Application Components: Creative & Performing Arts
Descriptions of the Creative & Performing Arts fields are provided here.
All applicants must complete and submit their applications via the Embark Fulbright Online Application. This is where you enter data, upload documents and supplementary materials, and register your recommenders and foreign language evaluator.
The following items comprise the components of the Arts application:
Biographical Data
The first pages of the application ask for all of your basic personal information such as your name, contact information, birth date, etc. They also ask for the details of your academic background, occupational experience, extracurricular activities, publications, and previous foreign experience. Here, on the Program Information page, you must include a project title and an abstract of the Statement of Grant Purpose, along with a brief explanation of your future plans upon returning to the U.S.
Statement of Grant Purpose
This 2-page document outlines the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of what you are proposing for your Fulbright year. Developing a strong, feasible and compelling project is the most important aspect of a successful Fulbright application. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the program summary for the host country.
The program design will vary somewhat depending upon the country and the field of study. The proposal should indicate a clear commitment to and description of how you will engage with the host country community.
Format: single spaced, 12 point Times New Roman, 1 inch margins.
Affiliation Letter
Many Fulbrighters undertaking projects in the arts will affiliate with universities, although in some countries it is possible to affiliate with other types of organizations such as a theater troupe or an arts academy. Affiliation requirements vary by country, so before starting the application you should note the specific requirements for your proposed host country. The affiliation letter should come from the institution/individual in the host country with whom you are proposing to work. It should be written in or translated to English, printed on official letterhead and should be signed by the author. Email correspondence is not acceptable.
Personal Statement
This 1-page narrative is designed to give the reviewers a picture of you as an individual. It is an opportunity to tell the committee more about the trajectory that you have followed and what plans you have for the future. Whereas the Statement of Grant Purpose focuses on what you will be doing in the host country, the Personal Statement concentrates on how your background has influenced your development and how that relates to the Fulbright opportunity.
The statement can deal with your personal history, family background, intellectual development, and the educational, professional, or cultural opportunities to which you have or have not been exposed; explain their impact. This should not be a reiteration of facts already listed in the Biographical Data sections or an elaboration of the Statement of Grant Purpose.
Format: single spaced, 12 point Times New Roman, 1 inch margins.
Foreign Language Forms
Language requirements vary by country, so before starting the application you should note the specific requirements of the proposed host country. You must possess the necessary language skills to successfully complete the project you are proposing.
For programs where language skills are Strongly Recommended, you must submit both a Language Self Evaluation and a Foreign Language Evaluation Form, which is completed by a professional language teacher. Submission of both forms is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or native-speaker ability. Failure to submit the forms may affect your eligibility.
For programs where language skills are Recommended or Not Required, if you possess some language skills you should submit both a Language Self Evaluation and a Foreign Language Evaluation Form. It will be advantageous to have your language ability documented, even though it is not required. Remember, even if a country indicates that English will be sufficient for carrying out the proposed project, for purposes of Community Engagement, at least a basic level of language skill should be obtained prior to leaving the United States for the host country.
For programs in countries where English is one of the national languages, you do not need to submit any foreign language forms unless a foreign language is required for your project.
If you have little or no knowledge of the language, you may discuss your plans to study the language prior to beginning a grant in your Statement of Grant Purpose. You should not submit a Language Self Evaluation or a Foreign Language Evaluation.
Recommendations
You must submit three recommendation letters as part of the application. The authors should be the three individuals who can best speak to your ability to carry out the project being proposed; they should discuss your intellectual and professional preparation, and your ability to represent the U.S. abroad. You should provide the recommender with a copy of your Statement of Grant Purpose before requesting the recommendation letter. The recommendation letter should NOT simply be a character reference, as this will be of no value in assessing your ability to complete the proposed project. All recommendations must be written in English. If the original recommendation letter is written in a language other than English there must be an official English translation. Because the recommendation letter is confidential the translation cannot be done by the applicant. Both the original recommendation letter and the English-language translation must be uploaded into the Fulbright application.
Transcripts
The Fulbright Program requires a complete academic record of your higher education. You must provide transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions from which you received degrees. Transcripts must also be submitted from other institutions where you studied and received credit for coursework.
Failure to submit any required transcripts will result in your being declared ineligible.
For select countries - Critical Language Enhancement Award Statement
- China
- Egypt
- India
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Morocco
- Russia
If you are applying for a Critical Language Enhancement Award, you must complete the Critical Language Enhancement Award Statement which details your language preparation, the host country language program desired, and a brief explanation of how the additional language training will impact your Fulbright experience and future career plans.
Supplementary Materials
All candidates applying in the creative and performing arts must submit examples of their artistic work; this work, along with the written portions of the application, will be evaluated by the screening committee members. Arts applicants should understand that they will be evaluated first and foremost on their technical and artistic skills within their artistic disciplines and that the supplementary materials need to be complied in a professional manner.
The list of arts fields
- Architecture
- Creative Writing
- Music
- Composition
- Conducting
- Harpsichord
- Historical Performance
- Jazz Performance
- Opera Stage Direction
- Organ
- Percussion
- Piano
- String Instruments
- Voice
- Woodwind & Brass
- World Music
- Performing Arts
- Dance
- Performance Art
- Theater Arts
- Visual Arts
- Animation
- Design & Crafts
- Drawing, Illustration, & Sequential Art
- Filmmaking
- Installation Art
- Painting/Printmaking
- Photography
- Sculpture
Consult the Required Supplementary Materials For Arts Applicants page for more detailed information.
Applicants to Germany are required to submit additional materials in hard copy by the competition deadline. These materials are described in Additional Materials For Music And Arts For Germany and are in addition to the work samples described in the Required Supplementary Materials listed above.