The Fulbright scholarship program has been operating since 1946 and, over the years, has supported students from over 140 countries around the world to pursue academic and research opportunities in the United States and other countries.
This prestigious program has been awarded to more than 12,000 applicants in total and provides opportunities to study, teach, or conduct research on a wide variety of topics in various locations all over the world.
If you are considering applying for one of these highly sought-after scholarships, be sure to keep these details about the Fulbright scholarship in mind before you do so.
About Fulbright Scholarship
What is the Fulbright scholarship?
The Fulbright scholarship is given to students and professionals in order for them to study, teach or conduct research overseas. In fact, there are a number of countries that offer various grants, which allow U.S. citizens and other international students to travel abroad and pursue their educational goals through the English as a foreign language program (EFL).
Other countries offer graduate research fellowships for those pursuing doctoral degrees in universities outside of their home country. For example, Brazil offers more than 200 awards every year for students studying law or medicine; meanwhile, Mexico offers more than 90 graduate-level scholarships each year in science, mathematics, and engineering fields.
Read Also: 10 Ways to Boost Your Chances of Getting a Study Abroad Scholarship
Are you eligible?
There are hundreds of scholarships out there and many of them have little or no strings attached. But in order to qualify for a Fulbright scholarship, you must be an American citizen who has received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Additionally, you must be committed to pursuing research abroad related to your academic discipline (for example, biology) rather than teaching English in a foreign country. If you fit these requirements and plan on pursuing a research-based master’s degree abroad after you receive your undergraduate degree, then we encourage you to apply for Fulbright scholarship awards.
What is a Fulbright scholar?
If you want to study, teach, or conduct research abroad but aren’t sure how, or don’t have time to get started, there’s a program for that. The prestigious Fulbright program offers highly competitive scholarships that send more than 3,000 US students and scholars abroad each year.
The program is sponsored by both of America’s top government agencies: USAID and the State Department. With a Fulbright scholarship, you can choose from dozens of countries and hundreds of different programs across nearly every field imaginable.
From public health to business administration, engineering to art history, no matter what your area of interest may be, there’s likely an opportunity waiting for you. And if studying in another country doesn’t appeal to you right now?
There are also many opportunities available in the United States through sister organizations like IREX and NDEA. A Fulbright scholar can be defined as someone who has been awarded one of these highly-competitive fellowships.
Read Also: 6 Steps to Applying for a Scholarship in the United States
How does it work?
Students are considered for a Fulbright scholarship through a competitive process that evaluates their qualifications and achievements. The U.S. Department of State selects finalists based on specific criteria, including academic or professional achievement, the potential for leadership in your field, demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, and knowledge of your country’s culture and language.
Once you’re selected as a finalist, you complete an online application with further details about your personal and professional background; they then select finalists based on merit. So how can you prepare? For starters, if you have not already done so, become proficient in English by taking classes at your school.
Take courses related to what you want to do after graduation so that when it comes time to apply for a Fulbright scholarship, you can demonstrate your interest and experience in international affairs (i.e., take courses related to business or economics).
Finally, don’t forget to take advantage of all opportunities available at school such as attending seminars where professors from different departments discuss topics relevant to international affairs. These opportunities will help demonstrate your interest in global issues beyond what has been reflected on paper alone.
Fulbright scholarship requirements
A Fulbright grant provides funding for U.S. citizens to learn a new language, conduct research abroad, and study their academic interests.
In order to apply for the grant, applicants must meet the following requirements Graduate with a 3.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) from an accredited United States university, be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program, and be expected to complete the degree in two years.
One cannot be both a part-time or full-time student while they are abroad with their Fulbright grant. Possess at least a conversational proficiency in one non-English language.
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What is the application process like?
Getting a Fulbright Scholarship is no easy feat. In fact, it’s so competitive that only a third of applicants even make it to Round 2. Those lucky few are typically ready for a challenge and happy to work hard in exchange for an opportunity of a lifetime, which makes sense since getting accepted into one of these prestigious awards can help propel your career forward in significant ways.
To give you an idea of what kind of applicant wins one, here are five details about how to get a Fulbright scholarship. Just keep reading if you want some insights on how best to take advantage of the opportunities available when you win one.
Fulbright scholarship acceptance rate
The program receives more than 100,000 applications every year, and last year (2016), just over 800 were awarded. In other words, your chances of winning a Fulbright are approximately 1%. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible; in fact, you might want to start applying right now. So if you’re interested in applying for a Fulbright scholarship, start early and don’t give up.
Scholarships for Teaching
Fulbright Scholarships can be used for teaching English abroad in high schools, primary schools, or universities, however, some countries allow you to use it for research and development purposes. This is your chance to explore other cultures without breaking your bank account.
The award is open-ended, meaning that after your year abroad has ended you can continue living and working in your host country until you choose to leave. Take advantage of language-learning opportunities, which will prepare you for future study and work experiences around the world.
Don’t forget that Fulbrights are prestigious scholarships so they’re highly competitive; make sure your application is top-notch by following these steps.
Fulbright fellowship
What is a Fulbright fellowship? The U.S. Department of State offers over 1,000 grants through its highly competitive Fulbright program, which encourages international exchange and helps promote cooperation between countries and cultures through educational programs.
Each year, around 100,000 applications are submitted for just 1,800 available positions. It’s no wonder that more than 70 percent of winners go on to earn higher degrees many in fields related to international relations or foreign languages. So what can you do with a Fulbright scholarship? A lot and it will probably be pretty rewarding work too.
Read Also: 5 Tips for Applying for the Gilman Scholarship
Fulbright online application
The first step in applying for a Fulbright scholarship is creating an online account with USAID. From there, you can create an application profile and begin filling out your application. If you’re not eligible for automatic renewal, you will need to fill out an updated personal data form before your official notification date each year.
To qualify for renewal of your award, you must submit proof of academic progress and professional development; financial information; annual activity reports; letters of support from officials at your host university and USAID mission in Washington; and a narrative report that describes how your past year’s experience has affected or changed how you approach your original proposal.
Additionally, all applications must be updated within 60 days prior to their notification date or risk cancellation.
Fulbright foreign student program
This prestigious scholarship is part of a U.S. State Department exchange program and is open to students from all over the world who are interested in studying, researching, or teaching English abroad for at least one academic year.
Many countries nominate candidates on behalf of their national governments, but students can also apply directly through Fulbright if they do not have an official sponsor.
Students must have a degree and experience relevant professional or academic expertise that will benefit their destination country. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0, although those with higher GPAs may be considered more favorably.
Read Also: 8 Undergraduate Study Abroad Scholarships You Need to Know About
Where do I find more information?
If you’re interested in applying for a Fulbright grant, there are more details online. The first step is to download an application guide, which will walk you through everything you need to know. If you have any questions, reach out directly.
There’s also information about grants and awardees on their site, you can see who has won and what fellowships are available. Either way, it’s worth a look into. Remember that there are deadlines for each grant though; so read carefully and get started early if possible.