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Fulbright Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs. During their grants, Fulbright recipients will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences.  The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Grant lengths and dates vary by country. Note that most countries require applicants to demonstrate proficiency in their national language. Please consult the specific country summary for details.

Applicants for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program include:

Recent graduates Graduating seniors and recent bachelor’s-degree recipients can apply for Fulbright Student Awards as English Teaching Assistants or as researchers. Those applying for Open Study/Research Awards are expected to have developed a significant research or creative project necessitating long-term residency in a single country.

Master's and doctoral candidates Graduate-level candidates must demonstrate the capacity for independent study or research, together with a general knowledge of the history, culture, and current events of the countries to which they are applying.

Application Process:

If you are interested in applying for a Fulbright Student award, you should get in touch with ISU Fulbright Program Advisor Jason Reblando (jprebla@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-5621).

Fulbright Student award applicants work with the Advisor to develop their applications. The application timeline is as follows:

April-September: Design project and prepare application

Mid-September: ISU campus deadline; campus-based evaluation with the Campus Fulbright Committee

Mid-October: National deadline

November-December: U.S. review: national screening committees

January-May: Host country review: Fulbright Commissions and/or U.S. Embassy

March-June: Final selection and notification

Specific campus and national deadlines will be posted at the beginning of each application season in the spring. Please work with the Fulbright Program Advisor as early in the process as possible.