So you are a Fulbright semi-finalist. What’s next?

Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

If you made it to the semi-finalist stage, CONGRATULATIONS! A committee of experts determined that you seem to be a good fit for the Fulbright based on your qualifications and interest in the host country. If you proposed a research project, what you proposed seemed reasonable for the amount of time in-country and the methodologies and research questions you asked seemed compelling enough to the US-based committee that screened your application.

If you applied for the ETA, your statements about your background and approach/es to teaching, and interest in teaching English as a Second Language, convinced the screeners that you are a reasonable candidate to manage a classroom. In all cases: the committee that considered your application reasonably believes that you are mature enough and adaptable enough to spend a significant amount of time in your host country working independently.

We get tons of questions about what to expect next. 

Once you pass the first round, your application advances to the host country’s bi-national commission. Generally, IIE forwards on about 1.5-3 times the number of spots to the next round.

The host country commission prioritizes finalists based on the commission's priorities and interests. For example, the commission may be particularly interested in public health projects or art projects, or it may have an interest in balancing the Fulbright cohort geographically. At this stage, everyone is a strong candidate; it comes down to the best alignment and luck. It is out of your hands now, so sit back and wait. Unless, of course, you have an interview.

Semi-Finalist Interviews

Some programs conduct interviews and will notify you to schedule. If you do not receive a request for an interview, don’t panic. Only some countries conduct interviews, and then only for some programs or types of grants. 

Here’s our blog post about Fulbright interview preparation.

Pre-Departure Orientation Information Email

This one is a doozy. If your host country has a required pre-departure orientation, you will likely receive an informational email about the PDO. In the past, this email has been sent to all semi-finalists, before finalist notifications are sent. It has even been sent to semi-finalists to some countries that don’t have this orientation. 

The end of the email states: “Please note that this message does not signify notification of selection. These decisions are still being finalized. Please be assured that we will notify you of your final status as soon as possible.”

This particular informational email can make waiting feel even longer! It’s frustrating to get your hopes up when you see a Fulbright email in your inbox and have it turn out to be nothing actionable or life-changing.

The Waiting Period

Waiting is not easy! We’ve written a blog post about how to deal with waiting. Spend time getting better prepared for starting a Fulbright. Study your target host country’s language to strengthen your skills. Take online or in-person classes on research methods or your area of study, and read books, magazines, or blogs about your host country. 

But not everything that you do should be structured around the possibility that you’ll depart for your proposed host country in a few months! Continue working toward your life goals. Take a knitting class. Join a swim team. Fall in love. Apply for jobs that interest you. Read that new short story collection by your favorite author. 

A Fulbright is never guaranteed. Keep living your life, and don't put your other goals on hold while waiting. Even after the finalist selection stage, there’s a small but real possibility that something could happen to prevent you from having the Fulbright: you may have a family- or health-related emergency. Your host country may experience political turmoil or instability that leads the Department of State to suspend the Fulbright program for your country. If you applied for the ETA, you may decide that your priorities have changed and that you prefer to apply for a research grant in one or two years instead.

You may land a dream job that offers to pay for you to go to graduate school and also involves travel to your host country. Investigate other fellowships, scholarships, and travel and work opportunities. It's better to keep your options open in case the Fulbright doesn't work out this cycle or your priorities change.

Still 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.