Fulbright U.S. Student Program – UW Graduate School Skip to content

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program awards more than 2,100 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in about 140 countries worldwide. All students and recent alumni are encouraged to consider this great opportunity, whether as part of your academic program or outside of it.

UW DEADLINE: August 28, 2024

Information sessions for UW students and alumni

Attending an information session is vital to preparing a successful Fulbright application. Information sessions will be hosted online throughout spring quarter—check out our Calendar of Events.

Unable to attend an information session this cycle? Global Fellowships Prep is available to all UW students and alumni. The site hosts recordings of all workshops and panel events, as well as additional resources to help UW applicants prepare competitive proposals.

Learn More About Global Fellowships Prep

Eligibility

  • U.S. citizens (international students may be eligible for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program)
  • Master’s or doctoral degree student, professional degree student (without a Ph.D.), graduating senior, or alumni who hold at least a bachelor’s degree but not a Ph.D.

Application process

Current UW graduate students must apply through the UW campus process and meet our earlier campus deadline. The UW campus deadline for the 2025–2026 Fulbright U.S. student competition is August 28, 2024. Although the official Fulbright deadline is later, currently enrolled students MUST complete and submit all application materials by our earlier deadline. 

Graduate alumni are invited to apply through the UW campus process if they choose, but may also apply at-large; applying through the UW campus process requires that you also meet the earlier campus deadline.

UW applicants are required to attend a virtual interview. Interviews will take place between Sept. 16-18, 2024. (NOTE: This is BEFORE autumn classes begin.)

The Institute of International Education (IIE)’s Fulbright website provides detailed information on the award itself and the application process.

Prospective applicants should check the eligibility requirements first. Then, closely read the country summary for the country to which you wish to apply. Each country has different guidelines, procedures and priorities. This is especially true of language and affiliation requirements. Pay close attention to the details in the country summary to make sure your interests match before proceeding with an application.

Open a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Application

UW Fulbright Program Advisors

Several different Fulbright Program Advisors (FPAs) at the UW will assist you with understanding the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and putting your application together. We encourage you to connect with an FPA to discuss the process and your plans.

UW Seattle graduate and professional students (and recent Seattle campus graduates with master’s degrees but not PhDs) will apply through the Graduate School’s Office of Fellowships & Awards. FPA is Michelle Sutton; contact gradappt@uw.edu with application questions or to make an appointment to discuss your application.

UW Seattle undergraduate students (and recent bachelor’s degree graduates of the Seattle campus) will apply through the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards. FPAs are Robin Chang and Chetana Acharya; contact scholarq@uw.edu with application questions or to make an appointment to discuss your application.

UW Bothell students and alumni at all levels will contact Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards. FPA is Natalia Dyba, nataliak@uw.edu, UW1-160.

UW Tacoma students and alumni at all levels will contact UWT Global Affairs. FPA is Vanessa de Veritch Woodside, vdw@uw.edu.

UW alumni have the option of applying through the campus process, no matter how long it has been since they graduated. FPAs can help you determine if this is the best path for you to pursue, or whether you should apply as an At-Large candidate.

Materials and resources

Looking for more interactive support? Think about joining the UW Global Fellowships Prep community.

Following are links regarding the Fulbright program that are helpful during the application process:

Information for those writing reference letters

Awardee Stories

Return to List of Fellowships