Mexico
5 Fulbright-Garcia Robles All Disciplines - Open Study/Research Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodSeptember StartGrant Length6-9 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
The U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational Exchange (COMEXUS), the Fulbright Commission in Mexico, is interested in supporting fieldwork and research in areas of relevance to U.S.-Mexican relations, including but not limited to: economic integration, foreign policy, society and politics, science and technology, public health, law, security, trade, migration and border issues. COMEXUS is particularly interested in proposals in STEM fields. COMEXUS also supports projects in the arts (both performance and research) that create and enhance the dialogue between the U.S. and Mexican arts communities.
COMEXUS encourages applications from master's- and doctoral-level candidates seeking to do thesis or dissertation research.
Applications will be accepted in all fields of study, except medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry.
Fulbright grants in Mexico are known as "Fulbright-García Robles" grants.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Grant Length: Two options, 6 or 9 months.
Grants may start August 1, and end May 31. Some grants may begin January 1, but must end on or before June 30.
Grants cannot be shorter than 6 months.
Orientation
All grantees will be required to attend a mandatory Welcome Orientation in Mexico City during the last week of August 2027, organized and sponsored by COMEXUS, regardless of their program start date.
COMEXUS will arrange international transportation for grantees except in very specific cases in which grantees travel with a qualified dependent. Grantees should not purchase their airfare without first consulting their COMEXUS Program Officer.
Candidate Profile
Applicants at the bachelor's level will not be considered for this award.
Candidates enrolled in a master's or doctoral program are preferred. Applications should reflect a need to conduct academic research in Mexico related to applicant's discipline and thesis or dissertation.
At-Large candidates who have recently completed a terminal master's degree will also be considered. Applications should reflect a true binational impact as well as the relevance to the candidate's professional or academic development.
All applicants should also consider whether Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is necessary for their research goals and if they can secure IRB approval prior to beginning grant and to cover the entire grant period. IRB is required for all projects that include interviews and interactions with human subjects.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Applicants are expected to research their host country. Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it.
The close and dynamic relationship between the United States and Mexico creates abundant opportunities for students interested in university-level research on topics relevant to both countries. Mexico is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and long-standing tradition of academic excellence, offering U.S. citizens endless possibilities for exploration and discovery.
Mexico is the birthplace of major Amerindian civilizations, including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec, among others. It is also one of the world’s most biodiverse countries. Mexico boasts the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Americas, with 35 cultural and natural sites, as well as numerous intangible cultural heritages. Additionally, the country has designated 177 Pueblos Mágicos (“Magical Towns”)—communities that have preserved their original architecture, traditions, history, and culture—further enriching travel experiences.
Colonized by Spain in the early 16th century, Mexico gained independence three centuries later. In 2000, Mexico held historic elections in which Vicente Fox of the Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) became the first opposition candidate to win the presidency since the 1910 Mexican Revolution, ending decades of rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). Fox was succeeded by another PAN candidate, Felipe Calderón, in 2006. In 2012, Enrique Peña Nieto returned the presidency to the PRI. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a left-leaning politician from the Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (MORENA), became president in 2018. In 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, also from MORENA, was elected as Mexico’s first female president. Mexican presidents serve a single six-year term and cannot be re-elected.
Education in Mexico has deep roots. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), originally founded as the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico in 1551, is the second oldest higher education institution in the Americas. UNAM is recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious universities in Latin America, with a strong commitment to social responsibility and research that benefits society. All three of Mexico’s Nobel Prize winners—Octavio Paz, Mario J. Molina, and Alfonso García Robles—are UNAM alumni.
Mexico’s higher education system includes six subsystems: public universities, technological institutes, technological universities, teacher training colleges, and other public and private institutions. In total, there are 8,966 higher education institutions across the country, including 45 public universities that produce half of all academic research and nearly half of all undergraduate and graduate students. There are also 4,038 private institutions nationwide.
Mexico is home to several unique and innovative public higher education institutions that have inspired similar models abroad. For example, the Universidades Interculturales are designed for bilingual and bicultural environments in regions with significant indigenous populations. The prestigious Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo specializes in agricultural studies and attracts students from across the country. The Escuelas Normales Rurales provide exemplary teacher training in rural areas.
While Mexico City is the primary center for higher education, other important academic hubs include Puebla, Xalapa, León, Guadalajara, and Mérida in the Yucatán Peninsula, each attracting students from across Mexico and beyond.
Eligibility
7 Months
- Dual Mexican-U.S. citizen are eligible to apply.
- Candidates must not be living, working or studying in Mexico during the application and selection process.
- Candidates with a valid Tarjeta de Residente (temporal or permanente) are not eligible to apply.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Master's
- Doctoral
Special Application Instructions
Candidates currently enrolled in a graduate program and planning to carry out research in Mexico for their master's thesis or doctoral research should include a letter of recommendation from their thesis advisor at their home institution.
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.
Additional Information: Applicants should include in the Language Self-Evaluation plans for language study between the time of application and the commencement of the grant. A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college-level Spanish language instructor is also required.
Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start
If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period. If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.
Additional Information: Spanish language proficiency is necessary, not only for the development of the proposed project, but also in order to communicate on a daily basis. Higher level proficiency may be necessary depending on the requirements of the proposed project.
Fulbright Proposal Types
Yes
No
Affiliation
Applicants MUST secure an affiliation with an accredited Mexican research institution or Mexican university. Secondary affiliations with NGOs are welcome as appropriate to the proposal, but are not accepted as a primary affiliation.
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
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.
Stipend will vary according to host location in Mexico and local costs of living. The range indicated here is approximate.
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.
- Research/Materials allowance
- Settling in allowance
There is a one time only $250 USD allowance for books and a one time only $250 USD allowance for settling-in expenses.
Additional Grant Benefits
- Diplomatic pouch
- Mid-year seminar
There is a midterm mandatory seminar in January. COMEXUS covers travel expenses from grantees' placements to the seminar and back.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
Cost of living varies depending on grant location. Please visit this website to help estimate the cost of living, meals, and incidentals in different cities in Mexico.
Dependents
Additional financial support for dependents ranges from $3,000 pesos per month for one dependent to $5,000 pesos for two or more dependents.
Housing Arrangements
Neither COMEXUS nor the U.S. Embassy/consulate assist in locating or securing housing for U.S. Fulbright grantees.
The Commission may make suggestions and offer contacts and references from former grantees, but it is the grantee’s responsibility to find housing. Although some grants come with a modest relocation award, the Commission recommends having sufficient funds to cover move-in expenses. Having a few short-term options in mind following the Welcome Orientation is a good idea since it is not advisable to secure long-term housing before arrival. After several days or weeks, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for in your living situation, and more importantly, the length of commute between your home and primary grant activity site.
Special Consideration
Applicants should take into consideration that the Fulbright grant covers maintenance and basic living expenses based on the cost of living in the region the grantee conducts their project, as well as one round-trip air ticket (U.S.-Mexico-U.S.). Grantees may incur additional expenses that are not covered by the grant. It is highly recommended to begin the program with some additional savings to cover these expenses.
Semi-finalists will be invited to a virtual interview in Spanish by COMEXUS in February or March 2027.
Travel Advisories
The Fulbright Commission in Mexico follows the recommendations of both the Mexican government and the U.S. Embassy when placing U.S. Fulbright grantees in Mexico. Placement may be restricted in certain states or areas of Mexico, dependent on these recommendations. Please consult the detailed U.S. State Dept. Mexico Travel Advisory for information about your prospective location. Projects in level 4 travel advisory areas ("Do Not Travel") will not be considered. Locations with a level 3 travel advisory ("Reconsider Travel") may be approved on an exceptional basis. Any exceptional permissions may be re-evaluated if conditions change significantly before or during the grant.