The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers over 1,400 opportunities for students to study, research, or teach abroad while promoting cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding. Candidates looking to study or conduct research abroad will need to develop an independent program proposal and secure an in-country affiliation. Grants will fund project and living expenses for an 8-12 month period.
Students apply to a specific country
for a specific proposal. You may only apply to one country to do one
thing. Thus, the first step is to select where you’d like to go and what you
plan to do there.
Each country has their own number of grants, selection
criteria, and eligibility qualifications. You should carefully review the
requirements for your country of interest! This information is published
annually in the Fulbright “book,” available from the Honors Collegium office in
301 Enarson Hall. Country descriptions are also available online:
http://us.fulbrightonline.org/program_regions_world.html
The Fulbright awards two main types of grants: full grants and English Teaching Assistantships.
Full grants allow recipients to spend 8-12
months in a foreign country conducting independent research or studying at an
academic institution.
English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grants
provide opportunities to spend 8-12 months in a foreign country teaching English
language and conversation classes.
- ETAs are only available in select countries and teach students from elementary school through the college level, depending on location (see country descriptions for specifics).
- ETAs are not expected to be the primary English instructor in their classrooms; they serve as supplemental instructors focusing on teaching American culture and providing conversation practice with a native speaker.
- More specifics on the ETA program and available countries can be found here:http://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_teaching.html
The Fulbright also offers several other grants. More information on these can be
found here: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview_typesgrants.html.
To be eligible for the Fulbright, students must meet the minimum requirements:
- Have a baccalaureate degree by the start of the grant (usually graduating seniors or recent alumni)
- Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application
- Possess language skills commensurate with proposed project
- Strong academic record (at least a 3.0)
To be competitive for the Fulbright, students will need to demonstrate:
- Previous research experience (full grants)
- Previous teaching/instruction experience (ETAs)
- Strong letters of recommendation
- Projects which correspond with your educational/professional goals
- Compelling reason to conduct project abroad in specific country
- Interest in serving as a cultural ambassador abroad
The Honors Collegium is here to help all eligible students with the application process. Our office will provide you feedback on your application materials, especially the two application essays; applicants should be prepared to revise these essays multiple times. For students applying for a research proposal, assistance from a faculty member within your discipline is also critical.
Students interested in applying for the Fulbright should fill out the
Fulbright Registration Form . This will start you on the application path.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss the Fulbright program,
please call the Honors Collegium at 688-5805 or email Dana Kuchem,
Scholarship and Fellowship Manager, at
Kuchem.1@osu.edu.
- Current OSU undergraduates MUST apply through the honors Collegium and must meet the September 1, 2010 campus deadline.
- Recent alumni not enrolled in graduate studies may apply through the Collegium and complete the campus evaluation process, or apply directly to the Fulbright “At-large.”
- Current graduate students must apply through their graduate institution. At OSU, this is through the Graduate School.
Students planning to apply should file a registration form with the Honors Collegium by June 30, 2010
- Students planning to apply should file a registration form with the Honors Collegium by June 30, 2010
- Complete application due by campus deadline of September 1, 2010
- Campus Evaluation Process – early October
- National deadline: October 18, 2010
2010 Winners
Rob Bonacci – Mexico, public health research
Sally Coons – Germany, English Teaching Assistant
Tom Henighan – Netherlands, physics research
Dusty Koenig – Russia, English Teaching Assistant
Lauren Koepke – Brazil, English Teaching Assistant
Hudson McFann – Canada, geography research
Kristin Silver – Bulgaria, psychology research
Adrienne Strong – Tanzania, medical anthropology research
Katie Watt – Argentina, English Teaching Assistant
2009 Winners
Yusun Abrahams – Germany, English Teaching Assistant
Jennifer Gable – Romania, English Teaching Assistant
Ladaea Melton – Hong Kong, English Teaching Assistant
Linnea Overman – Germany, English Teaching Assistant
Seth Reddy – Korea, English Teaching Assistant
Kevin Slaten – Taiwan, English Teaching Assistant
2008 Winners
Robert Beaulieu – Spain, plant pathology research
Matthew Borths – Germany, paleontology research
2007 Winners
Nafisa Akbar – Bangladesh, political science research
Matthew Bauman – Germany, English Teaching Assistant
Mary Beaton – Brazil, English Teaching Assistant
Julia Leb – Korea, English Teaching Assistant
Laura Tompkins – Brazil, political science research
Meg Wiegand – Taiwan, English Teaching Assistant
Andy Woodmansee – Spain, English Teaching Assistant
2006 Winners
Rick Price – Spain, biology/molecular genetics research
Victoria Reyes – Philippines, sociology research
Zachariah Baird – Germany, English Teaching Assistant
Nadia El-Yousseph – Germany, English Teaching Assistant