The Fullbright scholarship program is a research program funded by the U.S. Department of State designed primarily to strengthen the capacities of African universities through higher degree training and to develop the potential of their academic staff.
The program targets young and vibrant people who wish to do research in the United States of America. The grant is awarded to 4,000 students to study for a Master’s or Doctorate.
Fulbright scholarship program has numerous benefits, which will be outlined on this page alongside the eligibility and application guidelines.
Benefits Of The Fulbright Scholarship Program
Below are some of the benefits of being an awardee of the Fulbright scholarship program:
- J-1 visa sponsorship: The J-1 visa is a student visa issued by the government of the United States for working in study-based exchange visitor programs. It is also known as an Exchange Visitor visa, and below are some categories of the visa as highlighted by Visaguide. world:Au Pair and EduCare.
- Trainee
- Teacher
- Summer Work Travel
- Student, Secondary
- Student, college/ university
- Specialist
- Short-term Scholar
- Professor and Research Scholar
Other scholarship program benefits include a monthly stipend, housing allowance, books-and-supplies allowance, computer allowance, and enrichment activities.
Fulbright Scholarship Requirements
There are general requirements for the program and specific ones related to the applicant’s country of origin. Below are some of the general requirements applicants must meet:
- Applicants must reside in the country of nomination at the time of application.
- They must be fluent in the English language and have a score of no less than 550 (Paper Based TOEFL), 79-80 (Internet Based TOEFL – IBT), or 6.5(Overall Score International English Language Testing System – IELTS)
- Must not be a citizen of the United States of America
- Must not hold dual citizenship
Citizens of the United States can apply for the Fulbright scholarship program by following the instructions outlined here.
Eligible Disciplines
The program is only open to those in the following disciplines: Science, engineering, technology, arts, journalism/public relations/media studies, agriculture/food science, economics, environmental science, international relations, political science, public administration/policy, public health, and tourism.
Fulbright Scholarship Program Application Procedures
The application is made online via the portal apply.iie.org/ffsp2024. Once you visit the website, you must submit the application forms and attach supporting documents(3 academic and professional references, Curriculum Vitae, academic transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, and a writing sample).