Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Meghan McNamee in Germany
David Warnky in India

KU International Affairs coordinates the applications by students at the University of Kansas for grants under the auspices of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

All enrolled KU students should apply for Fulbright through the internal KU campus process; alumni are also welcome, though not required, to apply this way. 

Applications for the 2025-26 Fulbright grant competition will open in early April 2024. They will be due on Sept. 4, 2024 and must be submitted via the online national application. You will submit your application just as if you were submitting for the national deadline. Applicants who do not submit by the campus deadline of Wednesday, Sept. 4 will not be permitted to participate in the KU campus process.

Weekly Drop-In Advising

Summer 2024
From July 10 to Aug. 28, join Dr. Sherman Johnson on Zoom on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m.

Types of Fulbright Grants

Study/Research Fulbright grants provide round-trip travel, maintenance, a research allowance and often a tuition waiver, if applicable. Most grants are for one academic year of study or research. All grants include health and accident insurance.

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classroom.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • be U.S. citizens at the time of application
  • hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent by the beginning date of the grant (current undergraduates can apply in the fall of their senior year)
  • not hold a Ph.D. at the time of application
  • submit a satisfactory Certificate of Health from a physician (after being selected; this is not due at the time of application)

Drafting a Statement of Grant Purpose

The Statement of Grant Purpose is the central component of the Fulbright application; it describes what you plan to do while abroad on a Fulbright grant, as well as the qualifications you have to make your plans feasible.

Study/Research

Study/Research grants require a Statement of Grant Purpose that is two pages, single-spaced. See the Fulbright website for guidelines on formatting and what to include in your Study/Research statement.

English Teaching Assistant

English Teaching Assistant grants require a Statement of Grant Purpose that is one page, single-spaced. See the Fulbright website for guidelines on formatting and what to include in your ETA statement.

Fall 2024 application timeline

Important dates for 2025-26 grant cycle

DateAction Required
Monday, Aug. 19, 2024Optional deadline for draft of Statement of Purpose. Send your draft as a Microsoft Word .doc via email to rachelsj@ku.edu. (8 a.m. CST)
Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, 8:00 AM CentralCompleted online Fulbright application due by 8 a.m. You should click submit in the online application; as long as you have selected "University of Kansas" as the institution you are applying through, your application will be sent to KU, not to Fulbright.
Sept. 11- Oct. 2, 2023Campus interviews held; 30-45 minutes for each interview. All interviews will be held via Zoom.
Friday, Oct. 4, 2023

Fulbright Workshop
1- 4:30 p.m.
Zoom + 315 Strong Hall

This is the final opportunity to work with Dr. Sherman Johnson to polish your statements, incorporate the feedback you received from the Campus Committee during your interview, and make sure your entire application is complete and ready to submit. All KU applicants will receive the Zoom link for this session in October. For those on campus, you can also stop by in person in 315 Strong Hall.

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, 4:00 PM CentralDeadline for electronic submission of final applications to IIE through the online application by 4 p.m. (CST). Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete and submitted by the national deadline.
End of January 2025Results of national review; applicants notified about whether their applications are moved on to the country committees
March-June 2025Notification of grant status