Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program in USA

Filed in Scholarships by Careersngr Staff on October 29, 2023 • 0 Comments

We have dedicated extensive efforts to examine what sets the 4,000 successful beneficiaries of the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program apart from the many other applicants. We have identified one particular factor that they incorporate into their application process, which distinguishes them from the rest. Would you like to take a moment to speculate on what that might be?

Overview of Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program is an initiative sponsored by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies. It offers opportunities for graduate students, young professionals, and artists from over 160 countries to pursue studies and research in the United States.

One key focus of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program is to enhance the capabilities of African universities by providing advanced degree training and nurturing the potential of their academic staff.

Specifically, the program aims to support young and exceptionally promising faculty members who are interested in conducting their doctoral research in the United States. To be eligible, applicants must have completed at least two years of their doctoral program in any discipline at a Nigerian university or research institute by the time of application.

Who can Apply?

The eligibility requirements for the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program can vary depending on the country. To find specific information about the Fulbright Program in your home country, including eligibility criteria and application guidelines, please use the drop-down menu provided.

If your country is not listed in the menu, it means that you are not eligible to apply for the program.

However, for the purpose of this article, we will focus on the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program in the USA for applicants from Nigeria.

To be eligible for the Fulbright Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Citizenship: Applicants must be citizens or nationals of Nigeria, or permanent residents holding a valid passport issued by the Nigerian government.
Doctoral Program: Applicants must be doctoral or Ph.D. students who have completed a significant portion of their doctoral program at Nigerian universities and have the endorsement of their home institution. It’s important to note that master’s and first-degree applicants are not eligible for this program.
Academic Record and English Proficiency: Applicants must have an outstanding academic record and demonstrate a high level of English proficiency. They must take their first TOEFL exam by May 2023 and achieve a minimum score of 90 on the TOEFL standardized test.
Commitment and Motivation: Applicants must show a strong commitment to completing the program as scheduled and returning to their home country.
Research Proposal: Only applicants with strong research proposals, outlining their objectives, methodology, time-frame, and justification for conducting the research in the U.S., will be short-listed for interviews.
Preference and Field of Study: Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously studied in the United States. It’s important to note that research students in fields like business, law, and accounting may face challenges in finding placements, as U.S. institutions typically prioritize full-time programs. However, proposals related to economics, development, democracy, human rights, and conflict resolution may have better placement opportunities.

These are the key eligibility requirements for the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program. Please note that the program details and requirements can vary, so it’s essential to refer to the specific guidelines and instructions provided by the program in your home country.

What does it cover?

The Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program provides comprehensive coverage for selected recipients. The program covers the following expenses:

Round-trip Airfare: Beneficiaries receive funds to cover their travel expenses to the United States.
Settling-In Allowance: A one-time allowance is provided to help grantees settle into their new environment.
Monthly Stipend: Recipients receive a monthly stipend to assist with their living expenses while studying in the United States.
Housing Allowance: The program provides support for housing costs during the grant period.
Books-and-Supplies Allowance: Beneficiaries receive an allowance to cover the costs of required books and supplies for their academic pursuits.
Computer Allowance: A specific allowance is provided to assist grantees in acquiring the necessary technology equipment for their studies.

Additionally, the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program covers basic university health insurance as the primary insurance coverage. It also includes the Fulbright ASPE health benefit as secondary coverage to ensure that grantees have healthcare support during their time in the United States.

It’s important to note that, except for travel costs, the program does not cover expenses for dependents. Therefore, grantees are generally not permitted to travel with their spouse and children under this scholarship program.

Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program Qualified Countries for the research program

The eligibility and selection procedures for the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program (FFSP) vary by country. Here is a list of the qualified countries for the research program:

Africa:

Angola
Benin
Botswana
Cameroon
Cabo Verde
Comoros
Cote d’Ivoire
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau*
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
African Union Headquarters (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Asia/Pacific:

New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Taiwan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Australia
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Fiji
Indonesia
Japan
Kiribati
South Korea
Laos
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mongolia
Nauru

Europe/Eurasia:

Kosovo
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Montenegro
Netherlands
Republic of North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy

Middle East/North Africa:

Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
West Bank
Algeria
Bahrain
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Morocco

South/Central Asia:

Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan**

Americas:

India
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyz Republic
Maldives
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Lucia***
Saint Kitts and Nevis***
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines***
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
Uruguay
Antigua and Barbuda***
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica***
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Grenada

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and it is recommended to check the specific eligibility requirements and guidelines from the Fulbright Program in your home country.

Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program Fields of Study:

The Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program offers opportunities for study in various fields. The scholarship is open to applicants in the following areas of study:

Science
Engineering
Technology
Arts
Journalism/Public Relations/Media Studies
Agriculture/Food Science
Economics
Environmental Science
International Relations
Political Science
Public Administration/Policy
Public Health
Tourism

These fields encompass a diverse range of academic disciplines and provide applicants with the opportunity to pursue their studies and research in their chosen field of expertise.

How to Apply

To successfully apply for the Fulbright Scholarship in the USA, please follow the steps outlined below:

Online Application: Complete the online application form. Make sure to include the following documents:
- Clearly written research objective.
- Professional resume.
- Three letters of reference that highlight your personal, academic, and professional competence (these should be submitted electronically and attached to the online application).
- Scanned student copies of academic transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended (if available) should be attached to the online application.
- TOE

Interested in the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. LEARN MORE.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program Application Timeline

The timeline for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program Application is as follows: The application opens on February 1 and closes on June 1.

If you’re interested in applying, you can find the application instructions at https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2024.

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