application will be available in the program announcement.