Established in 1946 by the United States Congress to facilitate cultural exchanges, the Fulbright Program is a unique opportunity for graduate students to pursue an individually designed study/research project abroad.
On Thursday, September 2, the Graduate School will sponsor a presentation for graduate students and faculty advisers on the Fulbright Program. The speaker will be Joseph Graff, a representative of the Institute of International Education, which administers the Fulbright graduate awards. Mr. Graff will speak about the application process and answer prospective applicants’ questions. The presentation will take place in 202 McKenna Hall from 4:30 to 5:30 pm.
The Fulbright Program of grants for study abroad:
- funds a 9-12 month stay in a foreign country to conduct doctoral or master’s-level research;
- supports study and research in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as in the creative and performing arts;
- supports more than 150 fields of study and operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world.
The benefits of applying for a Fulbright include:
- an opportunity to learn about the academic scene in a foreign country in order to secure an affiliation there
- incentive to acquire fluency in the appropriate foreign language
- motivation to discern and articulate the broader significance of one’s research to a non-specialist audience
- the need to think of one’s contributions to the world as more than exclusively academic
The on-campus Fulbright application deadline is Monday, September 13.
Students who will apply for a Fulbright this fall should attend the information session, as well as first- and second-year students who are planning ahead.
The Fulbright website has comprehensive coverage of the application process. Helpful podcasts, webinars, and blog entries by current Fulbrighters can be accessed through the “Multimedia” tab in the left navigation bar.
Faculty members play a crucial role in encouraging and mentoring Fulbright applicants. Most successful Fulbright applicants were urged to apply by a faculty member. We warmly welcome Directors of Graduate Study to come and learn more about the Fulbright program and application process.
The Fulbright Program Advisor for graduate students at Notre Dame is Dianne Phillips. She is available by email: dphillip@nd.edu; phone: 631-3441; or in person (244 O’Shaughnessy Hall) to advise graduate students and review their Fulbright applications. Visit the Fulbright webpage for Notre Dame graduate students for more information.