“The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study. Fulbright U.S. Student alumni populate a range of professions and include ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers.” –Fulbright Website

Benefits

• Applicants may either 1) design their own research project; 2) attend graduate school; or 3) teach English in their selected host country, all while engaging with outreach projects that benefit the host community
• Applicants can apply to their top choice of more than 140 countries

For more information on the available countries and the requirements for each country please visit http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals at the time of application.
• Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent before the beginning date of the grant. In the creative and performing arts, four years of professional study and/or experience meets the basic eligibility requirement.
• Applicants may not hold—or will hold—a PhD by the application deadline.
• Applicants should have sufficient proficiency in the written and spoken language of the host country to communicate with people and to carry out the proposed study/research. Language requirements vary.
• Preference will be given to applicants whose higher education was undertaken primarily at educational institutions in the United States. Undergraduate study abroad experiences, either in the chosen host country or elsewhere, will not be considered a disadvantage.
• Candidates who have not resided or studied in the country to which they are applying for more than six months, not counting undergraduate study abroad, are preferred. Duty abroad in the Armed Forces of the United States is not considered disqualifying within the meaning of this section.
• Candidates who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States will be given preference, provided their qualifications are approximately equivalent to those of other candidates.
• For most programs, applicants who have had extensive, recent previous experience in the host country are at a competitive disadvantage but are still eligible to apply.

Application Process

Fulbright is a highly competitive application process, and it is important that applicants work with the Fulbright Advisor early and often to produce a quality application. Please note: candidates may apply “at large,” which means without the support of the campus Fulbright Advisor and Fulbright Committee, but it is highly recommended to lean on this support system in order to submit a competitive application. SMCM alumni may request assistance from St. Mary’s Fulbright Advisor and Committee even after they have graduated.

Contacts: Jennifer Cognard-Black, Director of Student Fellowships & Awards, jcognard@smcm.edu

Aurora Margarita-Goldkamp, Director of International Education, amargaritagoldkamp@smcm.edu

Timeline and Deadline For Campus Fulbright Support

2025-6 Competition Opens – March 30th, 2024

Meet with a Fulbright Program Advisor on campus or remotely in order to articulate a plan for a specific Fulbright grant of interest. Initial advising appointments are available all year round and should be completed before the pre-proposal deadline.

Nominations Due – April 5th, 2024

Nominations for the current Fulbright Cycle may be made using this form by faculty, staff, or students/alumni themselves at any point during the academic year before this deadline. Should a current student or alum miss the nomination deadline, they should reach out individually to the Director of Student Fellowships and Awards at: jcognard@smcm.edu.

Pre-Proposal Due – May 1st, 2024

Candidates who are planning to apply for the current Fulbright Cycle with the assistance of the campus committee will need to submit a pre-proposal to the Director of Student Fellowships and Awards by this date. The Director will then reach out to candidates with specific guidance.

First Draft Essays Submissions Due– June 30th, 2024

Share the 5 required essay drafts directly with the Director of Student Fellowships and Awards for review.  This step is important for increased chances of success, since Fulbright is a competitive and prestigious award. The Director will continue to work with selected applicants through July and August.

Final On Campus Deadline – August 20th, 2024

Revise drafts and enter applications in full, including polished essays and abstract, directly to the Fulbright Portal by this date and lock the application. The Fulbright Program Advisor will have access to each candidate’s application materials and will share them with the SMCM Fulbright Campus Committee in preparation for developmental interviews. After meeting with the SMCM Fulbright Committee, candidates will have a chance to unlock and revise their essays and abstract in the Fulbright Portal before submitting final application materials by the national deadline.

Campus Committee Interview – Early September 2024

All candidates who have submitted their complete applications to the Fulbright Portal by August 20th will be given an interview with the St. Mary’s Campus Committee in early September. Interviews may be held online. Based on the interview and the state of the candidate’s application materials at this time, the Campus Committee members provide final feedback to the candidate and may choose to submit a recommendation form to Fulbright. Candidates then have another chance to revise and re-submit their application by the National Deadline.

National Deadline – October 8th, 2024

We recommend submitting before October 7th to avoid any technical difficulties. All candidates must submit or re-submit final drafts of their materials on the Fulbright Portal by this date for consideration.