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.

Belgium

2 Fulbright/Ghent University Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Fall Start
Grant Length
6-9 Months
Award Type
Special Study/Research
Fulbright Graduate Degree Grants
  • Yes
Award Profile

In partnership with Ghent University, the Fulbright Commission in Brussels offers two awards per year for students interested in graduate study and/or independent research, or a combination thereof. Applications are welcome in all academic disciplines.

Grant Length
6-9 Months
Grant Period
Fall Start

The standard grant is for a duration of nine months, but applications for this particular award will be considered for a period as short as six months. Grants will follow the academic calendar, beginning in mid-September 2024 and concluding in mid-June 2025 (Candidates wishing to begin the grant period at another time should explicitly state this in their application).

Orientation
Pre-Departure and In-Country Orientation

Prior to departure from the U.S., the Fulbright Commission will organize a virtual pre-departure orientation for Fulbright grantees to Belgium and Luxembourg. Grantees will be required to attend an in-country orientation with the Fulbright Commission in Brussels upon arrival in September. 

Candidate Profile

To be eligible, candidates must currently be pursuing a full Master's, PhD program, or propose a full-time degree program at Ghent University. Candidates must also be a U.S. Citizen to be eligible.

Diversity Statement

The Fulbright Commission in Brussels is actively looking for candidates for the US Student program with diverse backgrounds or projects that they would like to implement in Belgium. We are committed to recruiting a diverse cohort of grantees to Belgium to highlight the vast plethora of talent and qualifications that the United States has to offer. In addition to the traditional academic background, we also encourage applications from professionals, researchers or candidates with significant experience in the field they would like to do research in. Professionals could be policy-makers, policy analysts, researchers at think tanks, non-profit organizations (NGOs), associations, learned societies, foundations, decision-makers at state or federal government offices and individuals in industry or the media with relevant professional experience for their proposed project. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Candidates with extensive experience should strongly consider applying for the US Scholar Program.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
6 Months
Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Special Application Instructions

In the Fulbright online application, for Award Name please select Ghent University from the drop down menu to be considered for this award.

Applicants must include a timeline of the proposed project in the statement of grant purpose. Please include the proposed start and end month in Belgium.

Foreign Language Proficiency
Recommended - Novice

Foreign language proficiency is not required, but preference may be given to applicants with some level of proficiency in one of Belgium's three official languages (French, Dutch, and German). In order to develop a feasible proposal, candidates may wish to consult with their prospective host institutions about the availability of courses and programs in English, as well as the possibility of conducting research in English. Upon selection, some study of the local language prior to arrival is encouraged to promote deeper engagement with the host community.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
Yes
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter recommended but not required at deadline
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
Letter recommended but not required at deadline

Applicants must arrange their own affiliation with or admission to Ghent University, but a letter of affiliation or acceptance is not required by the time of the application deadline. If applicants can obtain letters of affiliation in advance of the application deadline, please include them in the application. If this is not possible at the time of application, successful applicants can provide proof when awarded the grant.

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition not covered in grant benefits

Applicants who will be undertaking a full-time graduate program should be aware that tuition waivers are rarely given and are at the discretion of the educational institution. Applicants are responsible for requesting waivers. In the event a fee waiver is not granted, candidates should be aware that the Fulbright grant does not cover the cost of these fees.

Grantees in this award are expected to receive €1,600/month to cover living expenses along with a one-time travel stipend currently set at €2,000 to cover the cost of round-trip flights to/from Belgium, the costs of applying for the visa and the residence permit process once in the country, and other miscellaneous requirements linked to the grant. These amounts are subject to change and are only confirmed once successful candidates have signed their Terms of Award with the Fulbright Commission in Brussels.

Housing Arrangements

Fulbright grantees are responsible for arranging their own housing in Belgium. Most Fulbright grantees choose to live in affordable shared accommodation with graduate students or young professionals. The Fulbright Commission will provide grantees with advice and a list of resources prior to arrival; additional support in finding housing may be provided by the grantee's host institution. Some higher education institutions have housing for enrolled students, but this housing is often limited and quite competitive. More resources will be provided to successful candidates at their pre-departure orientation typically held in April/May before their arrival.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available

The Fulbright Commission in Brussels does not provide financial support to grantees bringing dependents, but we do provide additional information for how to bring dependents on the grant. Any dependents wishing to come to Belgium for more than 90 days in any 180-day period will be required to apply for a visa as well. This is typically done at the same time as the visa application for the grantee. 

Please keep in mind that childcare is difficult to come by in Belgium, so bringing young children can pose additional challenges. Enrollment in primary or secondary schools is possible in most cases for grantees staying in Belgium for longer than 90 days. More resources can be provided on a case by case basis.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EUR@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
https://www.fulbright.be/
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Jace Jasper: jace@fulbright.be
Additional Online Resources
Fulbright Commission YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn_YjM5wVQ2tO0iupKl6T7A
Fulbright Grantee Blog Posts: https://www.fulbright.be/category/belgium/americans-in-belgium/
Ghent University: https://www.ugent.be/en