Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program (FUSP) offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad. Administered by the Department of State, the mission of the FUSP is for both the awardee and the host community to grow through international exchange. Fulbright awards are available around the globe in the Western Hemisphere, Europe and Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, and East-Asia Pacific. Potential applicants should explore all the available countries and awards on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website. Each country provides its own specific opportunities and requirements.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is open to all disciplines. Regardless of course of study, a Fulbright grant allows students to broaden their horizons, deepen their understanding of different cultures, forge new connections, and gain the knowledge needed to work in a globalized economy.

There are two types of grants available to graduate students: Open Study/Research (S/R) and English Teaching Assistant (ETA). Students applying to conduct a research project or enter a program of study abroad should apply for the S/R grants. Students who wish to teach English in a foreign nation should apply for the ETA grants.

Eligibility Requirements

Applications are open to all Ohio State graduate students who are U.S. citizens and meet the language or other award requirements set by the host country. Permanent residents are not eligible.

Competition Timeline

Applications open in late March or early April and are due in mid-October every year. Ohio State sets an internal application deadline in August, in order for students to undergo the necessary Campus Committee Consultation in September and obtain feedback from expert faculty to improve their application before the national deadline. Applicants are notified of their status during the following February through May.

2025-2026 Award Cycle Competition is open

Interested applicants are required to submit all drafts by the listed deadlines. All deadlines are 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

• May 31 – Deadline to submit Fulbright Interest Registration Form
• June 11 – Outline of application essays - Statement of Grant Purpose, Personal Statement, and Program Information short essays (abstract, host country engagement, plans upon return to the U.S., and previous international experience) due to Laura Pearce
• July 9 – Full drafts of Statement of Grant Purpose, Personal Statement, and Program Information short essays (abstract, host country engagement, plans upon return to the U.S., and previous international experience) due to Laura Pearce
• July 25 – Second full drafts of Statement of Grant Purpose, Personal Statement, and Program Information short essays due to Laura Pearce
• August 13 – Campus Deadline. Update all application components in the IIE Online Application portal and lock the application for review (lock only, do not submit)
• Early to Mid-September – Campus committee consultations
• September 25 – Revised drafts of all components due
• October 3 - Final campus deadline. Submit application in online portal
• October 8, 2024 – National deadline

The Office of International Affairs provides comprehensive support to Ohio State graduate students interested in pursuing a Fulbright. Graduate students applying for the FY2024-2025 grant cycle should complete and return the Fulbright Interest Registration Form to Laura Pearce.