What is the Fulbright U.S. Student Program?

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is designed to give recent bachelor’s graduates, master’s and doctoral candidates, young professionals, and artists opportunities for personal development and international experience. Projects may include English teaching assistantships, independent research, creative/artistic projects, university coursework or degree programs, training in a music conservatory or art school.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed Study/Research or Arts projects or for English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Programs. Study/Research can include graduate study abroad, independent research, or a combination of both. Arts projects are defined in specific areas such as creative writing, music, dance, visual art, and require that candidates submit work samples in their applications. A candidate will submit a Statement of Grant Purpose defining activities to take place during one academic year in a participating country outside the U.S., that is fully funded by the Department of State and the host country.

Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with, and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Grant lengths, dates, and opportunities vary by country. Please consult the specific country summary for details.

Eligibility

U.S. Citizens (no permanent residents); undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students, and alumni

Campus Deadline

August 27, 2026

Priority Deadline (OPTIONAL): June 17, 2026

Applicants for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program include:

• Current juniors and seniors: Applicants must have their Bachelor's degrees in hand by the start of the grant, which is usually at least one year from the time of application. Recipients usually have some undergraduate preparation and/or direct work or internship experience related to the project.
• Recent graduates: Graduating seniors and recent bachelor’s degree recipients usually have some undergraduate preparation and/or direct work or internship experience related to the project.
• Master’s and doctoral candidates: Graduate-level candidates must demonstrate the capacity for independent study or research, together with a general knowledge of the history, culture, and current events of the countries to which they are applying.
• Young professionals: Including writers, creative and performing artists, journalists, and those in law, business, and other professional fields who have up to seven years of professional study and/or experience in the field in which they are applying will be considered. Candidates who have not resided or studied in the country to which they are applying for more than six months (not counting undergraduate study abroad) are preferred.

Note: Duty abroad in the Armed Forces of the United States is not considered disqualifying in terms of length of time spent abroad.