The 2025-2026 application is now closed. The 2026-2027 competition will open in Spring 2025.

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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.

Attention: This page is relevant to Post grantees only. If you are unsure whether you are a Post grantee or a Commission grantee, please determine if there is a Fulbright Commission in your host country.


Document Submission & Payment Timeline

Please complete and submit your required pre-departure documents as soon as possible. A delay in the submission of your documents may lead to a delay in your first grant payment. 

Please note that the first grant payment cannot be disbursed more than one month prior to your grant start date.    

IIePAY 

Your grant payments will be paid to you via IIePAY, IIE’s digital payment service. With IIePAY, money is transferred directly into your bank account within a few days of when the payment is ready. Your first grant payment will be sent to you via IIePay. 

IIePAY: How to Register & Receive Your First Payment

  1. You must have an active U.S. bank account to receive payments.
  2. Log into your bank account online and confirm that you can access it. Some banks may require you to reset your password the first time you log in. You must do this before you follow the next steps.
  3. Please confirm with a banking representative whether your account can receive digital payments (EFT) via Zelle. Confirm what the dollar limit for each payment is; inform your IIE Program Manager what this amount is, as this can affect the payment method for your grant stipend.
  4. If your bank does not accept Zelle, please contact your IIE Program Manager to discuss setting up payments using an alternative method.
  5. IIePay is a service provided by Zelle. If your bank account is not already enrolled with Zelle, visit the Zelle website to register with IIePay.
    • Find and click on your bank. If your bank is not listed, select “My bank is not listed.”
    • Click the button that says “Go to [your bank]”. This will bring you to your bank’s website.
    • Log into your bank account, scroll down, select “Accept Terms”, and click on “Enroll”.

Now, you are registered with IIePay and are ready to receive payments! 

Important: Make sure the email address on file with your bank is the same primary email address on file with IIE. If you need to change the primary email address on file with IIE, please update your information on the IIE Participant Portal.

  1. You will receive an email from Bank of America (payments@ealerts.bankofamerica.com) in the weeks leading up to your program start date. This email indicates that your payment is ready for transfer. If you have correctly followed steps 1-3 above, you will receive your payment shortly after receiving the email.
    • It is okay if you receive this email before you open your U.S. bank account or register for IIePay with Zelle.
    • This email, and your first payment, is linked to the start date of your program.
    • If you fail to register for IIePAY within 14 days of receiving the email, your payment will be automatically canceled. 
    • If your grant dates change or you need more time, please contact your IIE Program Manager, so that we can make adjustments and have a new email sent.
    • If you do not receive the email within 5 days of your program start date, check your Spam/Junk folder; if you do not find it there, contact your IIE Program Manager.