Join the Fulbright Specialist Program
Prospective U.S. Specialists and foreign institutions participate in a competitive selection and matching process. To learn more about how Fulbright Specialist projects are developed and administered, please see below.
Step One: Foreign Institution Develops Project Proposal and Seeks Approval
The Fulbright Specialist Program is a field-driven initiative in which institutions abroad conceptualize and design projects of interest that represent a priority for their respective organizations. Once an institution has developed their initial project idea, they submit their project proposal to the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in their country through an online portal. The Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy in each country determines the general process for reviewing proposals, including any submission deadlines, and establishes its own selection criteria based upon country-specific priorities and goals for the program.
Please note that it is very common for Fulbright Commissions/U.S. Embassies to receive more project proposals from foreign institutions than they are able to support with limited funding. Therefore, not all proposals submitted will be approved.
If a Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy approves a project proposal, that proposal is forwarded to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), for further review and approval. A project is only officially approved after the review by ECA.
Step Two: Interested Individuals Apply to Join the Fulbright Specialist Roster
All prospective Fulbright Specialists complete a robust application process prior to being eligible to serve on project abroad. That process begins with completing the Fulbright Specialist application. For more detailed information on the full application process, see Online Application Instructions for Specialists.
If an applicant meets all basic eligibility requirements, their application is then reviewed by a peer review panel. If the panel approves of the applicant, they are placed on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a three-year tenure as a Fulbright Specialist Candidate, during which time they are eligible to be matched with projects abroad. There is no guarantee that the individual will be matched with a project during their tenure.
If an applicant to the Roster is deemed ineligible or is not approved by the peer review panel, they may reapply for consideration. For more detailed information on peer review deadlines and evaluation criteria, please see the Specialist application process.
Step Three: Eligible Individuals on the Fulbright Specialist Roster Matched to Projects
When a foreign institution submits a project proposal to be reviewed by the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in their country, they must identify their project as either an “open project” or “named project.”
Open Projects: The foreign institution does not name a specific individual to serve as the Specialist. Rather, after the project is approved by all parties, World Learning assists recruiting candidates from the Fulbright Specialist Roster whose professional experience, academic credentials and foreign language skills best match the knowledge and skills required for the successful implementation of the proposed project. World Learning then presents the options to the Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy, who communicates directly with the receiving institution. Ultimately, the receiving institution reviews and selects from the identified candidates. If they do not believe that any of the candidates has the knowledge and skills to conduct the project successfully, World Learning may conduct additional recruitment.
Named Projects: The foreign institution nominates a specific individual that they would prefer to serve as the Fulbright Specialist. The institution must provide a strong justification of why that individual is best suited to serve in the role of the Fulbright Specialist. Regardless of nomination, the ‘named’ individual must meet all eligibility criteria, including admission to the Fulbright Specialist Roster, before they can be formally matched to the project.
Accordingly, if the institution identifies an individual who is not on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, that individual must first complete the application for the Fulbright Specialist Roster. Please note that a project proposal from a foreign institution can be reviewed concurrently by the respective Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy and ECA, while the individual named in the foreign institution application completes the full application process. If a foreign institution’s project is ultimately approved by all parties and the named individual is approved as a Fulbright Specialist Candidate, then the individual and the project may be matched.
Step Four: Final Approval by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
The final step is for the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) to approve the individual who is matched to the foreign institution's specific project. Only following this step are the project and proposed Fulbright Specialist fully approved.
Step Five: Fulbright Specialist Implements Project Abroad with Foreign Institution
After an individual receives final approval from the FFSB to serve as the Fulbright Specialist for a foreign institution’s project, World Learning will provide all pre-program support and will monitor the completion of the Fulbright Specialist project.