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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply. All applicants enrolled in U.S institutions must apply through their home campuses. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

If you are an undergraduate student, you are eligible to apply in the fall of your senior year.  If you are a graduate student, you are eligible as long as you will not have a PhD degree by the application deadline.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a PhD degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicant should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered. 

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through CIES.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar or Student Program.

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Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship Application Components

2022-2023 Application Guidelines


In addition to the Fulbright US Student Study/Research Application Components, the following material is required for consideration of the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship.

Storytelling Proposal

This document of no more than one (1) page should outline how you would use storytelling techniques to expand upon your Fulbright study/research project proposal and deepen the impact of your project. Applicants should:

  • explain why the story you seek to tell is timely and important;
  • discuss how you are uniquely positioned to tell the story;
  • briefly describe the anticipated audience for your project, including any diverse or underserved audiences in the United States and in your host country;
  • explain how you intend to reach your target audience, both in the U.S. and globally, during and after their Fulbright grant period abroad;
  • identify what impact telling your story would make.

While projects in all research areas are eligible, the National Geographic Society seeks storytellers (writers, photographers, filmmakers and other media) and researchers with a talent for and interest in storytelling. Projects that emphasize science, technology, and storytelling to help protect species-at-risk, better understand human history and culture, conserve some of our planet’s last wild places and build a more sustainable future are preferred. Project proposals which may be on other topics of interest to National Geographic (including but not limited to science, culture, and conservation) will also be accepted for review and may be selected.

Fellows are expected to explore their projects through research, observation, analysis and interviews, and relate their findings using one or a combination of storytelling tools and media, which may include text, photography, video, audio, graphic illustrations, etc. Stories are submitted for consideration and potential publication to the National Geographic Explorers Blog and additional National Geographic platforms, in addition to social media.

Candidates with previous storytelling experience will be most competitive for this fellowship. Applicants who have less storytelling experience but have a demonstrated competency in the area may apply if their proposed project aligns closely with National Geographic’s themes.

Note: Approval of a storytelling fellowship does not guarantee publication by any National Geographic media platform.

Storytelling Portfolio

Applicants must also include a one-page storytelling portfolio which links to work samples that demonstrate your ability to execute the current proposal. Accompanying each link must be a portfolio narrative which indicates why each sample was included, the context for developing each sample (i.e., class project) and your role in the production of each sample. Please provide a working link to a portfolio or the published work that you wish to share. The one-page storytelling portfolio must be uploaded as a PDF to the online application. Links should be permanently accessible, and no updates or edits are permitted after your application is submitted.

Submission Instructions and Deadline

In the online application, indicate your intention to apply for the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Award on the Program Information page, along with a brief (1750-character limit) abstract of your storytelling proposal. On the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling page of the online application, submit the Proposal and Portfolio as separate one-page PDF documents in each upload field. All materials must be received by the national deadline on Tuesday October 12, 2021 at 5 pm Eastern Time. Late submissions are not accepted.