Fulbright Program - Fulbright Scholarship

What the Fulbright U.S. Student Program gives you

You will receive funding for a period abroad to study, conduct research or work as an English teaching assistant in more than 140 countries. Instead of a lump sum, you will receive a monthly stipend (a living allowance) matched to the cost of living in your host country. This is intended to cover your rent, food and living costs. Most scholarships last for around 9 to 12 months. The exact duration depends on the country and the scholarship you have chosen. Each scholarship also includes accident and health insurance, a 24/7 helpline, and, for 12 months following the end of the scholarship, preferential access to positions within the US federal government. If there is a US Embassy in your host country, you will also receive a return flight and attend induction sessions. Depending on the scholarship, some grants also include funding for books and research, language courses, or full or partial coverage of tuition fees. English teaching assistants also receive a free 60-hour online TESOL teaching course. The programme is run by the US Department of State.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You must be a US citizen or a US national on the closing date. Green Card holders (persons with permanent residence status) are not eligible to apply.
• Degree: You hold a bachelor’s degree or will have obtained one before your funding begins. In the field of the creative and performing arts, four years’ vocational training or professional experience are considered equivalent.
• No PhD: You have not yet obtained a doctoral degree as at the reference date. A law degree (J.D.) is acceptable. A medical degree (M.D.) is only acceptable for an academic course of study, but not for clinical training or specialist medical training.
• Field of study: Open to all fields of study. In some countries, certain fields of study are not accepted; please therefore check the relevant entry requirements before applying.
• Language: You can achieve the language level required for your chosen qualification and host country.
• Time abroad: You have not lived abroad for more than five years during the six years immediately preceding the deadline.
• First-time preference: Preference is given to applicants who have never received a Fulbright scholarship before, and those who have studied mainly in the United States have an advantage. Whilst former Fulbright scholars may also apply, they are at a disadvantage.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the IIE portal. The national application deadline for the 2027-2028 programme is 6 October 2026 at 5 Eastern Time. If you are currently a student, your university may set an earlier internal application deadline. A national panel of academics from US universities reviews the applications in the winter. The host countries then assess the recommended candidates, and the final decisions are made between March and June.