International Students: Fulbright Scholarship Application Strategies

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program offers international graduate students scholarships to study and conduct research in the United States. The program is led by the U.S. Government and is available in over 150 countries, awarding 4,000 scholarships annually. The Fulbright Program provides grants for graduate students, young professionals and artists to study at U.S. universities or other institutions for one year or longer. To be eligible, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and be residing in the country of their nomination at the time of application. If you are interested in applying for a Fulbright scholarship, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commissions or U.S. Embassy in your home country.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from outside the US to study and conduct research in the United States. The program operates in over 160 countries, and approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, you must:

• Be a graduate or young professional/artist from one of the participating countries.
• Have the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree with a good academic record. A master's degree is desirable.
• Have limited professional experience (7 years or less) in the field you are applying for.
• Be a citizen or national of your home country at the time of the application deadline.
• Not be a permanent resident of the US.

Application Process

Applications for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program are processed by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or US Embassies in each country. The process varies depending on the country, but here are some general steps:

• Check the eligibility requirements and application guidelines for your country.
• Submit your Fulbright application and all supporting documents to your respective Fulbright office by the country/award deadline.
• The Fulbright Placement Team will use the information in your application to apply to institutions on your behalf and manage the admission decisions and funding negotiations.
• The Fulbright Placement Team will accept or decline on your behalf once a final placement decision is made.
• If applying through a US institution, complete the Fulbright application through the Fulbright online application system by the campus deadline.
• Your application will be reviewed, and you may be invited for a campus interview.
• You may revise your application based on feedback before the national deadline.

Timeline

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program application cycle typically opens in Spring and closes in October. The specific dates may vary, so it is best to check the official website for the most up-to-date information.

Fulbright Scholar Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide, with approximately 4,000 foreign students receiving Fulbright scholarships each year. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies, and all applications are processed by these offices.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, you must:

• Be a graduate student, a young professional, or an artist.
• Reside in the country of nomination at the time of application.
• Possess the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree with a good academic record (a master's degree is preferred by many institutions).
• Be an early-career teacher of English or in training to become one, or be an early-career educator in a related field (prior teaching experience is preferred).
• Have a sincere interest in teaching your native language and culture to students in the U.S.
• Be fluent in English, with a recent score of no less than 550 (Paper-Based TOEFL), 79-80 (Internet-Based TOEFL - IBT), or 6.0 (Overall Score International English Language Testing System - IELTS).

Application Process

The application process for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program varies by country, but here are some general steps:

• Check the eligibility requirements and application guidelines for your country.
• Submit your Fulbright application and all supporting documents to your respective Fulbright office by the established country/award deadlines.
• The Fulbright Placement Team will use the information in your application to apply to institutions on your behalf, manage admission decisions, and negotiate funding.
• The Placement Team will be your first point of contact with U.S. institutions and will accept or decline offers on your behalf.

Other Fulbright Programs

In addition to the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, there are several other Fulbright programs, including:

• Fulbright U.S. Student Program: This program funds American citizens to study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.
• Fulbright Scholar Program: This program is for U.S. and foreign faculty and professionals.
• Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health: Offered in partnership with the Fogarty International Center, this program is for candidates enrolled in medical school or a graduate-level program interested in global health.
• Fulbright Specialist Program: This program does not have the same two-year waiting period requirement as the Fulbright Scholar Program for recipients of a Fulbright Specialist Program grant.

Fulbright FLTA Program

The Fulbright Program is a scholarship program that enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year across more than 160 countries worldwide.

The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program is a non-degree, non-renewable grant that offers educators from over 55 countries the opportunity to develop their professional skills and gain first-hand knowledge of the U.S., its culture, and its people. The program is designed to develop Americans' knowledge of foreign cultures and languages by supporting teaching assistantships in more than 35 languages at hundreds of U.S. institutions of higher education.

To be eligible for the Fulbright FLTA Program, applicants must:

• Be nominated by a U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission (independent applicants do not qualify)
• Reside in the country of nomination at the time of application
• Possess the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree with a good academic record (a master's degree is highly desirable at many institutions)
• Be an early-career teacher of English or in a related field, or be training to become a teacher of English (prior teaching experience is preferred)
• Have a sincere interest in teaching your native language and culture to students in the U.S.
• Be fluent in English, as demonstrated by a recent score of no less than 550 (Paper-Based TOEFL), 79-80 (Internet-Based TOEFL - IBT), or 6.0 (Overall Score International English Language Testing System - IELTS)

If selected for the Fulbright FLTA Program, participants will have the opportunity to spend one academic year (approximately 9-10 months) sharing their culture and language with American students by supporting an existing language program or helping to establish a new one on a U.S. university or college campus. FLTA duties vary across institutions, with some expected to teach language courses independently, while others may be more involved in extracurricular support, such as leading conversation groups or participating in community events.

The deadline for the online submission of application materials for the Fulbright FLTA Program is typically April 15, although this may vary from year to year. Applicants should consult the relevant country pages for specific program availability and contact information.

Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from outside the US to study and conduct research in the country. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year across more than 160 countries.

The Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health is a partnership between the Fulbright Program and the Fogarty International Center of the US National Institutes of Health. These awards were established to promote the expansion of research in public health and clinical research in resource-limited settings. The Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships were inaugurated in July 2011 with four fellows in Sub-Saharan Africa (Botswana, Malawi, and South Africa).

To be eligible for the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health, applicants must be US citizens, be enrolled in a graduate or medical school, and have sufficient proficiency in the host language. Applicants who hold a doctorate are ineligible.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship placements will be available in the following countries:

• East Asia-Pacific: Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda

When applying, it is highly recommended to submit an affiliation letter. Applicants should consult with the Principal Investigator(s) at the site and for the project in which they have an interest. In their Statements of Grant Purpose, Fulbright-Fogarty candidates should address the following:

• Why the applicant has chosen the particular country and project
• How the candidate will be able to contribute to the Fogarty project
• What specific qualifications, training, and/or experiences the candidate has related to this project
• How the applicant will benefit from the assignment and make use of the experience upon returning to the United States

Fulbright Scholar Awards

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies. All Foreign Student Program applications are processed by these offices.

The Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) will set a campus application deadline for the institution's students, which is typically 4-6 weeks earlier than the final October deadline. All candidates applying through a U.S. institution must complete the Fulbright application through the Fulbright online application system by the campus deadline. All supporting materials must also be included by the campus deadline date. Once your application has been completed and marked ready for institutional review, the Fulbright Program Adviser will schedule a campus interview for you.

There are two placement models for IIE's Fulbright Foreign Student Program: IIE-Placement and Self-Placement. IIE's Placement Service works to secure degree and non-degree opportunities on behalf of Fulbright candidates. Candidates are required to submit their Fulbright application and provide all supporting documents to their respective Fulbright office per established country/award deadlines. The Placement Team will use the information shared in their Fulbright application to apply to institutions on behalf of each candidate.

If you are a non-U.S. citizen looking to apply for a Fulbright grant to study in the United States, you will apply to the Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassy in your home country. If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

Doctors of Medicine may receive grants for advanced academic study but not for internships or residencies. Grants shall not authorize activity for which a license to practice medicine or nursing is required. The Fulbright Program cannot authorize proposals for medical research that involves clinical training, patient care, or patient contact. Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health are offered through a partnership between the Fulbright Program and the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The program is designed for candidates currently enrolled in medical school or in a graduate-level program and interested in global health.

Recipients of a Fulbright Scholar award are eligible to apply for another award two years after the date of completion of the previous award. Preference for Fulbright Scholar opportunities will be given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright Scholar grant.

Frequently asked questions