GENERAL CONDITIONS

Grantee Responsibilities

1.   General Conditions

The Commission would like to remind you that you have received your award as a privilege and that there are certain rules you must bear in mind:

•  You will be expected to spend the full period of your grant in France, but you are free to travel outside of France for cultural and educational purposes during the regular academic vacations if you limit your travel to no more than 14 consecutive days per trip.
  Travel outside of France that goes beyond the allowed 14 consecutive days will result in a reduction of the stipend in proportion to the period of absence. Leaving France before the end date listed on the Grant Authorization Form will similarly result in a reduction of the stipend in proportion to the period of absence. (See Point: Absences for more information on this topic.)

• You will find that in many cases you are free to establish your own working schedule. However, you will be expected to fulfill the study/research/teaching project indicated in your statement of purpose just as conscientiously as you would fulfill a similar project if you were engaged in work or studies in the United States.

• Please also refer to the "Terms and Conditions" that were sent to you at the time of notification of the Fulbright grant.

2.   Participation in enrichment activities

Please remember that when you accept a Fulbright grant, you are accepting the financial benefits as well as the program responsibilities, which involve your presence and active participation in certain events organized by the Commission.  

•  Orientation
  The Commission organizes an orientation session for American Fulbright grantees at the end of September. Activities include a general meeting with representatives of the American Embassy, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the staff of the Commission. The goal of this session is to allow incoming grantees to meet one another and to answer their most urgent initial questions with regard to practical matters and the administration of the program. There is also an enrichment activity which will include guest speakers to enhance the grantees’ understanding of contemporary French society. All grantees are required to attend the orientation, except those awardees whose grants do not start in the fall and who have not yet arrived in France. For those whose grants are based outside Ile-de-France, the Commission will reimburse round-trip, second-class rail fare to Paris and make arrangements for lodging so that you can attend the orientation session.
  Confirmation of the dates of this meeting will be sent to you in the late summer.  
  A second orientation day is organized for English Teaching Assistants in late October or early November.
  
  

•  Mid-year meeting
  The Commission organizes a mid-year meeting in February of each year for American Fulbright grantees. Activities may include: a cultural outing, a group meal, a day of exchange at the historic Hôtel de Talleyrand, and a concert by a current Fulbright musician. All grantees are required to attend the mid-year meeting, except those awardees whose grants have already ended or have not yet begun. For those whose grants are based outside Ile-de-France, the Commission will reimburse round-trip, second-class rail fare to Paris and make arrangements for lodging so that you can attend the session.
  Confirmation of the dates of the mid-year meeting will be sent to you in the late fall.     

• SNCF train tickets reimbursement  

Fulbright France is responsible for reimbursing train travels, but only on specific cases. 

Only grantees coming from outside of Paris will be entitled to reimbursement. The cases concerned by reimbursement are the following : the September orientation in Paris, the ETA orientation in October, and the mid-year meeting in Paris. 

Fulbright France can only reimburse a travel from and to your host city. If there is the purchase of a new ticket, exchange fees will not be entitled to reimbursement. Please be aware that if you purchase new tickets, there won't be any reimbursement for the former ones you purchased. Please send your tickets to the Assistant Program Officer in a reasonable amount of time before or after the event you attended.

• Absences
  Grantees are expected to remain in regular residence at their institution of assignment throughout the academic sessions. Any absence during the grant period must be approved in advance by the Commission and the host institution. Please note that for safety and security-related reasons, you are expected to keep the Commission informed of any and all travel plans throughout the duration of your grant.
  No grantee should return to the United States – even during holidays – without informing the Commission in advance. The Commission is prohibited by law from paying stipends to Americans on United States' territory. If a grantee should return to the United States temporarily during the term of his/her award, it is imperative that the Commission be informed; failure to do so will cause serious problems, both for the grantee and for the Commission.

• Final Reports
  The Commission would like to draw your attention to the fact that you are required to submit two final reports before leaving France: one for IIE (Institute of International Education), and one for the Commission. For the final report for the Commission, the US Program Officer will send you the form to fill out 6 weeks before the end of your grant. For the other final report, IIE will contact grantees directly.
  You must submit the Commission’s final report to the US Program Officer in order to receive the second half of your travel allowance. The Commission reminds you about the final reports at this time so that you may keep them in mind and jot down your comments, ideas, and criticisms as the academic year progresses.
  In addition to the final reports, participants in the Fulbright Advanced Student program are required to complete a mid-year report online for IIE. Details on the mid-year report and IIE’s online report system will be communicated to you by IIE. The reports on your exchange experience, which will become a part of the record of your participation in the Fulbright International Educational Exchange Program of the United States Department of State, are appreciated by those responsible for the administration of the program. The reports will be used to evaluate and improve the operations of the Fulbright Award. Therefore please make your responses thoughtful and candid.