The Fulbright Scholar Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 130 countries worldwide.

If you’re interested in receiving news about Fulbright participants and alumni who are working to uplift, innovate, and find solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world, subscribe here for our weekly Fulbright Stories Newsletter.

About the Sponsor

The Fulbright Program is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) and in cooperation with a number of private organizations. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs develops policies to ensure fulfillment of the purposes of the Fulbright Program and administers the Program with the assistance of binational commissions and foundations in 50 countries, U.S. embassies in more than 100 other countries and a number of cooperating agencies in the United States.

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, composed of 12 educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the United States, formulates policies for the administration of the Program, establishes criteria for the selection of candidates and approves candidates nominated for awards.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The Fulbright Program awards approximately 8,000 grants annually. Roughly 1,600 U.S. students, 4,000 foreign students, 1,200 U.S. scholars, and 900 visiting scholars receive awards, in addition to several hundred teachers and professionals. Approximately 370,000 "Fulbrighters" have participated in the Program since its inception in 1946.

Currently, the Fulbright Program operates in over 130 countries worldwide.

If you are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar, please contact your Proposal Manager for assistance. All Fulbright applications must be fully routed and approved through University channels prior to submission.

Basic Requirements for the U.S. Scholar Program:
  • U.S. Citizenship
  • A doctoral degree or equivalent professional or terminal degree depending on the award requirements.
  • A college or university teaching experience at the level and in the field of the assignment for a proposed lecturing activity.

The deadline is annually on September 15, check the CIES website for more information.

CIES provides general application guidelines; however, the application process differs for each award under the Fulbright Scholar Program. To ensure that your application is reviewed in a timely manner, it is essential that all required parts be submitted by the deadline. It is important to read the description of the specific award for which you are applying to determine which of the following materials must be submitted and to learn any award-specific requirements.

  • Identify Country
  • Identify Type of Work
    • Research
    • Teaching
    • Research and Teaching

The scholar must notify the Dean, Director, Supervisor or Department Chair (all applicable) if she or he is applying; this will enable the department to plan for their possible absence. 

Interested and want to chat with someone who's been through it? Connect with Fulbright alumni in your field or region of interest. Learn about past successful projects from Fulbright U.S. Scholar Alumni Ambassadors

Ready to learn about Fulbright at BSU? Connect with Ball State's Fulbright Liaison on campus to learn about supporting policies