Mexico
2 Fulbright/COMEXUS Public Policy Initiative Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodFall StartGrant Length9 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
To honor its commitment to binational understanding, the U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational Exchange (COMEXUS), the Fulbright Commission in Mexico, will fund up to two grants specifically for students pursuing fieldwork, research or an internship in the area of Public Administration or Public Policy.
This award specifically seeks applicants interested in pursuing a career in Public Diplomacy or politics. Qualified applicants will be enrolled in a master's degree program or higher, or will have completed a terminal master's degree in a field related to public policy and public administration.
Fulbright grants in Mexico are also known as "Fulbright-García Robles" grants.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Grant Length: 6 to 9 months.
Grant lengths can range from 6 to 9 months. Grants start September 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 2025, organized and sponsored by COMEXUS. Attendance at the orientation is mandatory for all grantees, regardless of grant 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
It is preferred that candidates be currently enrolled in a U.S. master's or doctoral level program in a field related to Public Administration, Public Policy, Diplomacy, or other related field. 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.
Candidates must have either recently completed a terminal master's degree or be currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program to be considered.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
The close, dynamic relationship between the United States and Mexico offers a plethora of opportunities for students interested in conducting research at the university level on issues of relevance for both countries. Mexico is proud of its ancestral cultural heritage as well as its long history of academic excellence. The opportunities for informed travel and discovery for U.S. researchers are endless.
The site of major Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec, among others, and home to one of the most biodiverse environments, it is no wonder that Mexico boasts the largest UNESCO world heritage in the American continent: 14 cities, 35 cultural and natural sites, as well as an important number of intangible patrimonies. Additionally, Mexico has designated 132 Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns), communities that over time have maintained their original architecture, traditions, history and culture, which enhance the richness of travel destinations.
Mexico was colonized by Spain in the early 16th century and achieved independence three centuries later. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente Fox of the conservative Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe Calderón, but Enrique Peña Nieto regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andrés Manuel López Obrador, from the Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (MORENA), became president in December 2018. Presidents in Mexico cannot be reelected after their six-year term. In 2024 there will be elections and the two strongest candidates are women, so Mexico will most likely have a female President for the first time!
Education in Mexico has a long tradition. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), which started as Real y Pontificia Universidad de México (Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico), was founded in 1551 and is the second oldest institution of higher education in the American Continent. UNAM has been cited as one of the largest and most important universities, not only in Mexico but in all of Latin America. Its philosophy is closely tied to social responsibility, at the service of the country and humankind by educating academics and professionals to be of use to society, able to organize and carry out research on social and political issues that have vast cultural benefits. All three of Mexico’s Nobel Prize winners, Octavio Paz, Mario J. Molina, and Alfonso García Robles were UNAM graduates.
There are six subsystems of higher education institutions in Mexico: public universities, technological institutes, technological universities, teacher training colleges, and other public and private institutions. When all of them are counted, Mexico has 1,250 institutions of higher education. Mexico’s 45 public universities, generate 50 percent of all academic research and produce 52 percent of undergraduates as well as 48 percent of graduate students. There are also one hundred and sixty-eight private universities to be found throughout the country.
There are a few very interesting and original public higher educational institutions unique to Mexico that have been studied and reproduced in other countries. This is the case of the Universidades Interculturales, specifically designed for bilingual and bicultural environments in regions with a strong indigenous presence. There is a world-renowned prestigious agricultural university, La Universidad Autonoma de Chapingo, that boards students from all over the country. The Escuelas Normales Rurales (teacher training in rural areas) are also exemplary educational institutions. All combined, the opportunities for U.S. Study/Research Students to establish relationships with their Mexican counterparts are endless.
The education system is mostly centered in Mexico City, however, there are other important educational hubs that attract students from all over, for example, Puebla, Puebla; Xalapa, Veracruz; Leon and Guanajuato, Guanajuato; Guadalajara, Jalisco and Merida in the Yucatán peninsula.
Eligibility
7 Months
- 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
In your Fulbright online application, for Award Name, please select 'Fulbright/COMEXUS Public Policy Initiative' from the drop-down menu.
Foreign Language Proficiency
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. Applicants should include in the Self-Evaluation Form 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.
Fulbright Proposal Types
Yes
No
Affiliation
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline
Applicants MUST secure an affiliation with an accredited Mexican research institution or Mexican university.
Secondary affiliations with internship organizations are welcome as appropriate to the proposal, but are not accepted as a primary affiliation.
Candidates who plan to conduct research for their master's thesis or doctoral dissertation should provide a letter of support from their thesis adviser at their home institution.
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.
The stipend will vary according to host location and local cost of living.
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 stipend of $500 dollars for books and $200 dollars for settling in expenses.
Additional Grant Benefits
- Mid-year seminar
There is a midterm mandatory seminar in mid-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.
You may consult this page for cost of living estimates.
You may consult this report for information on the average incomes of Mexican families.
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Neither COMEXUS nor the U.S. Embassy/consulate will assist in locating or helping secure 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.
Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
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.