We recommend the following three steps. First, check out the FIPSE Web site at www.ed.gov/FIPSE. This Web site has lots of information about the kinds of projects that FIPSE has funded in all of its international programs. Each of these programs has a separate section on the FIPSE Web site. See what FIPSE has funded in your disciplinary area or in the part of the world that you are interested in. We also recommend that you check out the Web site of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture at http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes
/eu-usa/index_en.html. Information is available in English or French and the European guidelines are printed in all official languages.

Second, read carefully the program guidelines. From the time that the competition is announced in the Federal Register to the submission date the guidelines, instructions, and application forms are published at www.grants.gov. Please note carefully that all applications must be submitted electronically through this federal grants Web site. After the submission date for a competition has passed you may find the archived version of the guidelines and application instructions on the FIPSE Web page at www.ed.gov/FIPSE. The EU-U.S. Atlantis Program funds four-year curriculum implementation projects and two-year policy-oriented measures projects. For a detailed description of both of these grant formats see the guidelines at the locations listed above. Dates for new competitions are posted online at the FIPSE Web site. Guidelines for an upcoming competition are generally available about 45-90 days before the submission date.

Third, call one of the program officers on FIPSE’s international team. Names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses can be found on this Web site under "Contacts" or you may call 202-502-7500. You can discuss your idea with a program officer at any stage of proposal development.

A "transatlantic degree" is defined as an undergraduate or graduate program of study undertaken at institutions located in the European Union and in the United States that leads to the awarding of two separate degrees (dual or double degree) or a single degree (joint degree) by the participating EU and U.S. award institutions and that students are able to attain in considerably less time and a lower cost than would be required to obtain two separate degrees. An "undergraduate degree" is defined as any degree or diploma below the master’s level that is recognized by the appropriate authorities in the member state where the degree awarding institution is located and in the United States. The Atlantis Program also funds dual or joint master's degrees. The program does not support doctoral-level work.

Institutions and organizations must be from the United States and from one of the twenty-seven member states of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom).

EU students and faculty must be citizens of the European Union or third-country nationals who had been legal residents in the European Union for at least three years (and for the purpose other than study) before the start of the outgoing mobility. United States students and faculty must be U.S. citizens or resident aliens. If you have questions about eligibility, contact a program officer.

No. For United States applicants the Atlantis program does not require matching or cost sharing. As you read the guidelines and consider the implementation of an Atlantis project, particularly a dual degree project, it will be apparent that institutions and organizations will need to contribute resources to the project in order to ensure its success and institutionalization. Such contributed resources should be described in the narrative but no budget documentation or financial reporting is necessary.

No, in accordance with the Department of Education's regulations at 34 C.F.R. 97.101(b)(1) and (2), FIPSE grantees are exempt from the regulations that govern the involvement of human subjects because the projects involve activities, including evaluation, that are defined as "(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (i) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (ii) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods. (2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior." Institutional applicants should ensure, however, that they comply with any institutional requirements for projects involving human subjects.

Yes. U.S. and EU application packages or proposals comprise of three parts—narrative, forms, and appendices. The lead U.S. partner and the lead European partner must submit the same proposal narrative. Forms for title pages and the budget and required appendices are different in the two application packages. The submission date is the same in the EU and the U.S. For the U.S. applicant the proposal must be submitted online at www.grants.gov. The lead partner in the United States submits the proposal to FIPSE and the lead European partner submits the same proposal to the Directorate General for Education and Culture.

Each EU-U.S. consortium involves three or four institutional partners—one or two in the United States and two in the European Union. The EU membership must include institutions from two different member states. If there are additional partners in the EU or U.S. there are no restrictions on location. Any questions regarding eligibility of institutions or states/countries should be discussed with a program officer prior to submitting a proposal. Projects may include business, industry, and other educational partners, but program funding is intended for academic institutions and organizations. For a more detailed desciption of consortia membership requirements see the guidelines.

A successful project is one that integrates a transatlantic or international approach to a professional or academic curriculum and prepares students to work productively in the global workplace. Components of successful projects to develop and implement international joint or dual degrees must include a high level of institutional commitment, a focus on defining the program of study, working out all details of the collaboration, and building on the academic strengths and resources of the partner institutions.

Successful projects must conduct student recruitment early in the grant period and include a systematic plan for language learning with the participation of foreign language faculty. Many projects make use of the Internet and other electronic media for project management, curricular development, and curricular delivery. Faculty members work closely together throughout the year and attend the annual project directors meeting. In addition, individual consortia meet each year to carry out the implementation of their respective goals and objectives.

Language learning is a central component in each of FIPSE's international programs. Students in the Atlantis program must have a structured opportunity to learn as much as possible of the language of the host country before and during their study abroad period. The most successful projects build language learning into the program from the beginning. This is best achieved by working closely with foreign language departments to ensure that student language competencies are adequate for study abroad. Some of our projects have developed content specific language programs (e.g. Spanish for Engineering) that train students to function in their specific disciplinary areas. The most competitive proposals are those that integrate language competency into the academic expectations of the project. Proposals that do not include language training are not competitive for funding. The evaluation plan must include a component to measure language skills. Policy-oriented measures projects do not need to have a language plan.

Student stipends are used to offset costs incurred by students traveling abroad. Stipends may be used for costs related to international study, such as transportation, food and lodging. They are not used for tuition payments outside the U.S. except in the case of language training in the host country. Student stipends for American students are not for travel or study within the United States. Student mobility and language stipend are considered training stipends and may not be transferred to other line items in the budget. However, savings from other line items may be used to fund additional student stipends. The amount of the student stipends is detailed in the guidelines and budget instructions.

From the time that the competition is announced in the Federal Register to the submission date the guidelines, instructions, and application forms are located at www.grants.gov. Please note carefully that all applications for this FIPSE program must be also submitted electronically through the grants.gov Web site. Exemptions must be secured prior to the submission date. Be sure that you are familiar with this Web site. In order to apply for any federal grant an institution or organization must register at www.grants.gov. This process takes several days. After the submission date for a competition has passed you may find the archived version of the guidelines and application instructions on the FIPSE Web page at www.ed.gov/FIPSE.

To find the application package go to www.grants.gov and select "Find Grant Opportunities." Then select "Basic Search" and then enter 84.116 under the CFDA number. Three of FIPSE’s international programs are listed here. Select the Atlantis program and proceed to download or print the application package. You may download the application package to fill it out. The official at your institution or organization who is registered with grants.gov can upload your application for submission.

Yes. FIPSE uses the U.S. Department of Education’s eight percent "training rate" for modified or total direct costs. The eight percent rate is applicable to all the United States institutions in the consortium. You must have a current negotiated rate agreement with a federal agency in order to receive this rate. The indirect cost is applicable only to the direct costs of the budget. Student mobility stipends are not eligible for indirect cost reimbursement.

The most competitive proposals for the joint or dual degree will be those that are ready to send and receive students in the first year. A proposal for the delivery of a joint or dual degree must include an integrated study program, integrated admission standards, credit agreements, accreditation approval for the degree, a language plan, and an evaluation plan. Most of this should be completed at the time of the submission but all of it must be guaranteed before any student mobility occurs. Consortia must have signed agreements prior to the exchange of students. Because of the complexities of these consortial agreements, formal agreements among the partners help project directors manage their way around a number of potential administrative obstacles.

You may create new partnerships or build on existing international linkages. Make sure you indicate the reason and added value for choosing each American and European partner. It is important that you clearly indicate each partner’s contribution to the joint project. You should include one-page descriptions of all project staff involved.

Each proposal must include a budget using the categories listed on the budget summary form. In addition, you may want to provide a budget explanation or narrative. The online budget forms include instructions. We invite you to call the FIPSE staff if you have a budget question. Before any project is funded FIPSE staff will contact applicants and resolve any outstanding budget issues. Remember that your lead European partner submits a separate budget form to the Directorate-General for Education and Culture.

FIPSE and the Directorate General for Education and Culture realize that sometimes, regardless of good efforts, partnerships don’t work out. We hope that the partnership will be solid and long lasting—potentially far beyond the duration of federal funding. However, any membership change in the consortium, no matter when it occurs, constitutes a change in the scope of the project and must be discussed with and requires the approval of your program officer. The U.S. lead institution is the fiscal agent responsible and accountable for the stewardship of federal funds. However, it is up to the lead institution to ensure good progress toward the goals of the grant. As always, if there are any questions about membership issues, contact your program officer.

You may contact your program officer to request a one-year, no cost extension. The application for this is online at the FIPSE database and must be done at least 30 days before the end of the grant period. Extensions may be granted only to complete activities that were in the original grant proposal.

In all two- and four-year Atlantis grants, there is an annual report that must be submitted online by July 15. Reminder notices are sent to the U.S. lead partner by May 1 and a reminder on June 1. The first-year report for an implementation grant includes a performance report, an evaluation plan, a brief report by the independent evaluator on the progress made, and, if applicable, a copy of the memoranda of agreement on the joint or dual degree. The first-year report for a two-year grant includes a performance report, an evaluation plan, and a brief report by the evaluator on the work of the first year. Annual reports after the first year and all final reports include a performance report and an evaluation report. The final report is due no later than 90 days after the grant ends. All reports are submitted on the FIPSE Web site at www.ed.gov/FIPSE.

Contact a program officer by phone or e-mail. See the listing of staff addresses and phone numbers under "Contacts."