2024-2025 competition is closed. 2025-2026 competition will open in April 2024. 

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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.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.

Cameroon


Open Study/Research Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
September Start
Grant Length
6-9 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program in Cameroon aims to strengthen educational and cultural relationships between the United States and Cameroon. 

Applications in all fields of study will be considered, but preference is given to researchers in: economic development, the humanities, natural resource management, the natural and technical sciences, public health and political science.

Grant Length
6-9 Months
Grant Period
September Start

Fulbright grants will begin in September 2024. The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde will not consider applicants who wish to arrive in the middle of an academic year (i.e., at the beginning of the Spring semester), or wish to depart before the end of the academic year.

Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation

As a condition of their grants, all grantees may be required to participate in a Pre-Departure Orientation during the summer of 2024.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are eligible
Residency in host country permitted in year prior to grant
Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Recommended - Intermediate

Additional Information:

English and French are the official languages of Cameroon. Almost 250 ethnic groups, speaking more than 80 major languages, co-exist in Cameroon. Pidgin is another lingua franca commonly used in all ten administrative regions. Although Cameroon is officially bilingual, French speakers outnumber English speakers by a 4-to-1 ratio.

There are eight French-speaking and two English-speaking regions and the acceptance of one language over the other differs from region to region. A working knowledge of French is not required for students who plan to stay in the English-speaking North West and South West regions of Cameroon (although such students are nevertheless encouraged to demonstrate how they will effectively conduct their research and navigate life in the country given its linguistic context.) A working knowledge of the French language is required for candidates planning to live in the other eight regions of the country.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter recommended but not required at deadline

It is strongly recommended that applicants identify appropriate host institutions for their projects and that they include affiliation letters with their Fulbright applications.

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition not covered in grant benefits
Dependents
Dependent financial support is available
Research Clearance

Research permits, issued through the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation (MINRESI), are required in Cameroon.  Researchers must have institutional affiliations in Cameroon and should indicate in their applications the names and academic titles of the individuals and institutions with whom they will work before research permits are issued.  MINRESI requires that researchers work with a Cameroonian or local scholar. This local scholar must have a PhD in order to serve as the academic advisor.

Applicants should contact their host institution or the Embassy about applying for a research permit, providing the area of research and timeline. A permit may be renewed, and for each renewal, the research team must present a preliminary report of activities. The U.S. Embassy may work with Fulbright grantees to secure research permits, if the need arises.

Other and more specific permits are issued by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife for research in forests, and the Ministry of Public Health for ethical clearance and access to state healthcare institutions.

Security Considerations

Due to ongoing security concerns, travel to the North West and South West regions of the country is discouraged. Candidates interested in doing research in these regions should check this website periodically for updates, and contact the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde for additional details.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Jessica Kontchou: KontchouJ@state.gov
Mathias Tientcheu: TientcheuMX@state.gov