Established in 1946, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through the exchange of people, knowledge, and skills. It is the largest U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for recent graduates, postgraduate candidates, and developing professionals and artists to conduct career-launching study and research in more than 140 countries worldwide.

The program is funded primarily through an annual appropriation from Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions also contribute through cost-sharing and indirect support, e.g., through salary supplements, tuition waivers, and university housing.  Most grants require a commitment of one academic year, although in some cases advanced doctoral candidates and candidates in the creative and performing arts may submit requests for grants of not less than six months. Applications are considered from candidates in all fields.

Eligibility

• Be U.S. citizens at the time of application.
• Hold a B.A. degree or the equivalent before the start of the grant and/or be a master’s or doctoral degree candidate. In the creative and performing arts, four years of professional study and/or experience meets the basic eligibility requirement.
• Have sufficient proficiency in the written and spoken language of the host country to communicate with the people and to carry out the proposed study.

For more information, please visit Fulbright website.

Application Deadlines & Interview Dates

• Brown Initial Submission: September 3, 2024 (deadline TBA)
• On campus interviews: September 9-27
• National Online Submission Deadline: October 8, 2024

For Brown graduate students the Fulbright application process begins at Fulbright's online application page. Technically, all applications go through the University's Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA), the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. All of your application work, however, is done directly online on the Fulbright site. As per the instructions found at Getting Started page on the Fulbright website, all of your application materials are submitted online at the Fulbright site. All of these materials must be submitted by the established Brown Initial Submission Deadline (also called the "internal" deadline). Note: once you submit your application material, you will lose access to your application until after your campus interview.

Shortly after the Brown Initial Submission Deadline you will be scheduled for a campus interview. You will receive email notification from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs of the day and time of your campus interview at Brown.

Following the campus interview there will be a three to five day period when you will again have access to your online application. This access is granted by the FPA who "unsubmits" your application following the campus interview allowing your access. During this short period you will be able to make any additions, updates, or edits based, at least in part, on what you may have learned through the campus interview process.

At the end of this period of access, which will be announced, you must once again submit your online application according to the date and time of the Brown Final Submission Deadline. The final step in the process is when the FPA submits all Brown Fulbright applications in a batch to Fulbright.

Fulbright Application Process Steps

1. Submit your application on the Fulbright online application site by the date and time of the Brown Initial Submission Deadline.
2. Participate in the campus interview.
3. Make any changes to your online application based on what you may have learned in the interview.
4. Resubmit your online application according to the date and time of the Brown Final Submission Deadline.

The Fulbright application process is handled entirely online and Brown students must submit all materials via the Fulbright online application portal. All letters of recommendation are submitted through the Fulbright online application system, as well. 

Questions

If you have further questions, contact William_Wittels@Brown.edu.

The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program provides opportunities for doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program is designed to deepen research knowledge and increase the study of modern foreign languages, cultural engagement, and area studies not generally included in U.S. curricula. 

Projects may focus on one or more of the following geographic areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories).

Applications are considered from candidates in all fields.

Students may propose research for 6 to 12 months. The fellowship may not be renewed..Brown University students should aspire to align the timing of the grant with Brown's funding terms (fall semester, spring semester, and summer term).

Eligibility

• Be a citizen of the United States; or (b) Be a permanent resident of the United States*; Be a graduate student in good standing at an eligible institution of higher education and who, when the fellowship period begins, has been admitted to candidacy in a doctoral degree program in modern foreign languages and area studies at that institution;
• Plan a teaching career in the United States upon graduation; and
• Possess adequate skills in the foreign language(s) necessary to carry out the dissertation research project.
• Students may not accept certain grants (Fulbright US Student Program administered by IIE(FUSP), Boren, IREX, Japan Foundation) in the same fiscal year that they receive a US/ED Fulbright-Hays grant.

Additional Details

• Department of Education Website
• Application 

Deadlines

Internal Application Deadline: March 13, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST
External Deadline: March 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST

2024 Tips and Assistance

The U.S. Department of Education's International and Foreign Language Education office (IFLE) has posted a pre-recorded technical assistance webinar on its YouTube channel. The webinar covers a variety of topics, including DDRA program requirements, selection criteria, and frequently asked questions.

There is also a live Q & A session hosted by DDRA staff on February 22, from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM EDT. All potential applicants are welcome to attend the live session. Attendees should ensure they have viewed the pre-recorded webinar ahead of the live question and answer session.

Additionally, applicants are encouraged to watch the DDRA Fellow Alumni Panel Discussion and Application Tips video.

Special Instructions

• Brown students must apply online using the Department of Education application system before the internal Brown deadline. The DDRA online system at G5 will not process your application if it does not adhere to the guidelines. 
• All student applications have to be reviewed internally at Brown University by the Graduate School and by the Office of Sponsored Projects prior to the institutional submission of all student applications. 
• Please make sure that your recommenders are aware of the guidelines that pertain to their recommendation letters. 
• Tips on navigating the application system can been seen on the Department of Education site. 
• The announcement in the Federal Register contains additional details.
• If you have questions, please contact Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs William Wittels. 

Graduate School Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA)

William Wittels