Fulbright Programs

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering fellowships abroad for one academic year to graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals, scientists and artists.

Program participants pursue graduate or professional study, advanced research projects, or English teaching in elementary or secondary schools or universities. Each year, approximately 1,900 Americans from a wide range of academic fields, travel to more than 140 countries through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Visit Office of National Scholars website for full details and additional resources.

Who should apply?

  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program seeks applications from highly motivated, open-minded individuals in any academic field and from any background. They evaluate candidates based on their cumulative experience and goals; there is no minimum undergraduate GPA requirement. It is not necessary to be enrolled in a college or university at the time of application. However, as a current ßÙßÇÂþ»­ student or USF alumni, you will be applying through USF, in order to receive the benefits of applying through your institution.
  • Fulbright candidates should be flexible self-starters with a strong interest in promoting international mutual understanding. Above all, they should be capable of contributing to, and benefitting from, an intensive cultural exchange program.

Who are Fulbright U.S. Students?

  • Recent college graduates, post graduates, artists, scientists and other young professionals.
  • Fulbright U.S. Student alumni populate a range of professions and include ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers.
  • They strive to foster mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by learning from their hosts overseas while sharing American experiences with their counterparts.
  • They represent the richness and diversity of the United States through their varied backgrounds, hometowns and academic institutions.
  • They use their international experiences as cultural ambassadors to enhance their academic and professional careers and become leaders in their fields.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application. Permanent residents are not eligible.
  • Applicants must have a conferred bachelor's degree or the equivalent before the start of the grant.
  • Applicants must be in good health. Grantees will be required to submit a satisfactory Medical Certificate from a physician.
  • Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in the written and spoken language of the host country sufficient to communicate with the people and to carry out the proposed study/research. This is especially important for projects in the social sciences and the humanities.

Grants Awarded

  • The Study or Research Grant is the traditional award opportunity, where a candidate designs a proposal to pursue an independent research project or one-year master’s degree in a specific country.
  • The English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Program places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classrooms.

How to Apply

The Office of National Scholars at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ facilitates all student Fulbright grants. Prospective applicants will need to meet with USF Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA) Lauren Chambers before starting an application.

For information regarding applying at-large this application cycle or applying for next year's application cycle, please contact Ms. Chambers at lschumac@usf.edu.

View Fulbright Workbook


For additional USF-related information regarding the Fulbright US Student Program, please visit their website.

For general information regarding the Fulbright US Student Program, please visit their .


NOTE: If you are planning to apply, or have specific questions regarding your application (or potential application) please email: Lauren Chambers.