The Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship Program, administered by the Department of Education, provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to fund fellowships for faculty members. These fellowships are intended for faculty conducting research abroad to enhance their expertise in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program contributes to the development of such studies in the U.S. by enabling scholars to immerse themselves in geographic areas of interest and improve their linguistic and cultural competencies.

The program's priorities for fiscal year 2025 include an absolute priority for research projects focused on specific world regions, including Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and others. Competitive preference priorities provide additional scoring points for projects emphasizing less commonly taught languages, certain thematic academic fields such as climate change, engineering, or public health, and those promoting equity in access to educational resources, especially for minority-serving institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges.

The FRA fellowship program will award an estimated $750,000 for fiscal year 2025, with individual faculty fellowships expected to range between $35,000 and $70,000. Approximately 15 awards are anticipated, and the project period for institutions is 18 months. Faculty can request funding for research lasting 3 to 12 months. Eligible applicants include IHEs that compile and submit research proposals on behalf of their faculty. Faculty applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, employed by an IHE, have relevant teaching experience, and possess the necessary language skills for their research.

Applications are submitted electronically through the Department's G6 system. Each application must include a research narrative, budget information, and other required forms. Faculty are responsible for developing their research proposals, which their home institutions will compile into a single application. Applications must comply with formatting and content guidelines, including a recommended narrative page limit of 10 pages.

Evaluation criteria include the quality of the proposed research, the relationship of the research to relevant academic fields, and the applicant's qualifications. The program uses a peer-review process organized into world-region-based panels. Final funding decisions also consider past performance, compliance with federal civil rights laws, and risk assessments.

Key dates for the 2025 application cycle include the availability of applications on January 8, 2024, and a submission deadline of March 10, 2025. A preapplication webinar will provide guidance to prospective applicants. Additional resources and details can be accessed through the program's website.