Fulbright U.S. Student Program Award
Application now open!
Deadlines
- Thursday, July 16, 2026 — Latest date by which applicants should plan to begin the Whitman Fulbright Canvas course (see below) – Highly Recommended
- Sunday, August 16, 2026 — Campus deadline for those who are seeking a Whitman endorsement – Highly Recommended
- Sunday, September 20, 2026 — Campus deadline for those who are not seeking a Whitman endorsement
- Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (by 2 PM Pacific Time) — National deadline
*For detailed information about each deadline, see the sections at the end of this page.
Eligibility requirements
- U.S. citizen at time of application
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent before start of grant
- Good health
- Proficiency (as required by individual country) in the written and spoken language of host country
*For detailed eligibility requirements, visit the Fulbright website.
Award summary
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program facilitates cultural exchange, allowing each grantee to gain an appreciation of others' viewpoints, beliefs, practices, and ideas. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.
Awards are available in over 140 countries to:
- Teach English
- Conduct a self-designed independent research project / study
- Practice a performing or creative art
- Participate in a business or journalism internship
- Obtain a Master’s degree
Application requirements
View the application components for each of the award types on the Fulbright website.
Campus representative
Dr. Jessica Hernandez, Director for Fellowships and Grants (hernand2@whitman.edu)
Fulbright Canvas course
To help applicants navigate the Fulbright application, the Whitman College Fellowships & Grants team has created a Canvas course with detailed guidance for completing all parts of the process, as well as helpful tips and resources. The course is free and open to both current students and alumni. To be enrolled in the Canvas course, email Dr. Jessica Hernandez.
Students and alumni interested in applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program are encouraged to begin brainstorming and drafting their applications well in advance of the campus deadline.
To meet this deadline, applicants need to fully complete the Fulbright ‘Basecamp’ Canvas course by Sunday, August 16, 2026. To complete the Canvas course, applicants must work through all modules and meet with a Whitman College fellowship advisor at the recommended check-in points. No exceptions will be made.
Applicants who meet this deadline will receive:
- a thorough review and proofread of their application by the Whitman College Fellowships & Grants team
- the opportunity to have a faculty member familiar with the Fulbright program provide additional feedback on their application materials
- a Whitman College endorsement letter added to their Fulbright application
To meet this deadline, applicants need to fully complete the Fulbright ‘Basecamp’ Canvas course by Sunday, September 20, 2026. To complete the Canvas course, applicants must work through all modules and meet with a Whitman College Fellowship Advisor at the recommended check-in points. No exceptions will be made.
Applicants who meet this deadline will receive:
- a thorough review and proofread of their application by the Whitman College Fellowships & Grants team
Applicants who do not meet either of the two campus deadlines cannot be guaranteed support from the Fellowships & Grants team.
Depending on the availability of the Fellowships & Grants team, these applicants can schedule a meeting on Handshake under 'Fellowships and Grants'. Please note that the Fellowships & Grants team tends to be booked 1-3 weeks out early in the Fall semester, so a meeting cannot be guaranteed.
Again, advising cannot be guaranteed after the final campus deadline if you are opting out of the campus process.
Note: even if you are not participating in the campus review process, you can still select 'Whitman College' as your school in the Fulbright application portal.
After the national deadline, Fulbright applications go through two rounds of review:
- National review round: Fulbright applications will be reviewed by a panel of faculty. Applicants will not be interviewed at this stage. Applicants are notified by late January as to whether their application has been recommended or not recommended to the host country. Applicants with recommended applications are considered 'Semi-Finalists.'
- Host country review round: If an application is recommended to the applicant's host country of choice, a team of individuals will review applications in the host country. In some cases, applicants will be interviewed by a Fulbright committee in that country. All Semi-Finalists are notified in the spring as to whether they have been selected as a 'Finalist', or designated as either an 'Alternate' or 'Non-Select.'
Semi-Finalist: A candidate whose application has been recommended by the U.S. national selection panel to the host country of choice.
Finalist: A candidate who has been offered a Fulbright U.S. Student grant, contingent upon host country approvals, medical clearance, and submission of all required grant documents.
Alternate: A candidate who can be promoted to Finalist status if additional funding becomes available.
Non-Select: A candidate who is no longer under consideration for a Fulbright Award.