Overview
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is the largest program of its kind in the United States, awarding more than 800 fellowships annually. Over 400 different types of opportunities are available to teach, research and conduct professional projects in more than 135 countries. Whether you are higher education faculty and administrators, or, professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, and independent scholars outside of the academy, the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program has international opportunities to fit your needs and further your goals.
Benefits
- Grant benefits vary by country and type of award.
- Generally, Fulbright grants are budgeted to cover travel and living costs in-country for the grantee and their accompanying dependents.
- Check the award description in the catalogue of awards and/or consult program staff responsible for the particular award you are interested in.
- Check the official website for more details
Eligibilities
- U.S. citizenship
- Applicants must hold U.S. citizenship at the time of application. Permanent residence is not sufficient.
- Residency abroad
- Applicants who have resided abroad for five or more consecutive years in the six-year period preceding the application deadline are ineligible. A period of nine months or more during a calendar year constitutes a full year.
- Degree and/or Experience
- Award descriptions specify where a Ph.D., other terminal degree, or comparable professional qualifications are required.
- Current faculty, administrators, and experienced professionals are encouraged to apply.
- Postdoctoral candidates are encouraged to apply for postdoctoral awards.
- However, graduate or doctoral students seeking funding to complete their degrees are ineligible.
- Recent college graduates with limited professional experience are ineligible and should instead apply to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
- Prior Fulbright Scholar Awards
- Recipients of a Fulbright Scholar award are eligible to apply for another award two years after the date of completion of the previous award.
- Recipients of a Fulbright Specialist Program grant are not required to adhere to the two-year waiting period before applying for a Fulbright Scholar award.
- Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a Scholar award.
- Department of State employees and their immediate family
- Employees and their immediate families (i.e. spouses and dependent children) of the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and of public or private organizations under contract to the U.S. Department of State are ineligible to apply for a Fulbright award until one year after termination of such employment.
- U.S. Scholar Additional Eligibility Factors:Fulbright U.S Scholar applicants must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of application unless specific exceptions apply.
- Dual citizenship: In some cases, a dual national may not be eligible to participate in a Fulbright program in the country of their other nationality due to host country law or policy. While individual award descriptions specify whether this is a point of ineligibility, it is incumbent upon all applicants to ascertain whether they have, or are eligible to have, their host country’s nationality and to address any potential consequences thereof before they accept an award.
- Prior Fulbright Grants: For serial or Flex grants, the two-year period begins at the end of the final grant in the series.) Fulbright Scholar grants include: Fulbright U.S. Scholar, International Education Administrator Seminar, Fulbright Arctic, and Fulbright Visiting Scholar.
- Education and Experience: Applicants are expected to demonstrate they meet the qualifications stated in the award; in some cases, this may include briefly addressing the nature of their terminal degree in the application.
- Education: Professional/terminal degree refers to the highest degree awarded in a field. The degree level can vary by academic and professional field, as not all terminal degrees are doctorates. Common terminal degrees include Ph.D., Ed.D., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., and M.B.A.
- Education: Applicants may be enrolled in a degree program at the time of application so long as they can demonstrate that the above requirements are met.
- Grant Activity: Grants shall not authorize engagement in pastoral, missionary, or other professional religious activities.
- Grant Activity: Grants shall not authorize engagement in activities for which a license to practice medicine or nursing is required.
- Language requirements: Foreign language proficiency may be required depending on the country, type of grant activity (teaching or research), and the nature of the proposed projects. (Note: In many world areas, English is sufficient for teaching activities.)
- Sound physical and mental health: selected candidates are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before their grants can be finalized. (This process takes place after candidates selected for grants are notified of their selection.)
- Applicants are required to disclose if they have been arrested for, indicted for, or charged with a felony or a misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations, juvenile convictions, or cases where the record has been sealed or expunged) or accused of misconduct (including but not limited to unethical practices, harassment, sexual harassment or abuse, or other misconduct that may have been the focus of some kind of inquiry or process). Applicants must promptly notify IIE in writing if they are arrested for, indicted for, charged with or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations) after submitting the application․ FFSB regulations can be found here (Chapter 600/Section 626 Ineligibility Factors.)
Eligible Regions: Citizens of United States of America