Fulbright Scholarship Program for Foreign Students

• The Fulbright Program is a foreign exchange program funded by the government of the United States. This program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.
• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States

Scholarship Overview

• US embassies and bi-national Fulbright commissions/foundations administer the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. These offices process all applications for this program.
• Fulbrighters are required to involve themselves in the host community by observing the host culture as they share their culture.
• Scholars are chosen for their leadership potential, and get the opportunity to observe economic, political, and cultural institutions, exchange ideas, and embark on joint ventures of importance to the overall welfare of the world’s inhabitants.
• Approximately 4000 international students from more than 160 countries worldwide receive these scholarships yearly.

Host School(s)

• Institutions in the United States

Field(s) of study

• Fulbright encourages applications in all fields, including interdisciplinary ones.

What does the scholarship cover?

• The Fulbright program provides funding for the full duration of the study, including tuition, textbooks, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance.
• Terms of the grant, however, vary according to one’s country of citizenship and the program selected.

How many scholarships are given?

• Approximately 4,000 international students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

Which countries are targeted?

• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in 160 countries, as listed below.

Sub-Saharan Africa

• Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
• Congo (Brazzaville), Côte D’Ivoire, Eswatini, Ethiopia,
• Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar
• Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia
• Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa
• Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

East Asia and the Pacific

• Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati,
• Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
• Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea,
• South Pacific Island Nations, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste,
• Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam

Middle East and North Africa

• Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan,
• Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories (West Bank),
• Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE

South and Central Asia

• India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal,
• Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Western Hemisphere

• Argentina, Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Bolivia, Brazil
• Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador
• Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica
• Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru
• Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay

Europe and Eurasia

• Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan
• Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria
• Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Union,
• France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary
• Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
• Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro
• Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
• Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
• Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Am I Eligible to Apply?

• To qualify for this scholarship, you must have completed undergraduate education, and have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• Study the application details carefully, as they vary depending on the country of citizenship and program
• In countries where the US Embassy administers the Fulbright Foreign Student program, the applicant must be a national, citizen, or permanent resident who qualifies to hold a valid passport issued by that country.  
• In the 49 countries that host the Fulbright Commission, the applicant must meet citizenship requirements as laid out in the bi-national agreement.
• An applicant who holds citizenship in a partner country and US citizenship or permanent residency is not eligible for this scholarship.
• All Fulbright candidates must meet the language requirements for the program of study, teaching, or research assignment, as well as for adjustment to life in the host country. Language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS) may be required.
• Each candidate must meet the basic requirements for acceptance into the host institution. GRE scores for graduate programs and GMAT scores for business programs may be required.

Note that candidates are selected based on:

• Project Feasibility
• Academic qualifications
• Leadership ability
• Available grant funds

How Do I Apply – Next Steps

• Note the application requirements and procedures vary from country to country. Consult the country-specific pages for more details.
• Because the application process is lengthy, time-consuming, and rigorous, applicants are advised to consider their plans, proposed projects, and goals before applying.
• The selections for this scholarship are merit-based.
• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates on a yearly application cycle. The application period usually opens 15 months before and closes 12 months before the grant’s start date.
• Bi-national commissions, US Embassies, and cooperating agencies are in charge of administering the program in participating countries. These institutions process all the applications.

Closing Date

• February to October 2023.
• Note that dates are country-specific, so you must visit the country page to get the exact deadline for admission.

How do I get more information?

• Website: Fulbright Foreign Student Program