Fulbright Scholars

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides post-baccalaureate funding for 8-12 months for individuals to study, research, or teach abroad while promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding. Eligible applicants include undergraduates entering their senior year, alumni who earned a bachelor's or master's degree from Purdue as their most recent degree, and current Purdue graduate students who will not have completed a Ph.D prior to the beginning of their grant year.

There are two major types of Fulbright awards for U.S. students:

1) Study/Research grants, for conducting independent research or study in over 140 countries. Applicants develop an independent project proposal, which may include university coursework, independent library, lab, or field research, or special projects in the social sciences, life sciences, or visual and performing arts. Applicants must identify a contact in their host country and procure a letter stating that he or she will serve as the applicant's institutional affiliation during the student's stay.

In the majority of cases, students applying for study/research grants do so to fund a research experience. Students applying for study/research grants in the creative and performing arts must submit supplementary materials in addition to their application.

2) English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grants are available in select countries and provide recipients with the opportunity to teach English as a second language to students from elementary school through the university level, depending on the country. ETAs serve as supplemental instructors in a classroom, generally providing conversation practice and teaching American culture for approximately 20 hours per week. Unlike research/study grants, for which an applicant must identify a specific location within the host country, ETAs simply apply to a country and those awarded grants are assigned a location based on need. Applicants cannot request specific assignments.

Fulbright Grantees receive non-competitive eligibility (NCE) for future employment. This is a special hiring authority granted by the U.S. government.