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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.

Bolivia

2 Open Study/Research Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
10 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

At the time of this publishing, because of visa issues, U.S. grantees to Bolivia are restricted to three months in the country. If the visa issue is resolved prior to selections, the restriction will be lifted. In the meantime, however, the program will only accept applications for study/research projects in Bolivia as part of a multi-country project: Projects must combine three months in Bolivia with seven months in a second country in the Western Hemisphere region. Only one country in addition to Bolivia is allowed; applications for Bolivia plus two or more additional countries should not be submitted. 

Grant Length
10 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

Grant Length: 10 months (3 months in Bolivia and 7 months in second country).

Grants may begin at any time between August 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, based on project design. Applicants should discuss their project timeline in the Statement of Grant Purpose.

Orientation
Pre-Departure and In-Country Orientation

As a condition of the grant, all grantees to Bolivia are required to participate in a Pre-Departure Orientation in the U.S. prior to the start of the grant. Grantees will receive an arrival briefing with the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia for the Bolivia segment of the grant. 

Candidate Profile

Applicants must have a well-defined research project and must have demonstrated ability to work independently, have a solid foundation in their subject areas, have demonstrated high levels of adaptability and maturity, and the ability to serve as a cultural ambassador.

What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?

Alyssa Nichols (2020):
In Bolivia specifically, daily life moves slower and not a lot of information is online, so it requires a lot of patience.

Annick Benavides (2020):
I made sure to only go to known places at night, usually in walking distance of my apartment in a neighborhood known to be safe. I was careful to keep my purse / backpack close to me.

Kelsey Burhans (2016):
“[A] cultural shift I noticed was that, compared to my time working in Cochabamba a few years ago, the people of La Paz had different mannerisms. Citizens of this area seemed to be more closed off, less initially hospitable and talkative than their counterparts in other cities. Most local friends I spoke to attributed this to the altitude, hypothesizing that the harsher climate of the mountains made people more shrewd and discerning of who they spend time with. Regardless of the cause, it took me a bit longer to earn trust and get people to open up, but once they did, I formed warm and wonderful friendships.”

Theresa Edwards (2018):
I have had multiple people [ask me personal questions that are really] taboo in US culture. My strategy for dealing with this cultural aspect has been to just remind myself that I am in a different culture and that people are not intentionally trying to be rude or offensive.

Get everything in writing before you agree to pay for something such as a rented room. Write up the terms and conditions, have the landlord sign it, and save it. If they are not willing to put it in writing, look for a better option. Pay using card/a bank transfer when possible, rather than in cash, so that you have a record of the payment. Get a receipt if you can, or take a photo of the payment with the date and amount.

Eligibility
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
12 Months
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Degree Level of Applicant
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Required - Intermediate

Additional Information: Spanish language proficiency is necessary, not only for the development of the proposed project, but to communicate on a daily basis. Higher level proficiency may be necessary depending on the requirements of the proposed project.   Applicants should discuss plans for language study between the time of application and the commencement of the grant in Language Self-Evaluation in the Fulbright application.  A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college level Spanish language instructor is also required.

In rural areas, basic Aymara or Quechua will be helpful for effective research.

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

Candidates arrange their own affiliations and are expected to work independently. Candidates must include letters of affiliation from both countries with the application.

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

1,150 monthly stipend amount in
$ [US Dollar]
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.

3,850 in
$ [US Dollar]
  • International relocation allowance (for multi-country grants only)
  • Research/Materials allowance
  • Settling in allowance
  • $2,850 base allowance to cover round-trip international travel, transit, excess baggage, settling-in expenses
  • $500 International Relocation Allowance
  • $500 Research Allowance
Estimated Cost of Living

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

Please visit this website to help estimate the cost of living, meals, and incidentals in different capital cities in Bolivia. Significant differences can exist in smaller towns where costs tend to be lower.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is available
Housing Arrangements
Grantees are responsible for identifying housing options. The U.S. Embassy does not assist in locating or helping secure housing for U.S. Fulbright grantees, but is happy to answer any specific questions that grantees might have about potential housing. Host institutions should be the primary source of assistance in the housing search. 
Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.WHA@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
https://bo.usembassy.gov
General Comments

The program is open to all fields. However, projects focusing on the study of indigenous peoples (who collectively constitute a majority of Bolivia’s population), business topics (particularly micro-enterprise development and eco-tourism) are preferred. In addition, students in the creative and performing arts and in the fields of computer science, criminal justice, law, ecology, environment, and museum studies (management, preservation, and cultural patrimony) are encouraged to apply.

Projects focused on politics or politically sensitive topics are not encouraged.