Supporting Graduate Students' Academic and Professional Success
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Award Cycle is now open.
UCR graduate students must apply through the university. All applicants are required to meet with the UCR Fulbright Program Advisor at least three times prior to the preliminary campus deadline.
The UCR campus application preliminary deadline is Sunday, August 17th, 2025 by 5 p.m. PST. Materials submitted by this deadline must be strong and near-final, as they will be reviewed for campus endorsement and interview selection. Graduate applicants will undergo campus Fulbright committee interviews during the months of August and September.
The final campus application deadline is Sunday, September 28th by 5 p.m. PST.
The national Fulbright deadline is October 7, 2025 by 5 p.m. PST. Final submissions approved by the FPA will be submitted on this date.
UCR undergraduates are welcome to use the following Fulbright resources; however, for individual help please contact the undergraduate Fulbright Program Advisor, Dr. Sonja Lind (sonja.lind@ucr.edu).
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The Ideal Fulbright Graduate Student Applicant
The perfect Fulbright applicant is a globally-minded, intellectually curious individual with a clearly defined academic or creative project that demonstrates both originality and feasibility. They possess a strong foundation in their field and propose a project that is thoughtfully designed, well-scoped, and responsive to the social, cultural, or artistic context of the host country.
Doctoral candidates should be in the pre-dissertation or dissertation research phase, with a clear research question, methodology, and institutional support in the host country. The Fulbright should complement—rather than simply extend—their existing work and offer fresh opportunities for international engagement.
For creative writing applicants, they should have a substantial body of work (published or unpublished) and a well-articulated project that shows how immersion in the host culture will inform their creative practice. Ideal candidates might be early-career writers with an MFA, MA, or equivalent experience, but advanced undergraduates with exceptional promise are also considered.
Regardless of academic standing, the strongest applicants demonstrate:
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A record of academic or creative excellence
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Cross-cultural sensitivity and humility
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A genuine desire for mutual exchange
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The flexibility, initiative, and resilience to thrive in a new cultural environment
This applicant doesn’t just want to study, research, or create—they want to connect, collaborate, and contributethrough the transformative experience of international exchange.
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Fulbright Eligibility Requirements for Graduate Study/Research Applicants
Graduate students applying for a Fulbright Study/Research Award must meet the following criteria:
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U.S. Citizenship
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Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application.
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Permanent residents are not eligible.
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Educational Background
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A bachelor’s degree or equivalent must be completed before the start of the grant.
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Graduate students may apply to pursue independent research, a graduate degree, or a combination of both abroad.
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Academic & Research Qualifications
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Applicants should demonstrate strong academic or professional preparation for their proposed project.
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A well-defined project statement with clear goals, methodology, and feasibility is essential.
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Language Proficiency
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Sufficient proficiency in the host country language may be required, depending on the country and project.
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Language ability must be adequate to carry out the proposed study or research.
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Host Country Requirements
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Each country may have specific eligibility guidelines, restrictions, or preferences.
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Applicants must meet all criteria for the country to which they are applying.
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No Prior Fulbright U.S. Student Grant
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Preference is typically given to applicants who have not previously received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant.
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Individuals with prior Fulbright experience may still be eligible under certain conditions.
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UCR Workshops & Consultations
UCR Education Abroad Workshops
For more information on education abroad programs at UCR, see international.ucr.edu/abroad. For other scholarships, see international.ucr.edu/abroad/scholarship.
Undergraduate FPA Advising:
If you are an undergraduate student at UCR or recently graduated from UCR with a bachelor's degree, contact Dr. Sonja Lind, undergraduate Fulbright Program Advisor and Assistant Director of Education Abroad at UCR by signing up at Calendly or email sonja.lind@ucr.edu.
UCR Graduate Writing Center Workshops:
Registration for the Fulbright 2026-2027 cycle workshops opens in Spring 2025. Applicants can register at ucr.mywconline.com for the Zoom link once days/times have been published. These workshops will be given by UCR's Graduate Fulbright Program Advisor, Dr. Lauren Hammond.
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Applying for the Fulbright – Thursday, April 3, 2025, 2-3 p.m. PST via Zoom
If you need to conduct research abroad, the Fulbright Program can help you fund it. Attend this session to learn about the application timeline, campus resources, and what is new about the program for the 2026-2027 cycle. The workshop materials can be accessed here: Slides
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Writing the Statement of Grant Purpose – Thursday, April 17, 2025, 2-3 p.m. PST via Zoom
Applying to the Fulbright US Student Program? Come learn about the statement of purpose and how it differs from others you may have written. We'll engage in some guided brainstorming and review sample statements. The workshop materials can be accessed here: Slides | Handout
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Writing the Personal Statement – Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 2-3 p.m. PST via Zoom
Find out what to highlight about yourself to be competitive for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. We'll engage in some guided brainstorming and review sample statements. The workshop materials can be accessed here: Forthcoming
UCR Graduate Writing Center Consultations:
For one-on-one consultations, sign up at: ucr.mywconline.com
Graduate FPA Office Hours:
Sign up at: ucr.mywconline.com (FPA Office Hours Schedule will be published in Spring 2025) OR Email lauren.hammond@ucr.edu
UCR Graduate Student Fulbright Feedback Sessions Summer 2025:
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Personal Statement Feedback Session – TBA
Feedback and peer review session with Fulbright Graduate FPA Dr. Lauren Hammond and other applicants. Previous workshop materials can be accessed here: Handout.
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Statement of Purpose Feedback Session – TBA
Feedback and peer review session with Fulbright Graduate FPA Dr. Lauren Hammond and other applicants. Previous workshop materials can be accessed here: Handout.
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Fulbright Video Tutorials and Webinars
The Fulbright program offers short online video tutorials on the application process and the Study/Research and Arts Study/Research awards. The also offer a number of recorded and upcoming live webinars on various aspects of the application and the logistics of the program.
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UCR Recipients of Fulbright 2024-2025 Awards
Tara Westmor, a doctoral student in anthropology, won the award in the “Open Study/Research” category. Westmor is headed to the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Literature at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, where she will work on a project titled “The Spoken and the Spark: The Social Life of Poetry in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.”
Kristen Herbert, a graduate student in creative writing working toward her Master of Fine Arts degree, won the award in the “Open Study/Research in Creative/Performance Arts” category and is headed to the Department of Hungarian Literature at the University of Szeged in Szeged, Hungary. There, she will work on a project titled “Mingle (Fiction) and a Comparative Reading of Hungarian and American Crime Literature.”
Westmor and Herbert were also featured in an article published by Inside UCR.