2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program

The 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program competition is open! Hundreds of awards across all world regions will allow academics, professionals and artists to teach, research, and carry out professional projects abroad. Curious to see what awards in 2026-27 have to offer? Join a webinar to learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, awards and the application process. All webinars and slides are archived on the Fulbright website.

As a reminder of what to expect, you can reference the timeline below that outlines your application’s journey:

• February: Application Opens. Program competition opens for opportunities in the 2026-2027 academic year.
• September: Application Deadlines for the 2026-2027 competition. U.S. Scholar Program: September 15, 2025, 5:00 PMEDT (UTC -4:00). For the International Education Administrator (IEA) Awards, please refer to IEA page for award-specific deadline dates; all applications due at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
• October – November: Peer Review. Discipline-based Peer Review Committees read and assess applications against the Review Criteria, and meet to review and determine whether or not applications are recommended for further consideration in the host country. Peer review committees are comprised of U.S.-based academics and professionals with relevant expertise.
• December: Peer Review Notification. Following the conclusion of peer review, applicants are notified by email of the status of their application, recommended or not recommended. Applications not recommended in the peer review phase are not forwarded to the next phase of review. 
• December – May: Selection. All recommended applications are forwarded to the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies (Posts) or binational Fulbright Commissions overseas, the U.S. Department of State, and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for review.
• January – June: Selection Notification. Applicants are notified by email of the final status of their application, awardee, alternate, or non-select. 
• June: Grant details are finalized. Grants may begin per start dates listed in the  Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards. For some countries, an orientation may be scheduled for applicants selected for grants.

Strengthen your global connections with an International Education Administrator Award

Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Seminars are fully funded opportunities for U.S. higher education administrators to participate intensive two-week seminars abroad to learn about other countries’ higher education systems. By participating in a Fulbright IEA seminar, you can build your institution’s capacity for international education, gain a cross-cultural perspective, and open doors to collaboration with colleagues and students throughout the world.

Seminar Activities Include

• Campus visits to a wide range of universities and colleges.
• Briefings from faculty and administration at public and private higher education institutions as well as from leading educational experts and government officials.
• Tours of historical and cultural sites.

All travel, accommodations, and schedules are provided by the Fulbright IEA Program.

Current IEA Seminar Participating Countries

• France and Senegal HBCU IEA Award – Deadline: September 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM EDT (UTC-4:00)
  • This award is an opportunity designed for administrators at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCU administrators are also eligible for and encouraged to apply for any of the below IEA programs.
• Taiwan – Deadline: September 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM EDT (UTC-4:00)
• Japan – Deadline: November 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST (UTC-5:00)
• South Korea – Deadline: November 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST (UTC-5:00)
• France – Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST (UTC-5:00)
• Germany – Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST (UTC-5:00)