Student Fulbright Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program can fund your study, research or teaching abroad. This competitive program is geared toward graduate students and students who recently completed a bachelor's degree.

Students who have participated in a Fulbright experience often call it life-changing. In addition to the prestige associated with the award, recipients benefit from:

  • Deep cultural understanding
  • Frequent contact with the U.S. Embassy and consular staff in the host nation
  • Attendance at interesting events

Types of Award

The two main types of Fulbright awards are study/research awards and English Teaching Assistant awards.

Applying for a study/research award involves creating a proposal for a specific country. This type of award would be a good fit for you if you want to begin graduate study or perform graduate-level research abroad. Recipients of this type of award usually work with an adviser at a university in their host country.

If you're interested in teaching, you may want to apply for an English Teaching Assistant award. These assistantships are available in many countries around the world. Recipients help teach English to students of different ages and academic levels, depending on the needs of the host country.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

To be eligible for a Fulbright award, you must be a U.S. citizen and have completed a bachelor's degree by the start of your Fulbright grant. Read the full eligibility requirements.

In order to be chosen for a Fulbright award, you need to have a strong academic record. Read more about factors in selection.

How to Apply

The Fulbright application process involves several steps. See how to get started. Since you're an NIU student, you'll apply through NIU. To do so, you'll work with the NIU Fulbright Program Adviser, E. Taylor Atkins.

Your application will consist of many parts. Read about application components.