The Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship Program is a fully funded scholarship for individuals who wish to pursue a Master’s or a PhD in the United States. It is an international exchange program with a special focus on educational and cultural exchange. Students, who become a part of this program, get the benefits of things like tuition fee, travel fares, health insurance, stipends, etc. Hence, it is an opportunity you do not want to miss!
Fulbright Scholarship: Highlights
| Type of Funding | Government |
| Scholarship Type | Merit-based |
| Establishment Year | 1946 |
| Eligible Candidates | Graduates, Teachers, Artists, Professionals |
| Number of Grants Awarded Annually | 8,000 |
| Available to International Students | Yes |
| Application Deadlines | Varies with each country |
| Participating Countries | 160+ |
| Official Website | www.cies.org |
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
If you are a student who has completed his/her Bachelor’s degree and is looking for an immersive opportunity to pursue the Master’s Degree or a PhD, then you may want to know about the Fulbright Foreign Students Program. It is an academic cultural exchange program and is run and funded by the United States Government. Their aim is to increase mutual support and understanding among the bright minds from across the world and provide practical solutions to the world’s emerging problems. Through the cooperation between governments, private sector, civil society and academia, the Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarships help in increasing international understanding for serious issues like environmental degradation, food security, health and education problems, etc. Therefore, this is an opportunity that you might not want to miss if you are a person who wants to make a meaningful impact in this world.
“The Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship Program is a program that aims towards promoting educational and cultural exchange at the international level. It was instituted in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of countries across the globe.”
US Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship Program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is the brain-child of James William Fulbright. It is when he went to study at Oxford University and traveled throughout Europe listening to people’s problems that he got an overwhelming overseas experience. After returning to the US, he studied law, got involved in public service and as the Junior Senator from Arkansas in the year 1945, he introduced the legislation to establish an international educational exchange program that would transform lives. It was signed in 1946 to become the Fulbright Foreign Student Program which would increase mutual understanding and peaceful relations among the people of the United States of America and the people from other nations.
Today, more than 155 countries from around the globe are a part of this program. The US Government officials in the American Embassies around the world coordinate the details of this program in the respective countries. In some countries, there are Fulbright binational commissions to look after the implementation of this program. In India, the ‘United States-India Educational Foundation’ works towards providing eligible students with the Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarships.
USIEF
USIEF stands for the United States-India Educational Foundation. It is the Fulbright Binational Commission in India which looks after everything that happens under the Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship Program and advises Indian students on the higher educational opportunities in the United States. From the time of its inception, it has awarded about 20,000 grants and scholarships throughout several academic disciplines.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program Requirements
There are some broad selection criteria that the experts working with the program assess the applications of candidates against. Once the applications get reviewed by the experts, they are forwarded for an interview of the selected candidates with the USIEF (United States-India Educational Foundation) National Selection Committee. The applications get reviewed on the following grounds:
- Communication skills.
- Commitment to national service or your community.
- Need to conduct research in the United States.
- Academic credentials.
- Professional abilities.
- The potential impact, benefits and outcomes of the research.
- Leadership qualities and cultural adaptability.
- Seriousness of purpose including your motivation and maturity.
- Ability to contribute beyond your field as a cultural ambassador.
- Familiarity with the resources in India.
- Sense of how your proposed work is relevant for Indians.
- Identification of resources in the US.
- Your role as an exchange participant.
The complete review process takes about 3 to 4 months after the deadline of applications. If you manage to fulfill all the criteria and get selected as a Fulbright scholar, you will get the opportunity to work, study, conduct research and work with some of the brightest minds from across the globe. It will help gain an international understanding of the world’s most pressing problems and you will be able to provide a solution to them.
Exchange Participant
An exchange participant is a scholar who has the ability to make an impact beyond his/her field of study and work as a cultural ambassador to make a multi-dimensional impact on society. Keep in mind the following points while applying:
- The candidate must be residing in India during the time of application.
- The candidate’s academic/professional history should be outstanding.
- The applicant must have enough English language knowledge to complete the program successfully and adjust well to life in the U.S.
- If the candidate is accepted for an interview, they need to be present at the USIEF office in Delhi
- The candidate must be in good health.
- The candidate cannot apply for a green card (permanent residency) in the U.S.
- The applicant must present their commitment to come back to India when their fellowship ends.
Fulbright Mentoring Workshops
The Fulbright Mentoring Workshops are conducted by the United States-India Educational Foundation. These are conducted to provide guidance to applicants regarding a strong Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship application. You can get in touch with their office for information regarding these workshops if you are interested.
Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship for Indian Students
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 150 countries worldwide with about 4,000 students receiving its scholarships every year. There are several fellowship programs that are offered to Indian students too to help them get scholarships and pursue their Master’s and PhDs in an international environment. The following fellowships are available for Indian students under the US Fulbright Scholar Program:
- Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
- Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
- Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships
- Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Chair at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Chair Program at Emory University
- Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Seminar
- Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program
- Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program
- Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships
- Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Teaching Program
- Fulbright Distinguished Awards
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
You must visit the official website of the USIEF to go through all the eligibility and application details. The requirements are different for different fellowships. Hence, you must apply accordingly.
Fulbright Scholarship: Benefits and Eligibility
| Name of Scholarship | Benefits | Eligible Courses | Award Duration |
| Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships | J-1 visa assistance; Round-trip economy class air travel expenses; Tuition & fees (might not cover the entire sum); Health insurance & accident costs | Arts and Culture Management including Heritage Conservation and Museum Studies; Economics; Environmental Science/Studies; Higher Education Administration; International Affairs; International Legal Studies; Public Administration; Public Health; Urban and Regional Planning; and Women’s Studies/Gender Studies. | One-Two Years |
| Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Fellowships | J-1 visa support; Monthly stipend; Round trip economy class air travel; Applicable allowances and modest affiliation fees; Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines | Agricultural Sciences; Anthropology; Bio-engineering; Computer Science (including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, digital economy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics); Economics; Education Policy and Planning; Energy Studies; History; International Law; International Security and Strategic Studies; Materials Science (with emphasis on environmental applications); Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences; Performing Arts; Physical Sciences; Public Health; Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); Visual Arts; and Women’s and Gender Studies. | 6-9 months |
| Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships | J-1 visa support; a monthly stipend; Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines; round-trip economy class air travel; a modest settling-in allowance; a professional allowance; dependent allowance & international travel for 1 dependent (optional) | Agricultural Sciences; Anthropology; Bioengineering; Computer Science (including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, digital economy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics); Economics; Education Policy and Planning; Energy Studies; History; International Law; International Security and Strategic Studies; Materials Science (with emphasis on environmental applications); Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences; Performing Arts; Physical Sciences; Public Health; Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); Visual Arts; and Women’s and Gender Studies. | 8-24 months |
| Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships | J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class air travel (two round-trip economy class air tickets for Flex), a modest settling-in allowance, and a professional allowance. | Agricultural Sciences; Anthropology; Bio-engineering; Climate Change Sciences; Computer Science (including, but not limited to, cybersecurity, digital economy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics); Economics; Education Policy and Planning; Energy Studies; History; International Law; International Security and Strategic Studies; Materials Science (with emphasis on environmental applications); Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences; Performing Arts; Physical Sciences; Public Health; Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); Visual Arts; and Women’s and Gender Studies. | 4-9 months |
| Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Seminar | Round trip economy class air travel from India to the U.S.; travel within the U.S.; lodging and an allowance for every day. | – | Two-week seminar |
Conclusion
The Fulbright Foreign Students Scholarship Program is a program that aims towards promoting educational and cultural exchange at the international level. It was instituted in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of countries across the globe. Today, more than 150 countries are a part of this exchange program that provides an amazing environment for researchers, professionals and artists to gain an international understanding of the challenges facing mankind. If you are interested, you must apply for it as soon as possible and if you have any doubts, you can get in touch with our team at Admissify. Our team of experienced professionals will definitely help you out!
FAQ
Why is it called the Fulbright Program?
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program has been named after James Fulbright who proposed the legislation to bring this international exchange program into being.
How many letters of recommendation are required for the Fulbright Program?
To make a good application, it would be nice to get about 2 to 3 recommendations.
What is the requirement for Employed individuals?
If you are employed, you must get an endorsement from your employer mentioning the period of leave granted to you.
What is the selection process for the Fulbright Scholarship Program?
The selection process for the Fulbright Program includes review by the selection committee and then an interview.
What is the duration of the Fulbright grant?
The duration of scholarships under the Fulbright Program ranges from 2 weeks to 24 months.
Gaurav Kandari is a seasoned study abroad consultant with over 5 years of experience, specializing in guiding students to the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia. An avid traveler, he draws on his global adventures to enrich his consulting, providing invaluable insights to aspiring scholars.
