The Fulbright Scholarship Program was founded by J. William Fulbright, who presented it as a gift to meritorious students hailing from diverse backgrounds. It is one of the United States Cultural Exchange Programs, managed by the Council of International Exchange of Scholars. This program has helped in establishing mutual understanding and friendly relations among students from all over the world.
Such programs have weaved a network of bi-national commissions in many countries to provide opportunities to students which further their personal, academic, and professional growth. The Fulbright fellowship is named after its founder J. Wlliam Fulbright.
He was an eminent face in American politics and has immensely contributed to the field of International Relations. He wanted to encourage students and begin a conversation so that they could exchange ideas, knowledge, and skills. He aimed to uphold the idea that knowledge is power.
How Does It Help In Overall Development?
Due to the Fulbright grant, recipients can meet, work, digest, and learn from the individuals of the host country. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on a personal basis within the room, field, home, and in routine tasks, permitting students to appreciate diverse viewpoints and beliefs. Through engagement within the community, the individual can keep pace with the hosts, learning in an environment of openness, tutorial integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual affection.
Who Can Apply For the Fulbright Scholarship Program?
Recent graduates, graduating seniors and up to date bachelor’s degree recipients with some undergrad preparation and/or direct work experience or expertise relating to the project are eligible to apply. Masters & Graduate-level candidates should demonstrate the capability for freelance study or analysis, along with a knowledge of the history, culture, and current events of the countries that they’re applying to.
Young professionals, writers, artists, journalists, people in law, business, and various fields can apply for a Fulbright grant. Experienced candidates with five years of professional study and/or expertise within the field during which they’re applying are preferred.
Applicants have to apply online for their choice of Fulbright scholarship programs. The last date for each category is released in the month of February. Students can explore the extremely informative Fulbright website (http://us.fulbrightonline.org/) for regular updates.
Types Of Scholarships Available
There are 3 kinds of James William Fulbright Scholarship, which are usually awarded for one school year. The primary kind is the Study/Research Grant. Recipients of this scholarship chalk up their own incomes, which can include work, science lab analysis or inventions, or the arts.
The second variety of Fulbright scholarship is the English Teaching Assistant scholarship, or ETA. The first focus of the ETA is to interact with students within the classroom. It does not focus on research analysis. ETA participants usually add preferred colleges, where they hope to strengthen students’ language skills and knowledge.
Finally, there are Travel-only Grants that are applicable only in the Italian Republic, Republic of Hungary and FRG. They are designed to be used with different scholarships which do not cover international travel. These may also be used to supplement a student’s own contributions to a selected study or research.
In addition to these 3 grants, there are special study grants and tutorials which focus in areas of music and culture, essential languages, business, and journalism.
Four Fulbright Awards are out there for college graduates, interested in the field of music. For instance, 2009-2010 winner Tina Wadhwa visited Asian nations to make a documentary on the influence of film industry music on the youth of Bombay.
The Essential Language Proficiency Award offers recipients with language coaching in chosen countries. These awards are designed for three or six-month periods and are wont to supplement different study or analysis grants.
Fulbright Business Grants are available for study in Australia, Mexico, Holland, and Spain. Recipients study from a broad scope of economic policies, starting from business and jurisprudence to the consequences of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on Mexico.
Fulbright Journalism Grants are applicable in the United Kingdom and Taiwan. They are available in the form of skilled internships for recent graduates or graduate-level work, in fields relating to commercial enterprise, radio, TV, and new media. Nearly 2,000 foreign James William Fulbright students come to the US every year for graduate-level or doctoral study, taking back a cross-cultural perspective to their countries.
Costs Included In The Scholarship
- Round-trip transportation
- Living prices supporting the total length of the project
- Allowances for books and research
- Medical expenses
- Full or partial tuition prices, if applicable
- Language and/or cultural enrichment categories
Selection Criteria To Become A Fulbright Scholar
The journey from an individual to a Fulbright scholar is a long one, with months of preparation, analysis, and formalities to be taken care of. The entire process — from completing the application process to arriving at the host country — takes up to a year. Potential candidates ought to take this into consideration, when deciding whether or not to apply. Moreover, the overwhelming number of applicants ensures fierce competition.
The following information is relevant for 2020-2021, and although deadlines could vary accordingly, this can offer a glimpse into the process. The IIE reviews the applications and schedules interviews with candidates they believe have some potential. These interviews are very important and can decide the future course of the candidate.
By January 31, 2020, the IIE can let candidates know whether or not they will receive a William Fulbright Scholarship. Between March and July of 2020, the new category of Fulbrighters can complete a process of scrutiny and submit final transcripts (if they’re students).
Finally, beginning in July 2020, scholarship winners begin operating in their host countries. The grant amount ends in March 2021, which suggests the application method truly lasts longer than the grant itself. As you’ll see, securing a William Fulbright Scholarship may be a challenging process. However, the chance to study in a foreign country, exchange concepts and learn from different cultures that may otherwise be inaccessible, is well worth the effort.
Benefits Of Being A Fulbright Scholar
The Fulbright Scholarship Program acts as a “foot inside the door”. This particularly applies to study overseas because once the candidate can show that he/she has the dedication to make it big, future potential employers will be eager to have them as potential employees. It gives a huge advantage while applying for new jobs and opportunities.
Working internationally helps students develop both professionally and personally. Once they can make a place for themselves in the global jobs marketplace, the world is their oyster.
