Fulbright Foreign Student Program
by U.S. Department of State
What it covers
Funding support, J-1 visa sponsorship, a health benefit plan and enrichment activities. Funding amounts and covered expenses are not specified.
Who can apply
Applicants must reside in their country of nomination when applying, hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree with a good academic record by the program start, and be fluent in English. Recommended recent scores are TOEFL paper 550, TOEFL iBT 79–80 or IELTS 6.5. Applicants must not hold U.S. citizenship, including dual citizenship. Only listed countries are eligible; additional requirements vary by citizenship. Programs with clinical requirements are excluded; public health and nursing administration are permitted.
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is a scholarship offered by the U.S. Department of State for graduate study and research in the United States. It suits graduate students, young professionals and artists from eligible countries seeking a master’s or PhD degree or research opportunities.
What you get
- Funding support. Funding amounts and covered expenses are not specified.
- J-1 visa sponsorship.
- A health benefit plan.
- Enrichment activities.
Who can apply
- Your country or area must appear in the official page’s eligibility list. If it is not listed, you cannot apply. Additional requirements vary by country of citizenship.
- You must reside in your country of nomination when applying.
- By the program start date, you must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree with a good academic record.
- You must be fluent in English. Recommended recent scores are at least 550 for paper-based TOEFL, 79–80 for TOEFL iBT or 6.5 overall for IELTS.
- You must not hold U.S. citizenship, including dual citizenship with the United States.
- Programs with clinical requirements, such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and nursing, are excluded. Public health and nursing administration are permitted.
How to apply
- Select your home country on the official program page to find eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
- Discuss university admission and placement with the Fulbright office in your home country.
- Submit your Fulbright application and supporting documents to the relevant Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy by its country or award deadline.
- Follow the placement process that applies to you. For IIE-Placement, the placement team applies to institutions on your behalf. For Self-Placement, apply directly to universities and meet their requirements and deadlines, including any associated fees or deposits.
Key dates
Application deadlines vary by country and award. No dated application round or opening date is stated for the Foreign Student Program; check the official page and your home-country Fulbright guidance for current dates.
If you use Self-Placement, also check each university’s application deadline.
Before you apply
- Read the full official rules and country-specific guidance before preparing your application.
- Prepare your supporting documents early and check that they are complete.
- Keep a record of relevant deadlines and confirm the time zone for each submission.
StudyFree is independent and not the provider of this opportunity. Rules, amounts and deadlines are set by U.S. Department of State and can change: always confirm on the official page before you apply.