U.S. Student Fulbright Program
China Affiliation Guide

All Fulbrighters going to China must affiliate with Chinese institutions of higher education (Chinese universities, academies of social science, or academies of science).

There is no easy answer as to what the “best” affiliation for a particular project might be, given that there are a host of factors that will influence a Fulbrighter’s experience. The largest and most famous universities are not necessarily the best institutions to affiliate with since they have large numbers of foreign students to work with and cannot devote as many resources to working with and advising Fulbrighters. Fulbrighters often have more personal and rewarding experiences at smaller institutions and at those outside of Beijing and Shanghai.

Given China’s size and diversity, the Fulbright Program prefers to send Fellows to an array of cities and institutions across the country. Therefore, any applicant who does not have to be in Beijing or Shanghai to conduct his or her research should consider an affiliation in another city.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program will NOT support candidates entering into graduate degree programs in China. All Fulbrighters in China are expected to pursue independent research/study projects while being affiliated with Chinese institutions of higher education and while working with Chinese advisers.

When completing the Fulbright application, it is recommended that applicants to China try to obtain affiliation letters in support of their projects from the institutions that they plan to work with. The affiliation letters must be printed on institutional letterhead and must be signed by the authors.

The Institute of International Education offices in Beijing and New York have developed this list of recommended institutions for Fulbright applicants to China. The first list is divided by academic discipline; the second list is divided by city.

Please contact Jonathan Akeley (jakeley@iie.org; 212-984-5487) at IIE New York with any questions on affiliations in China.