Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and administered by the Institute for International Education (IIE), offers diverse opportunities for research and cultural exchange for current U.S. students and recent graduates. Over the course of 8-12 months, Fulbright fellows are immersed in the culture and daily life of the country of their choice. Successful applicants to this program will show an interest in promoting cultural ambassadorship, and will have limited prior experience in their particular country of application (less than six months, not counting undergraduate study abroad).
There are two main umbrellas of Fulbright grants: the Study/Research Awards and the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Awards. Grants are generally for a year.
Deadlines: See an overview of the Fulbright Application Process
Eligibility: Bachelor's by time of award
Duration: Varies by country, generally 8-12 months
You can apply for a Study/Research grant to one of 150 countries to fund
- (A) independent research projects
- (B) graduate study
- (C) opportunities to pursue a creative or performing art (e.g. dance, vocal performance, metalworking, creative writing) at an advanced level
or some combination of the above.
Applicants from all academic fields and backgrounds are welcome to apply. You might
design an academic or field research project that builds on your previous research.
You might propose putting theory into practice, by studying the effect of an NGO or
national policy. You might well be learning from that country's example — how do they
approach a social issue that you've already thought about deeply? Fulbright has a
number of subject-specific awards in digital storytelling (National Geographic), foreign
ministries (Fulbright-Clinton), business, public health, and journalism. Search by
country for more details.
You could also enroll in a 1-year Masters program in a number of countries (Australia,
Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan,
and the United Kingdom) or apply for an Arts grant to develop a particular craft or
artistic technique with a person or organization in your chosen country.
Some grants combine elements of A, B, and C. For example, the Masters in Classical
Acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is an example of a
grant to support graduate study in a performing art (B+C). Alternatively, you might
want to supplement a sociological research project by taking a graduate-level course
at a university in your host country (A+B). Or, you might be doing ethnographic research
for a novel or screenplay (A+C).