Current Goals

We think the following common-sense reforms will help the Fulbright Austria US Student program become more accessible to all.

• Stipends above the at-risk-of-poverty line: Everywhere in the world, Fulbright US Student grants are full-time, with significant restrictions against grantees obtaining side jobs to make ends meet, and even a prohibition on crowdfunding. However, Fulbright Austria officially considers its own grants to only partially cover the cost of living. We do not know how grantees are supposed to cover this gap, but more importantly we think grants should cover the full cost of modest living. A first-step proxy for this is to make the Austrian government’s official “at-risk-of-poverty” line, currently 1,392€/month, a minimum for Fulbright grants.
  
  
• No mandatory, unpaid time in-country: Research grants officially start October 1st every year, but grantees are required to be in Vienna for orientation in mid-September. We think all grantees should receive pro-rated September stipends, to afford living costs for that mandatory time.
  
  
• Travel grants upon grant signing: Moving abroad costs thousands of dollars. Currently, grantees need to have this money personally: Fulbright Austria provides grantees with a 2,000€ travel stipend to help with these costs, but only disburses it weeks after grantees arrive in-country in September. We think these generous grants should be disbursed as soon as grantees sign the grant authorization, usually in April-May, so that grantees are able to book flights without putting pressure on their own finances.
  
  
• First paychecks earlier for Combined grantees: Combined grantees start October 1st, but receive their first paycheck in mid-November or later. Grantees should get their first paycheck as close to October 1st (the beginning of the grant period) as possible.