Fulbright Commission Portugal - Fulbright Scholarships

Fulbright Scholarships for study in the USA

You will receive up to 40,000 USD (about 37,000 EUR) for your first year of study to undertake a full-time, on-campus Master’s or PhD programme at an accredited US university. If, instead, you are planning a research placement, you will receive 2,500 USD (approximately 2,300 EUR) per month for 4 to 6 consecutive months. This amounts to between 10,000 USD (approx. 9,300 EUR) and 15,000 USD (approx. 13,900 EUR), plus a one-off grant of 1,000 USD (approx. 930 EUR) for your return flight. In addition to the funding, you will receive health and accident insurance, assistance with the formalities for the J-1visa, a waiver of the visa fee, a pre-departure briefing, on-site support from the Fulbright Commission and the Institute of International Education (IIE), and a place in the global Fulbright network. The scholarships are administered by the Fulbright Commission Portugal (Comissão Fulbright Portugal).

Who can apply

• What you can do there: Start a Master’s or PhD programme in the USA, or spend 4 to 6 months working on a research project at a US university or research centre. To be eligible for the research scholarship, you must already have completed a Bachelor’s degree.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines. Your role must not involve any direct contact with patients; therefore, clinical roles in the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine or psychological counselling are excluded.
• Nationality: You hold Portuguese nationality and do not also hold US nationality.
• No earlier Fulbright: You have never received a Fulbright scholarship before.
• US ties: You have not lived in the USA for 5 years or more in the last 6 years. You do not hold a US green card, and you have no US visa that lets you live there between applying and the start of the award.
• Grades (research grant): A grade point average of 14 or higher is preferred, as are a good command of English and a letter from the US institution accepting your project.
• Preference: Preference will be given to applicants who have mainly studied or worked in Portugal.

How to apply

Online applications must be submitted via the IIE application form between 1 October 2026 and 15 January 2027, by no later than 23:59 Lisbon time on the final day. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to an interview, which will take place either in person or via Zoom. For the Master’s and PhD scholarships, you must also submit proof of admission to your US university by 15 April 2027.

If you are exploring further funding options beyond this Fulbright programme, you will find additional opportunities in our guide Scholarships in Portugal.