Application Process FAQs
- How do I apply?
- What materials are required to apply?
- Can I see a hard copy (PDF) of the application form?
- May I apply to more than one country or more than one program?
- What are my options for completing the online application if I have limited internet access?
- May I submit my application online before it is complete?
- May I send the essays separately?
- What if my previous school(s) won’t send transcripts directly to me?
- I participated in a study abroad program. Do I need a transcript from this school?
- Can any part of my applications be sent by email or FAX?
- My referee wants to edit the letter online. How can that be done?
- May I submit more than three letters of reference?
- Why is the application, including references and Foreign Language Evaluations (FLE) submitted both electronically and in hard copy?
- How do I print out the PDF version of the application?
- Where do I send hard copy materials?
- How will I know if you have received all the materials I’ve sent?
- Can I send references or letters of affiliation separate from the application?
- When will decisions on my Fulbright application be made?
- What if I have questions that are not answered?
- Can I reactivate an application or use application materials from a previous year?
1) How do I apply?
The US Student Fulbright Program requires that applications are submitted both electronically and in hard copy.
However, applicants who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act will be provided access to a hardcopy version of our application. If you feel you are unable to apply online, please email Walter Jackson at wjackson@iie.org or telephone 212-984-5327.
2) What materials are required to apply?
You will need internet access and an email address to use the online system. Remember application materials and supporting credentials produced electronically must also be printed out and submitted in hard copy form.
A complete application consists of:
- Submitted online application and printed PDF version
- Official transcripts from each college-level institution attended. Note to graduate students: You must submit transcripts for your undergraduate institutions as well as graduate institutions. Applications without a complete academic history will not be considered.
- Three letters of reference submitted online and in hard copy.
- Foreign Language Evaluation submitted online and in hard copy *
- Letter(s) of Affiliation from host country *
- Creative and Performing Arts Supplementary Materials and Form *
* Where appropriate Unsolicited material, e.g., resumes, extra letters of recommendation, sent to IIE will not be included in the review materials and will be discarded.
3) Can I see a hard copy (PDF) version of the application?
Click here for a PDF version of the application. Do not complete this form and send it to IIE. Remember, the information in the hard copy application that you submit to IIE, must be exactly the same as the information submitted online, including essays and supplementary forms.
4) May I apply to more than one country or more than one program?
Applicants may only submit one application per year. You may not apply for more than one program (e.g., you may not apply for an ETA program and a full grant). However, some world regions will allow projects that need to be completed in more than one country within the region. Multi-country projects are only permitted in the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Europe and for the European Union grants. Review the regional pages of the website for countries that qualify.
5) What are my options for completing the online application if I have limited internet access?
There are several things you can do if your internet access is limited. You can . . .
- Enter part of your application and return to it at any time before submitting it as long as you remember your login—so write it down.
- Use computers provided at school, libraries, Internet cafes, or by a friend.
- Print out your application and find the answers to the questions while you are off line.
- Prepare your answers in word processing software (e.g., MS Word or Notepad) and cut and paste your answers into the application.
6) May I submit my application online before it is complete?
The Application Inspector function will review your application and make sure that you have answered all the required fields. Make sure that you print out your application before you submit it.
You cannot make any changes to your application after submission.
7) May I send the essays separately?
The Statement of Grant Purpose and Personal Statement must be included in your online application and with your printed application. You may compose these documents offline and save in a document for upload into the online application.
8) What if my previous school(s) won’t send transcripts directly to me?
Some institutions do not release transcripts directly to students. If this is the case, request that your transcripts be forwarded directly to IIE. Be sure to request that a FORM 12: Transcript Label (PDF) is attached to the transcript so that it can be matched to your application. Follow up with your institution(s) to make sure the transcript(s) has been sent and will arrive in time for the application deadline. IIE will not confirm the receipt of applications, individual documents or transcripts
9) I participated in a study abroad program. Do I need a transcript from this school?
You only need a transcript from the institution/program abroad if your home institution did not include your courses and grades on your transcript. The same is true of any other institutions that you have attended. For example, if you attended summer school and transferred six credits to your home institution and those courses and grades appear on your transcript, you do not need to request a separate transcript from the summer school.
10) Can any part of my applications be sent by email or FAX?
No. We will not accept any part of the application by email or fax from any source, at any time.
11) My referee wants to edit the letter online. How can that be done?
Once a letter of reference or ETA Reference Form has been submitted by the referee in the Online System, it is saved in PDF format. This means it cannot be edited. However, as long as the letter or ETA Reference Form has not been submitted, it can be replaced by another letter by the referee or edited in the Online System. After submission by the referee, the letter cannot be replaced. If your referee feels the letter should be replaced after submission, please ask your referee to contact:
Email: support@embark.com
Telephone: (415) 615-1805
Please note: Because the online reference feature does not allow the referee to save and edit the letter text, we recommend that the referee complete the letter in a word processing software program (MS Word, Notepad, WordPerfect, etc.) and either paste the text or attach the document to the online referee submission form. We do not accept letters of reference by fax or email.
12) May I submit more than three letters of reference?
The Program will only accept three references for an application. Additional letters will not be reviewed. We strongly urge you to have your referees use the online form.
13) Why is the application, including references and Foreign Language Evaluations (FLE) submitted both electronically and in hard copy?
The Fulbright Application Review process takes place in several stages in the US and abroad. In some cases, only the paper copy is used for review and in other stages, applications are only reviewed online. Therefore, we need to have the application, references and the FLE in both formats. The only exceptions are letters of affiliation and transcripts which are submitted in original, hard copy format only.
However, in extraordinary cases if your referee cannot complete the online reference, please ask them to include the FORM 9A: Study/Research Grant Reference Cover Sheet with the letter on institutional letterhead or the FORM 9B: ETA Reference Form. As with the printout of the online Reference, the referee must give you their reference in a sealed envelope.
14) How do I print out the PDF version of the application?
While the application is “In Progress,” click on the Preview button. The PDF version will appear and you can print a PDF Form. Repeat for each page in the application, including the essays and supplementary forms that you have completed. Be sure to print out the final version of your application before submitting it. Applications must be printed on 8½ x 11 white paper only.
15) Where do I send hard copy materials?
To assist us in processing your application, please do not bind, staple, glue or laminate your documents. Use paper clips or clamps. Be sure that your name, country to which you are applying and field of study appear on every page (or on the outside of the sealed envelopes for transcripts, references and the FLE) in your application package.
Remember to sign your hard copy application.
Mail the hard copy application packet to:
U.S. Student Programs
Institute of International Education
809 UN Plaza
New York, NY 10017
16) How will I know if you have received all the materials I’ve sent?
IIE cannot acknowledge the receipt of materials. After you submit your application electronically, you will receive an email confirming that the application has be received by IIE.
Applications of enrolled applicants will be sent to IIE by the campus FPA.
At-large applicants can send their materials to IIE via a mail service that provides receipts to insure that your hardcopy application is received by IIE. This will serve as your confirmation that IIE has received your hard copy application materials.
17) Can I send references or letters of affiliation separately?
We cannot stress enough the importance of applicants submitting all materials as a single package. However, if you receive letters of reference, affiliation, or the Language Report after the application has been sent to IIE, you may send these materials to IIE. We will make every attempt to include these materials with your application. Documents submitted following submission of the application must note your full name, country of application and field of study.
There is no guarantee that materials received separately from the application, after the deadline, will be collated with your application in time for the initial review.
18) When will decisions on my Fulbright application be made?
Round 1: Emails are sent to applicants on January 31, 2010. These will indicate if an applicant is recommended to the host country or not.
Round 2: Final selection letters will be sent between mid-March and late June.
Fellowships abroad must begin between July 2010 and March 2011. Actual dates vary by country. See the individual country summary for details.
19) What if I have questions that are not answered?
Questions related to your online application process, system issues, technology challenges (e.g. login problems or browser problems), please contact: Email: support@embark.com
Telephone: (415) 615-1805 Questions about the application process that are not answered through the website, contact: Walter Jackson, wjackson@iie.org Questions regarding the Fulbright Program, contact the IIE Program Manager responsible for the World Region to which you are applying.
20) Can I reactivate an application from a previous year?
No, every application year begins fresh. IIE will not reactivate an application from a previous year. You will need to start the application process from the beginning, including collecting new references, transcripts, etc. |
