Fulbright U.S. Student applications for 2025-2026 continue to be reviewed as stated on Competition & Selection webpage. Any updates about application status will be communicated to the applicant over email.

2026-2027 Competition Deadline: Tuesday October 7, 2025 at 5 pm Eastern Time

US Fulbright Logo

Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

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 Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants 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 fulbrightscholars.org.

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 Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Malaysia

1 Fulbright-Fogarty Public Health Fellowship Award NEW

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
6-10 Months
Award Type
Study/Research Partnership Award
Discipline-Specific Awards
Public Health
Award Profile

The Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health are offered through a partnership between the Fulbright Program and the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. These awards were established to promote the expansion of research in public health and clinical research in resource-limited settings.  

Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships carry the same benefits as the traditional Fulbright Study/Research grants to the host country. The Fogarty International Center, NIH, will provide support to the research training site and may provide orientation for the fellows at the NIH.  

For more details on Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships and application instructions, please review the ‘Type of Awards’ page: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/types-of-awards/fulbright-fogarty-fellowships-in-public-health

Grant Length
6-10 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

The grant is for 6-10 months, with the earliest start on October 2026, and the latest end on June 30, 2027

Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation

Pre-departure orientation two weeks before departure date.

In addition, Fulbright-Fogarty Fellows will be required to participate in a Pre-Departure Orientation with NIH in July. 

Candidate Profile

Must be enrolled in an accredited doctoral-level program (MD, PhD, DDS, or comparable degree from an accredited institution) in public health, government, business, design, engineering, education, medicine, nutrition, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and nursing. Eligible doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to: DMD, DC, DO, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND, DSW, PsyD, JD and Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing.

 

Health-professional students who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs are also eligible.

 

By the start of the program year (July 2026), fellows must be an MD (and other professional degrees) student who has completed their 3rd year or a Ph.D. candidate who has completed their Master’s level requirements (i.e., post-qualifying exam).

Eligibility
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
9 Months
Degree Level of Applicant
  • Doctoral
Special Application Instructions

Select "Fulbright-Fogarty" for Award Type in the application.  All Fulbright-Fogarty applicants pursuing a placement in Malaysia should select “Public Health” as the Field of Study in the Fulbright application.

Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form

If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.

Not Required

Proficiency in Malay is not required. However, applicants proposing to do research requiring extensive contact with local populations and/or the study of Malay language texts must have a competence in Bahasa Malaysia. Projects involving extensive interviewing, especially in rural areas, will require more advanced language skills. 

Applicants without Malay language skills should include plans for language study in their Fulbright proposals and should study Malay concurrent with their research after arriving.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation

Applicants are required to obtain a letter of support from the site contact. 

When emailing project contacts, please include all contacts and attach a current CV and a concise statement (less than 500 words) about your interest in the program (especially your primary research interest). 

Affiliation Site: Centre of Excellence in Research in AIDS, University of Malaya; US Partner: GHES   

Primary Contacts:   

Frederick Altice, MD, MA, frederick.altice@yale.edu, U.S. Mentor (Contact for letter of affiliation)   

Ryan Borg, ryan.borg@yale.edu, Global Health Equity Scholars Program Manager, Yale University   

The University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is known for its quality teaching and research. The Centre of Excellence in Research in AIDS (CERiA), located at UM, conducts epidemiological, clinical, and social science research on HIV and other infectious diseases, with a focus on marginalized communities- particularly people who inject drugs, people who experience incarceration, men who have sex with men, and others. Since the establishment of CERiA in 2007, the center has conducted several epidemiological and prevention and treatment research projects involving HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected people who use drugs in various settings including the community, syringe services.   

Areas of focus for this site: 

  • HIV prevention and treatment
  • Implementation science
  • Prisoner health
  • Medication for opioid use disorder
  • Substance use epidemiology  
  • Mobile health 
  • Behavioral design interventions

Below please see a list of previous or ongoing projects at this site: 

  • Towards a functional cure for Hepatitis B Virus: exploiting lessons from HBV-HIV co-infection (COMMIT Study)
  • Dolutegravir and Darunavir Evaluation in Adults Failing Therapy (D²EFT)
  • Addiction, HIV and Tuberculosis in the Malaysian Criminal Justice Setting (Harapan)
  • Implementing Stigma Reduction Tools Via A Popular Teletraining Platform To Reduce Clinician Stigma And Disparities In HIV Testing, Prevention, And Linkage To Care In Malaysia
  • Developing An Artificial Intelligence Chatbot To Promote HIV Testing
  • Reducing Stigma in People Who Inject Drugs with HIV Using a Rapid Start Antiretroviral Therapy Intervention
  • Exploring interest in telemedicine among People Who Inject Drugs in Malaysia

Language Requirement: None, but fluency in Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil are a plus. 

Award Benefits
  • A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
  • International travel benefits
  • Accident & sickness health benefits
  • 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
  • 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
Stipend Amount

This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.

840 monthly stipend amount in
$ [US Dollar]

Monthly Stipend fee of USD 840.00 
Monthly Housing allowance of USD 370.00

The stipend and housing allowance will be disbursed every month to your Malaysian bank account.

Payments will be made at the end of each month, before the grant date for the following month.

The exchange rate applied for the stipend will be based on the published exchange rate from Bank Negara Malaysia, which is posted on the first business day of each month during your grant period in Malaysia.

One-Time Allowances

This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.

  • Excess baggage fees
  • Language training allowance
  • Research/Materials allowance
  • Settling in allowance

One-Time Allowances

This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.

  • Bench fee of USD 500.00 (Cover the specific cost associated with visa charges, research work, laboratory work, fieldwork, or any expenses related to your project work)
  • Professional allowance of USD 500.00 (Covers the cost of educational and professional materials, photocopying, registration fees, travel to and from professional meetings, and conferences to other Malaysian academic institutions to consult with colleagues.)
  • Relocation allowance of USD 1,000.00

Additional Grant Benefits

Reimbursable Expenses

  • Baggage Allowance USD 600.00
  • Book Allowance USD 200.00
  • Language Allowance USD 500.00
     

The actual amount spent (up to the maximum allowed) for books, language, and excess baggage expenses will be reimbursed and must be supported by original receipts.

Estimated Cost of Living

Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.

 

The cost of living in Malaysia can vary widely depending on lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. 

Here are some of the typical costs associated with living in Malaysia as a student in 2024, converted to USD:

Rent: Off-campus housing costs can range from $84 to $315 per month, depending on location and amenities. 

Food: Eating out at inexpensive restaurants can cost around $2.10 per meal, while a meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost around $6.30. Groceries for home cooking can cost around $63-$84 per month.

Transportation: Public transportation costs vary depending on the distance traveled but typically range from $16.80 - $31.50 per month.

Miscellaneous: This includes entertainment, gym memberships, personal care, books, and supplies, which can range from $42 - $84 per month.

It's recommended to use cost comparison websites for a more detailed and personalized estimate.

Housing Arrangements

Selected grantees must arrange housing at their sites on their own. They can seek advice and assistance from their Malaysian collaborators, counterparts, and contacts. The host institutions normally have an international office that assists foreign students and researchers to identity housing options. 

When requested, MACEE can also connect selected grantees with Fulbright alumni to give housing advice. 

A monthly housing allowance of USD 370.00 per month is allocated as part of the grant.

Visa/Information

The Fulbright Commission in Malaysia (MACEE) will assist grantees in navigating the process to secure the necessary permits and visas. Detailed procedures for obtaining a research permit will be communicated to grantees after selection. 

APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

All researchers intending to conduct research in Malaysia must obtain prior written approval from the Government of Malaysia. Detailed information on the rules of application to conduct research in Malaysia may be obtained from Economic Planning Unit at https://www.epu.gov.my/en/resources/guidelines-and-procedures/undertaking-research-malaysia

APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH SABAH, EAST MALAYSIA

All researchers intending to conduct biological/biodiversity research in Sabah, Malaysia must obtain prior written approval from the Government of Sabah. Detailed information on the rules of application may be obtained from Sabah Biodiversity Center at https://sabc.sabah.gov.my/quick-info-roles#anchor-researcher

APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH SARAWAK, EAST MALAYSIA

All researchers intending to conduct biological/biodiversity research in Sarawak, Malaysia must obtain prior written approval from the Government of Sarawak. Detailed information on the rules of application may be obtained from the Sarawak Biodiversity Center https://www.sbc.org.my/index.php

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EAP@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
http://www.macee.org.my
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Leena Rajagopal: leena@macee.org.my
Additional Online Resources
U.S. Department of State - Malaysia: https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/malaysia/
U.S. Embassy in Malaysia: https://my.usembassy.gov/
Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia: https://www.mohe.gov.my/en
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS): https://educationmalaysia.gov.my/
MACEE Fulbright Malaysia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MACEEFulbright
MACEE Fulbright Malaysia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/macee_fulbright/
MACEE Fulbright Malaysia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/macee-fulbright/mycompany/
Economic Planning Unit: https://www.epu.gov.my/en/resources/guidelines-and-procedures/undertaking-research-malaysia
Sarawak Online Research Application System (SORAS): http://soras.sarawak.gov.my/soras/welcome
Sabah Biodiversity Center Official Website: https://sabc.sabah.gov.my/index.php/content/access-licence-application