Fulbright Foreign Student Program 2026

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program funds graduate study, research or, in some countries, non-degree professional study in the United States for citizens of more than 160 countries. Because it is run jointly by the U.S. Department of State, the Institute of International Education, and a Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in each participating country, the exact eligibility detail, preferred fields, degree level and deadline are set separately in every country rather than by one global rule. Applicants must hold citizenship of an eligible country, must not also hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and must not have already received a previous Fulbright student grant. In Bangladesh, for example, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka has asked for a four-year bachelor's degree, strong academic performance, and at least two years of relevant professional experience, with preference given to junior faculty and early to mid-career professionals in higher education, research, and the public and private sectors. Funded costs typically include tuition, required fees, round-trip airfare, a monthly living stipend, and health benefit insurance for the length of the grant, usually one to two years. Because each country's call opens and closes on its own schedule, usually about a year before the grant begins, applicants should follow their own country's Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy page rather than a single worldwide date.