The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.
Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies in other countries oversee the Fulbright Foreign Student Programme. Application materials for the Foreign Student Programme are handled by these offices.
Program eligibility and selection procedures vary widely by country. Please use the drop-down menu here to find information about the Fulbright Program in your home country, including eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
If your country is not listed there, you are not eligible to apply.
History of Fulbright Programme
Since 1946, the Fulbright Programme, the premier international academic exchange initiative supported by the US government, has promoted understanding between the US and other nations.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, which receives funding appropriations from Congress each year. Significant Please remember the following text: “Contributions in the following text: “Contributions” are also made by numerous foreign governments. Higher education institutions in the United States and abroad, non-governmental organisations, private organisations, corporate partnerships, and individual donors all contribute additional direct or in-kind funding.
The program provides awards to approximately 8,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals each year from the United States and over 160 countries. Fulbright is unique in its binational structure and noted for its merit-based selection process based on academic accomplishments and the potential to address complex global problems. Fulbrighters come from all backgrounds and are selected regardless of their race, colour, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) sets policy guidelines, which are followed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in order to administer the Fulbright Programme. Priorities for the programme, including the quantity and types of grants, are established by binational Fulbright Commissions in 49 nations. Boards made up of citizens from partner countries and the United States jointly fund commissions, which are overseen by these governments. In the approximately 100 countries without Fulbright Commissions, the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) supervises the Fulbright Program. Several U.S. non-profit organizations administer components of the program in the United States on behalf of the Department of State.
Fulbrighters from the United States and around the world have gone on to achieve distinction in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, and education. Among the ranks of Fulbright alums are 62 Nobel Prize recipients, 80 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 42 current or former heads of state or government.
Senator J. William Fulbright
After World War II, the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas sponsored legislation that was approved by the US Congress and signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1946, which established the Fulbright Programme. Since its founding, more than 400,000 Fulbright scholars from 160 countries, including the United States, have studied, taught, and carried out research in one another’s nations while fostering global cooperation and understanding as participants and alumni. They have been supported by the American people and partner governments worldwide. The creation of, and sustained support for the Fulbright Program reflects a shared global vision for peaceful relations among nations.
As our nation continues to grapple with racial justice and civil rights issues, we acknowledge the mixed legacy of Senator Fulbright. While his visionary leadership on international relations gave rise to greater engagement, his voting record on civil rights contributed to the perpetuation of racism and inequality in the United States. His segregationist stance and his opposition to racial integration in public places, including in education, are clearly at odds with the ideals of the Fulbright Program.
The legacy of the Fulbright Programme has been embodied for more than 75 years by hundreds of thousands of accomplished and varied alumni who have contributed to a world that is more just, peaceful, prosperous, and equitable. The Fulbright Program has a long record of achievement in promoting diversity and inclusion and striving to ensure that its participants are fully representative of society in the U.S. and abroad. The Program and its administrators are deeply committed to redoubling efforts to increase and enhance the Fulbright Program’s diversity, equity, and inclusion, working in concert with partner governments, Fulbright commissions, institutions of higher education, participants, and alumni worldwide.
Summary
- Host Country: United States
- Level of Education: Graduate studies (Master’s or Doctorate)
- Deadline: Varies by country
- Eligibility: International students
- Number of Scholarships: Approximately 4,000 annually
- Field of Study: Open to various fields
Host Institutions
Interested in hosting a Fulbrighter on campus?
- For information about hosting a Fulbright Foreign Student for study or research
- For information about hosting the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant
- For information about hosting a Fulbright Orientation or Enrichment Seminar
- For information about hosting a Visiting Scholar for advanced research and university lecturing
All Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) program Eligibility
Independent applicants are not eligible for the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) programme; all candidates must be nominated by a Fulbright Commission or a U.S. Embassy.
You are eligible to participate in the Fulbright FLTA program if you:
- 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; Master’s degrees are highly desirable at many institutions.
- Are you an early career teacher of English or training to become a teacher of English, or are you 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.
- Are 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); test scores can be submitted to IIE by indicating the institutional code 2326 on the day of the test.
- Can work creatively and be self-reliant while being willing to work cooperatively as part of a team with faculty, staff, and students
- Are flexible and have a willingness to learn
- Are adaptable to living in rural or urban areas
- Demonstrate maturity, dependability, integrity, and professionalism
- Do not hold U.S. citizenship; dual citizens are not eligible for the program participation
Program eligibility and selection procedures vary widely by country. Please use the drop-down menu below to find information about the Fulbright FLTA Program in your home country, including eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
Host University
You can choose from all American universities by following these steps: After receiving the scholarship, Fulbright assists in securing admission to your chosen university.
How To Apply
Applications from people with disabilities are especially encouraged by the Fulbright Programme. The Fulbright Commissions, Foundations, or U.S. Embassies that oversee bilateral agreements administer the Fulbright Programme for Foreign Students and Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs). These offices handle the processing of all FLTA programs and foreign student applications.
Fulbright Foreign Student Programme Benefits and Eligibility
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program awards approximately 4,000 grants annually to foreign students to study for a Master’s or Doctorate and conduct research on campuses across the United States.
Award Benefits Include:
- J-1 visa sponsorship
- Funding support
- Health benefit plan
- Enrichment activities
Eligibility Requirments:
- Reside in the country of nomination at the time of application.
- At the time of the program’s start date, possess the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree with a good academic record.
- possess fluency in English, as evidenced by a minimum suggested recent score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, 79–80 on the internet-based TOEFL—IBT, or 6.5 on the Overall Score International English Language Testing System—IELTS); test results can be sent to IIE by referencing the institutional code 2326 on the test day.
- Do not hold U.S. citizenship; dual citizens are not eligible for programme participation.
- Additional eligibility requirements differ by country of citizenship. Please use the drop-down menu below to find information about the Fulbright Programme in your home country, including eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
Note:Â Students cannot apply for programmes with clinical requirements such as dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, or nursing. Please note that fields of study such as public health and nursing administration are permitted.Â
Other Fulbright Opportunities
If you are not eligible to apply to the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, please find other Fulbright opportunities below:
- Please visit the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website for U.S. students looking to apply to the Fulbright Program.
- For U.S. and foreign faculty and professionals looking to apply to the Fulbright Program, please visit the Fulbright Scholar Program website.