Fulbright Frequently Asked Questions

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First Steps and General Information

• If I am thinking about applying for a Fulbright grant, what are my first steps?

Before beginning the application process for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, interested students should learn about the award, reflect on their fit for the program at this time, and actively prepare for the application process. Resources for these first steps can be found here.

 (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Fulbright Cohort members, please read the FAQ below for specific instructions and deadlines.)

• What types of awards does Fulbright offer?

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds several types of grants. There are two main categories of grants: Study and Research Awards (including in the Creative & Performing Arts) and the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award. An applicant may only apply for one type of award in one host country per application cycle.

Students applying for Research Award design their own independent research projects and typically work with supervisors at foreign universities. Students applying for a Study Award are planning to enroll in a degree-granting graduate program, usually a 1-year Masters program. Arts Research and Arts Study Award applicants develop their own artistic practice through a creative project or graduate study, respectively. Specific program requirements will vary by country.

Students who receive an ETA Award are placed in a classroom and assist teachers of English to non-native English speakers. Specific requirements of ETA grants also vary by country (see tables here for a summary).

• Should I apply for a Research/Study grant or an ETA grant?

If you are stuck between two seemingly equal options, we encourage you to attend an Introduction to Fulbright workshop and then award-specific information sessions for the grant types that you are considering.

• Should I apply for a Partner Award to the UK?

Probably not, if you plan on applying to Imperial College London, London School of Economics, University College London, University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, or the UK Open Award. 

While we at the CCRF will encourage your ambitions in almost all instances, the Fulbright Partner Awards to the UK are hellaciously competitive -- to the point of it generally not being a very good idea to invest the necessary time and energy to apply for one. This is true for the following Fulbright awards in the UK: Open Award, Imperial College London, London School of Economics, University College London, University of Glasgow, or University of Edinburgh.

That said, there are many other Partner Awards available to top-flight UK institutions (Manchester! Sussex! Kent!) that are an order of magnitude more reasonable. In this singular instance, we will be cagey and encourage you to play the numbers game.

• How can I decide which country to apply to?

Applicants should offer compelling and specific reasons for their host country choice. Research/Study grant projects should present a rationale that necessitates completing a degree program or conducting research in the host country; ETA applicants should offer compelling reasons why they wish to teach English in the host country. Applicants should demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the host country's culture and should be able to demonstrate the requisite language skills through a formal language evaluation. 

If you're at the very beginning of the process, the CCRF encourages you to consider a handful of countries for which you are qualified. Reviewing Fulbright’s host country award pages can give you a sense of what the in-country experience might be like. Then, we encourage you to complete the Self-Assessment Worksheet to determine which countries might be a good fit for you.

• When will I know if I get the grant or not?

The selection process occurs in two stages. In the first stage, the national selection committee designates applicants that it will "recommend" to the host countries. These announcements are usually made by the end of January each year. Finalists are then selected and notified by the host country selection committee. This final notification can come anytime between mid-March and June.

• I was a member of the 2020/2021/2022/2023 Fulbright Cohort.  Can I join the 2024 Fulbright Cohort?

Yes, we welcome members of the previous Fulbright Cohorts who are still eligible to participate in the 2024 Fulbright Cohort, meaning that they have not yet started graduate school and graduated June 2022 or later.

If you meet the eligibility criteria, please see specific instructions below.

  • 2020, 2021, and 2022 Fulbright Cohort members: You will start the Fulbright application process in Winter/Spring Quarters 2024. You should indicate your interest in joining the 2024 Fulbright Cohort by completing and submitting a 2024 Fulbright Campus Endorsement Application through Survey Monkey by the deadline. Please ensure that it reflects the new experiences, skills, and future goals that you have developed between the time you were a Cohort member and now.
  • 2023 Fulbright Cohort members:
    • If you did not submit an application for the 2024-2025 Fulbright award, you should indicate your interest in joining the 2024 Fulbright Cohort by completing and submitting a 2024 Fulbright Campus Endorsement Application through Survey Monkey by the deadline. Please ensure that the materials that you submit reflect the new experiences, skills, and future goals that you have developed.
    • If you applied for the 2024-2025 Fulbright award and were not selected as a Fulbright semifinalist in January 2024, you are welcome to reapply for Fulbright! Please reach out to Johanna Best (bestjl@uchicago.edu) no later than April 10, 2024 to indicate an interest in joining the 2024 Fulbright Cohort and the award/host country that you hope to apply for. At that point, Johanna will provide guidance about next steps.
    • If you applied for the 2024-2025 Fulbright award, were selected as a Fulbright semifinalist, and were not selected as a Fulbright finalist, you are also welcome to reapply for Fulbright! Please reach out to Johanna Best (bestjl@uchicago.edu) as soon as possible after receiving your final notification to indicate an interest in reapplying for Fulbright and joining the 2024 Fulbright Cohort. In your email, please indicate the award/host country that you hope to apply for. At that point, Johanna will provide guidance about next steps.

Application Materials & Application Submission

• What material needs to be submitted for the final Fulbright application in SLATE?

Fulbright applications are submitted entirely online through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website using the SLATE application portal. A complete application includes:

  • Biographical Data (basic contact details, list of time spent outside the U.S., CV information, etc.)
  • Short Answer Questions
  • Statement of Grant Purpose (one- or two-page grant proposal)
  • Personal Statement (one-page motivation essay)
  • Recommendations. NOTE: All recommendations for the national application should be uploaded directly to the SLATE application system. Please do not send them by email to CCRF staff.
  • Official transcripts

Depending on the type of grant and the requirements of the host country, applicants may also need to submit the following:

• How do my references submit their letters or forms to SLATE?

All final letters and recommendation forms must be uploaded directly into the SLATE application system. Once you enter in your recommenders’ details, an automated email will be generated for them with instructions.

• How do I get a Foreign Language Evaluation?

The Foreign Language Evaluation Form is part of the online application and should be completed by a professional language teacher. The University offers a wide range of languages, and applicants should be able to find a faculty member who can complete the evaluation form. If you have not taken coursework in the language while at UChicago, you are encouraged to reach out to CCRF to discuss how to best approach making an inquiry to the relevant language department. If your language is not taught at the University, please contact Johanna Best (bestjl@uchicago.edu).

• What hard copy application materials do I need to submit to the College Center for Research and Fellowships office?

None. The entire application is submitted online.