***The Penn internal deadline is February 7, 2020. Please contact Tracey Turner (tturner@sas.upenn.edu) for more information about Penn's application process or if you at all intend to apply for the fellowship.***

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program provides opportunities to doctoral candidates to engage in dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute and competitive preference priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 662.21(d)).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2020, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Specific Geographic Regions of the World.

A research project that focuses on one or more of the following geographic areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories).

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 and three points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2 (up to 5 additional points possible).

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1—Focus on Less Commonly Taught Languages (2 points).

A research project that focuses on any modern foreign language except French, German, or Spanish.

Competitive Preference Priority 2—Thematic Focus on Academic Fields (3 points).

A research project conducted in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, computer science, education (comparative or international), international development, political science, public health, or economics.

Note: Applicants that address Competitive Preference Priority 2 must intend to engage in dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies with a thematic focus on any one of the academic fields referenced above.

Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 662.

Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not apply to this program.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants redistributed as fellowships to individual beneficiaries.

Estimated Available Funds: The Administration's budget request for FY 2020 does not include funds for this program. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process before the end of the current fiscal year, if Congress appropriates the funds for this program.

Estimated Range of Awards: $15,000-60,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $35,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 100.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: The institutional project period is 18 months. Students may request funding for a period of no less than six months and no more than 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs). As part of the application process, students submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then officially submits all eligible individual student applications with its grant application to the Department.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

4. Other: Under 34 CFR 662.22(b), no student applicant may receive a grant Start Printed Page 68921from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program (FUSP) and a grant from the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program concurrently. Once a candidate has accepted a fellowship award from the FUSP and the FUSP has expended funds to the student, the student is then ineligible for a grant under the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program. A student applying for a grant under the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program must indicate on the application if the student has currently applied for a FUSP grant. If, at any point, the candidate accepts a FUSP award prior to being notified of the candidate's status with the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program, the candidate should immediately notify the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. If, after consultation with FUSP, we determine that FUSP has expended funds on the student (e.g., the candidate has attended the pre-departure orientation or was issued grant funds), the candidate will be considered ineligible for an award under the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program.