What is a Fulbright, anyway?

The Fulbright Program is the United States’ largest international cultural and educational exchange and has several programs under its general umbrella from funding English teaching to dissertation research. It's called Fulbright because it was founded by Senator J. William Fulbright and it dates to 1946--immediately Post-WWII, when the United States realized that the soft diplomacy of international cultural exchange at the person-to-person level could do much for the US globally.

Since its founding more than 70 years ago, the program has evolved and grown. There are several types of awards that fund people at all stages of their career. The U.S. Student Program funds research, masters programs, arts projects, and teaching English for people who have completed a BA but have not yet completed a Ph.D. The Fulbright Scholar Program funds research and teaching for people who have completed a Ph.D. and for professionals. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program funds foreign nationals to study or teach their native language at U.S. universities.

Fulbright funds around eight thousand people all over the world every year, including both foreign nationals to come to the US and US citizens to conduct independent research, teach English, undertake group-based projects and provide professional expertise in practically every country globally with which the US has diplomatic relationships.

The Fulbright Program you initially might think of when you think of a “Fulbright” if you’re in the US is the Fulbright US Student Program (the Fulbright-IIE) that provides grants for US citizens to conduct research and other projects in more than 140 countries. It's a program with broad possibilities--during any given year, grantees might be writing a play, composing music, or doing research in a scientific lab, in addition to teaching English in cities ranging from capitals to far-flung villages.

A Fulbright award can be a life-changing opportunity that opens up many doors for your career path. Applying for a Fulbright also takes dedication and commitment. To learn more about getting started on a Fulbright application check out our post on the best resources for getting started.

Have questions? Chat with a Fulbright expert

We host regular free virtual office hours where you can with one of us to have your questions answered. Office hours are great for people who don’t have access to a campus Fulbright Program Adviser.