Italy
1 Fulbright/Deafness Studies Award
Accepted Degree Levels
|
Grant PeriodFlexible StartGrant Length6 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
This award allows a graduate student to conduct research, teach, and/or collaborate on new projects in deafness-related fields in Italy.
Grant Length
Grant Period
The grant period can start any time between October 1, 2026 and January 2027.
Orientation
The grantee who elects to arrive in October will participate with the other Fulbright grantees in a two-to-three-day orientation program organized by the Fulbright Commission in early October.
Candidate Profile
Graduate students with an interest and background in deafness-related studies, with some experience in the area of the proposed project, will be considered.
Proposals should involve research, teaching, and/or collaboration on projects aimed at improving the lives of deaf and/or deaf-blind children; improving the lives of deaf adults; improving infrastructure accessibility for deaf individuals; and strengthening specific areas of expertise that are lacking in Italy.
Examples include:
- early intervention for deaf and/or deaf-blind children;
- deaf education;
- specialized teaching methods for deaf-blind children;
- bilingualism and bi-culturalism;
- school psychology;
- clinical psychology;
- counseling;
- theater education;
- art education;
- interpreter education;
- teaching ASL to deaf students;
- teaching English through ASL;
- developing tools that will contribute to creating a positive environment where deaf and/or deaf-blind people can enjoy free and total access to curriculum and the world around them.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Applicants are expected to research their host country. Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it.
Information about Italy and life in Italy can be found on the following websites: https://www.italia.it/en, https://madeinitaly.gov.it/en/
Eligibility
12 Months
According to Italian laws and policies, dual nationals are eligible to apply. However, candidates with significant experience in Italy will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Candidates who have resided in Italy during the year preceding the grant might be considered ineligible depending on the length of the period and reasons.
Candidates who are in Italy with a study or work visa during the 12 months prior to the competition deadline, who reside in Italy at the time of the deadline, or who will travel to Italy with a study or work visa during the selection process and the awarding phase are not eligible to participate in the program, with the following exceptions: those who are in Italy on a tourist visa and those who are on a study visa for a summer or one-semester U.S. university study abroad program are eligible to apply.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
- Doctoral
Special Application Instructions
In your Fulbright online application, Award Name please select Italy Deafness Studies from the drop down menu.
Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form
If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.
Additional Information: American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency and Romance language proficiency is required. Preference will be given to applicants with proficiency in Italian. On the Fulbright application, applicants should include the Language Self-Evaluation and a Foreign Language Evaluation by a professional language instructor in relation to their language proficiency.
Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start
If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period. If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.
Fulbright Proposal Types
Yes
No
Affiliation
When developing proposals and for information regarding project ideas, feasibility, and possible host institutions, applicants for grants in deafness are encouraged to contact:
- Dr. Stefania Fadda, Director of the Centro Assistenza per Bambini Sordi e Sordociechi ONLUS (CABSS), Rome at stefania.fadda@cabss.it
- Dr. Miriam Grottanelli de Santi, Director of the Siena School for Liberal Arts in Siena, and President of the Mason Perkins Deafness Fund Onlus, Siena at m.grottanelli@sienaschool.com
The role of the affiliation in the U.S. Student Program is to provide ongoing and substantive oversight and support to the grantee's project. Grantees will be required to have affiliations with accredited academic or research institutions in Italy. Applicants must initiate contact with the host institution of preference and obtain a formal letter of affiliation between the applicant and the host institution. The letter should state that a host contact will be available during the grant period to mentor the applicant and/or supervise the applicant's work on the proposed project. While issuing the letter, the host contact must describe accurately the following points:
Origin of the collaboration;
Role of the Host Contact in the Candidate's Project;
Possible enrollment of the Candidate in classes held in English;
How the Host affiliation is planning to involve the Candidate in the Institution's activities;
Are the Candidate and host contact planning to explore potential collaborations?;
Access to facilities and resources;
Collaboration with an ongoing project.
Please note that the U.S.-Italy Commission will contact the proposed host institution of semi-finalist candidates and request that the host contact confirm these arrangements.
Although encouraged, candidates are not required to enroll in an Italian university; however, as indicated above, applicants must establish contacts and secure affiliations with an Italian university or research center.
The Grantee's city of residence in Italy must be the city of the host institution.
Because grantees are encouraged to immerse in the Italian academic system and the local community to fully experience the cultural exchange, affiliations with non-Italian institutions are strongly discouraged. Affiliations with U.S. institutions located in Italy are also discouraged and will be considered only if secondary to the affiliation with an Italian institution, and if “the faculty and student body of the school are primarily nationals of the host country, with courses and research opportunities primarily in non-U.S. subjects” (FFSB Policies). Applicants are encouraged to contact the Commission if they have doubts about the affiliation they intend to propose.
For information about Italian universities, please consult "Guide to Higher Education in Italy" at https://www.universitaly.it/sistema-italiano-istruzione-superiore of the Ministry of Education
Applicants enrolling in an Italian university must follow the enrollment procedure through the Italian diplomatic missions in the United States.
Information can be downloaded from the following websites:
https://www.cimea.it/EN/pagina-il-sistema-italiano-d-istruzione-superiore
https://www.cimea.it/EN/pagina-procedure-riconoscimento-titoli
https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/en/
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
The award provides a maintenance allowance of Euro 10.000 ($10,483) for 6 months as well as an international travel allowance of Euro 1.100 ($1,153) to cover the costs of a round-trip ticket. Please note that allowances are disbursed in Euro currency and that equivalent dollar amounts are approximate and may change depending on exchange rate fluctuations.
Candidates who are also planning to apply for funds from other sources, or will receive financial assistance from their U.S. institution while in Italy should contact the Commission to inquire whether these funds can be cumulated with the Fulbright award.
Award Benefits
- A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
- International travel benefits
- Accident & sickness health benefits
- 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
- 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
Stipend Amount
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
The total maintenance allowance is disbursed in three installments: 1° upon arrival in Italy, 2° mid-grant period, and 3° upon return to the United States.
Additional Grant Benefits
Fulbright Annual Meeting: Each June, the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission hosts a meeting where U.S. grantees returning to the States after their grant and Italian grantees departing to begin their grant meet, interact, network, and often start relationships that continue in the United States. The Meeting--a celebration of the Fulbright experience--is held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the United States. Italian alumni are also invited to participate in the day's activities.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
As a rule, large cities in the North and the Center of Italy are more expensive, while living in the South is less costly, even in larger cities. An average monthly budget for two persons could range between €1.400-€2.500 ($1,476 -$2,620 approx.). Rent is usually the major expense, ranging between €600-€1.500 ($629-$1,572 approx.). Individuals’ lifestyles, and choosing to live downtown versus on the outskirts of a city, can make a difference.
The following websites could help navigate the costs of living in Italy. While none of them is sponsored by official institutions, the information is provided mostly by international visitors themselves and expats.
https://wise.com/gb/blog/cost-of-living-in-italy
https://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/cost-of-living-in-italy/
https://www.mondayfeelings.com/cost-to-live-in-italy/
https://www.internationalcitizens.com/living-abroad/costs/italy.php
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Italy
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Fulbright grantees are required to arrange their own housing.
Entry Visa
Grantees must enter Italy on a study visa covering the authorized length of the grant. The possibility to stay for longer periods and/or be accompanied by dependents is subject to the provisions and restrictions of Italian Law.
Detailed information about visas and the application process is available at http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en. Italian embassy and consulates are the sole authorities in matters of visa issues.
Basic Visa Information: U.S. grantees must apply for a Study Visa (D) at the Italian Embassy or Consulate having jurisdiction in the State where they reside. The Commission will support their application with a letter that will be sent to grantees after they have signed the official grant authorization but will not be able to assist grantees in their application procedures.
Due to restrictions in the Italian Immigration Law, there are potential challenges related to the duration of grantee stay in Italy, and the visa and permit-to-stay for their dependents.
The requested duration of the grantee's stay in Italy should not be much longer than the official grant period. In case of significant discrepancy (more than 30 days overall), the Consulate may reject the grantee's visa request.
Grantees who wish to be accompanied to Italy by their family dependents should be aware that the Commission cannot sponsor their dependents’ visas. Available options are:
1. Dependents may stay in Italy without a visa for 90 days
2. Dependents may enroll in an Italian language course and apply for their study visa (the Commission cannot assist in identifying the course, nor does it have the funding to allocate for this purpose)
3. Dependents could apply for a Ricongiungimento Familiare. The procedure entails that grantees travel to Italy on their own and once they arrive in Italy they must request a nulla osta per il ricongiungimento familiare. The nulla osta will be issued within 180 days from the request, which may exceed their grant length. Only then will dependents be able to travel to Italy to join the grantee and to apply for a permit to stay for ricongiungimento familiare.
Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Chiara Petrilli, Program Officer: cpetrilli@fulbright.it