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 Advisors Dr. Lea Cline (lkcline@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-5261) or Jason Reblando (jprebla@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-5621).

Annually in the Fall, Fulbright Student award applicants work with the Advisor to develop their applications. Ideally, this work should begin during the summer of the application year. Following initial submission of their applications, applicants go through a campus-based evaluation with the Campus Fulbright Committee and are matched with a Fulbright Mentor who can assist in improving applications.