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.


Travel Guidelines for Fulbright US Student Post Grantees

This page is relevant to Post grantees only.  If you are a Commission grantee, your Fulbright Commission will provide guidance on purchasing airfare. Please do not submit an itinerary to the IIE Participant Portal nor follow the below instructions.

If you are a Post grantee, you will arrange your round-trip air travel following the below guidelines.

Fulbrighters with grants to the following countries must read the Travel Memo information for details on how their round-trip travel will be arranged:

  • Sub-Saharan Africa (AF): All
  • Middle East/North Africa (MENA): Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Palestinian Territories (West Bank), Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
  • South/Central Asia (SCA): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Fulbright grantees to regions or countries not mentioned above will purchase their own round-trip airfare to the host country after receiving approval. Do not purchase a ticket without the prior approval of your IIE Program Manager. To receive approval, please contact your IIE Program Manager via email with a screenshot of your intended itinerary.

Prior to purchasing a ticket, you must submit and receive approval on the following documents in the IIE Participant Portal:

  1. Medical History and Examination Form (and medical clearance)
  2. Fulbright Program Terms & Conditions Form
  3. Proof of U.S. Citizenship
  4. Grant Authorization Document/ Financial Terms
  5. Bachelor’s Degree Verification

Once all required pre-departure documents have been submitted and approved, your grant dates have been confirmed by your Post, host affiliate(s) and IIE, and prior to purchasing a ticket, please email your proposed Fly America-compliant flight details to your IIE Program Manager for pre-approval. For information on approved airlines, please refer to the Fly America/Open Skies Guidelines.

Once your itinerary has been approved by your IIE Program Manager, you may purchase your tickets and must submit the e-ticket receipt/confirmation and itinerary as one PDF document to the IIE Participant Portal.

Please note the following:

  • You should aim to book your flights roughly four to six weeks prior to the start of your grant.
    Booking can only be made for economy class tickets on a U.S. carrier, as indicated by the Fly America/Open Skies Guidelines.
  • We recommend holding off on purchasing flights until your visa is confirmed (if advised specifically by IIE or your Post contact).
  • Fulbright provides round-trip funding from the U.S. to your host country and from your host country back to the U.S.
  • Grant funding includes a “Base Amount” that is designed to help cover costs associated with round trip travel, excess baggage, ticket change fees, and settling in your host country.
  • You may need to set a placeholder date as the return date if an airline does not allow for booking return flights too far in advance. It is your responsibility to update the return flights as soon as possible upon settling down in your host country, and/or once the airline allows it.  Alternatively, some countries allow visitors to arrive on a one-way ticket.
  • All changes must be approved by IIE and must adhere to the travel policy and budget limit. Any costs that are not pre-approved or go over the travel budget will be your responsibility.
  • Any deviation from these parameters must be approved in advance by the IIE Program Manager.