The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants can pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

Eligibility 

• Must be U.S. citizens by the time of the national deadline (early October)
• Applicants must have a conferred bachelor’s degree or equivalent before the start of the grant period
• Language proficiency may be required
• Visit the eligibility page for more information

URI Campus Procedure

Please follow the steps below to create a competitive application. The 2027-28 Fulbright U.S. Student Competition will open on March 31, 2026, and applicants must submit their application by the Campus Deadline: Monday, August 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.

• Visit the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website to learn more about the opportunities for you. Have flexibility in country selection? Consider overlooked awards mentioned on the website
• Learn more about the different types of awards – Open Study/Research, English Teaching Assistant, Creative & Performing Arts, and institution-specific opportunities 
• As you search for awards, consider the following:
  • Why are you applying to Fulbright?
  • How does Fulbright fit with my professional and personal goals/interests?
  • Why are you applying to your country of interest?
• Complete the Student Interest Form and be sure that you have marked ‘Fulbright’ to receive correspondence
• Understand the application components (more below!) and create a list of recommenders.
• Attend as many Fulbright info sessions/workshops (below) or see a recording to learn more about creating a competitive application
• All application materials are due in the application portal by the Campus Deadline:
  • Monday, August 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET
• All applicants will be interviewed starting August 26. Applicants will have time afterwards to revise their application.
• Applicants must submit their final applications by the National Deadline:
  • Tuesday, October 6th at 5 PM ET
  • Applicants should submit their applications early! 

Application Components

Application components may vary depending on the award type you select. Once you know to which opportunity you will apply, immediately create an application, look at the application components (link), and begin drafting your statement of grant purpose and essays. Remember, all application components should flow together to help craft your narrative for the reviewers.

Letters of recommendation — you will need 3 letters of recommendation to be submitted by the Monday, September 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Reach out to recommenders early and choose those who can speak well to 1-2 points in the Faculty and Staff section below.

Affiliation Letter — For Study/Research Awards, an affiliation letter is required. Do your research early to make sure you’re working with a potential host institution. Be sure you have a strong research question or study plan. Reach out to alums of that country, contact Fulbright Commissions or U.S. Embassies, and use LinkedIn and email to connect with potential host institutions directly. As this can be difficult, please contact (link) the Office of Fellowships to discuss your study/research plans and outreach strategy before you begin contacting hosts. 

Foreign Language Evaluation — your award may recommend or require a language. Consult the award description, the Foreign Language Forms section, and reach out to your language evaluator(s) early to ask their permission to be an evaluator. 

Faculty & Staff

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a great opportunity for U.S. students to study, and research abroad. If you have a student that you’d refer, please complete the Faculty and Staff intake form.

Writing a Letter of Recommendation is an important part of the application process as it provides reviewers with an overview of the applicants:

• ability to carry out the project being proposed, including your intellectual and professional preparation
• ability to adapt to the host country and to engage with the community there
• ability to represent the U.S. abroad and be a cultural ambassador
• the impact the Fulbright grant would have on you academically, professionally, and/or personally

We encourage applicants to choose 3 recommenders that can focus on 1 or 2 of the points above. Consult with the applicant about their project idea, statement of grant purpose, essays, and resume so that you can help round out their narrative from your perspective.

If you’re a foreign language evaluator, please follow the instructions.

Fulbright Fast-Track (ETA Only)

The Fulbright Fast-Track Process includes:

• Week of August 31: A required meeting with Fellowships@URI staff
• Week of September 7: Writing workshops for application essays: Statement of Grant Purpose and Short Answers
• By September 21: A draft of the Statement of Grant Purpose due
• By September 28: A draft of the Short Answers due
• Starting September 28: Application endorsement meetings with UFO staff
• Friday, October 2nd at 11:59 PM ET: Complete application draft due
• Tuesday, October 6th at 5 PM ET: National application due

To participate in the fast-track process, please complete the Fulbright Fast Track form by August 28, 2026. Fellowships@URI will connect with you to share resources and to schedule a meeting during the first week of September.

Workshops

• Fulbright 101: Where do I begin? (Undergraduates)
  • Tuesday, April 7th at 5:30 PM ET
  • Register here

• Fulbright 101: Where do I begin? (Graduate Students)
  • Wednesday, April 8th at 5:30 PM ET
  • Register here

• Fulbright for Faculty
  • Tuesday, April 7th at 5:30 PM ET
  • Register here

Fulbright website