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Fulbright Scholarships

Article on Fulbright Scholarships

The Fulbright Scholarship Program was first established in 1946 as an exchange program designed to offer students the opportunity to study abroad. Today, this program is considered to be the best and most sought after educational opportunity for both U.S. students and those from foreign countries.

The Fulbright Scholarship

The competition for this prestigious scholarship is extreme since awards are made in numerous fields of study. Anyone who wishes to may apply for the Fulbright Scholarship, but only the best and brightest are chosen in their field since this scholarship is awarded on merit and academic or professional achievement. The selected recipients must also be fully prepared and able to represent their country with pride. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards a scholarship to students who wish to continue their education abroad, and the Foreign Student Program will grant an award to foreign students to study in the U.S.

Different Types of Fulbright Scholarship Awards

Three types of awards are available for students from the U.S., and there is usually only one Fulbright Scholarship of each type awarded per academic year. A Study/Research Grant is available to the student, and this grant allows the recipient to plan his or her own specific projects. This may include lab related research, performing arts, or other creative fields. The second type would be the ETA, or English Teaching Assistantship, where the recipient would work in a classroom helping to strengthen language capabilities of the students. The third scholarship is called the Travel Only Grant, and is only available in Italy, Germany and Hungary. This grant is to be used in conjunction with other scholarships.

Eligibility Requirements for a Fulbright Scholarship

It takes almost one year from the time of application to the awarding of a Fulbright Scholarship, and months of planning and preparation before the application can even be submitted. There are also certain requirements that must be met before submitting an application for a Fulbright Scholarship. The applicant has to meet requirements of citizenship as outlined, and he or she must also have a bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the grant date, and these are just the bare minimum requirements. The U.S. Scholar Program gives preference to those applying students who have attended U.S. schools to obtain their higher education.

Applying for the Scholarship and Having an Interview

There is a lot of information required when you apply for a Fulbright Scholarship, which is one reason why an applicant should begin preparing and researching long before the application process. Each application will require a resume, at least three letters of reference, up to a five page project statement, and in some programs a letter of invitation from the host country is also necessary. There may also be a report of language proficiency required in some instances. If the interview committee believes the student has potential, an interview will be scheduled. The student has only one chance to state his or her case, so it is crucial that they be prepared to answer questions knowledgeably concerning their qualifications and reasons for applying for the scholarship.

Find out all the information pertaining to the Fulbright Scholarship Programs at any one of the International Education websites available. There you will find a checklist of requirements and eligibility qualifications, as well as answers to commonly asked questions about the Fulbright programs.