Award Benefits
Funding Level--The Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant numbers are subject to the availability of federally appropriated funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, numbers of awards, terms of agreement, and allowances.
Grant benefits for all Fulbright U.S. Student grants include:
- round-trip transportation to the host country
- funding to cover room, board, and incidental costs, based on the cost of living in the host country
- Accident & Sickness Health Benefits
In some countries, grants may also include:
- book and research allowances*
- mid-term enrichment activities
- full or partial tuition
- language study programs
- pre-departure and in-country orientations
*Grantees with projects that require extensive research support, in-country travel, study materials, or equipment should explore additional funding from other sources to supplement the Fulbright funding.
Please review the relevant Country Summary for specific details.
Funds from Other Sources--If awarded a Fulbright grant, a grantee is required to report all funds received from other sources. Funds from other scholarships, fellowships, or grants in dollars or foreign currencies received concurrently with a Fulbright grant that duplicate Fulbright benefits will be deducted. But, if such grants are for assistance in meeting family expenses of grantees or other expenses not covered by the Fulbright grant, no deduction will be made. Fulbrighters may not accept remunerative work abroad during the grant period without prior approval of the supervising agency in the host country and/or IIE.
NB: If you receive an NSF award, be sure to inform your future graduate school that you have received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant enabling you to spend the next academic year abroad and that you have also received an NSF Graduate Fellowship. Your graduate institution may have an NSF coordinator. Find out who this is and speak to this person also. You must do this before entering your status on the NSF website.
The NSF website has added a "reserve status" on the list of tenure options, which is available after you accept the fellowship and which defers your drawing funds from the fellowship. Officially, the NSF will consider you a graduate student at your U.S. institution, even though you will be abroad.
Early Terminations--Acceptance of a grant by a candidate constitutes an agreement between the grantee and the sponsor involved. It is expected that, barring unforeseen emergencies, grantees will remain in the host country for the full tenure of the award. A grantee who leaves the host country or resigns from the grant at an earlier date than that specified in the grant authorization may be required to reimburse the supervising agency for any expenditures made on his or her behalf, including allowances for orientation or round-trip travel.
Dependents
- Within the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, a dependent is (1) a spouse,or (2) a qualified same-sex domestic partner, or (3) a relative (child, parent or sibling) who is financially dependent on the grantee. The dependent must accompany the grantee abroad for at least 80% of the grant period in order to receive the dependent benefit.
- In some countries, a modest dependent’s allowance may be available. The balance of maintenance expenses for dependents is the responsibility of the grantee. Applicants should note that local restrictions make employment opportunities for dependents very rare.
- The dependent’s allowance is not provided for any adult dependent who holds a grant from any source.
- Transportation and insurance are not provided for dependents. Grantees must provide evidence that health insurance, including emergency medical evacuation, has been obtained for their accompanying dependents.
- Grantees who plan to take dependents must, as a condition of the grant, submit a statement of their ability to finance transportation and, if necessary, maintenance support for them.