Choosing Your Fulbright Country
Melissa’s Tips for Crafting a Successful Fulbright Application, Part 2
How does a Fulbright applicant know what country to apply to? In many cases, the answer is obvious. Perhaps the applicant has friends from the country, or family ties there, or maybe they simply love the culture and language. Maybe the country has a university with a breaking edge program in their field or a significant need your work and research can help meet.
Here’s my story: Long before I knew about Fulbright, I loved studying Spanish and learning about Hispanic cultures. I started learning Spanish when I was around 13 or 14 by listening to podcasts. Over the years, I met several Mexican classical musicians at summer music festivals and in my master’s degree program. Talking with these friends piqued my interest in the classical music tradition of their country. I even dated a Mexican guy (who is now my husband!). Eventually, it became obvious: I need to get a Fulbright award to study Mexican classical music in Mexico!
Looking back, I didn’t choose Mexico. Mexico chose me. And I’m not alone: it seems that many Fulbrighters have a compelling connection to the country to which they are applying. A Fulbright award to said country is an obvious next step, culminating from the applicant’s experiences, interests, and achievements thus far.
Now, you may be interested in Fulbright but lack a draw to a particular country. Don’t lose heart: just because a country hasn’t “chosen” you doesn’t mean that Fulbright is out of the picture. Here are a few thoughts to guide your initial search:
Is there a connection to a country you’re overlooking? Maybe you studied German in high school and never got back to it. Maybe your great grandparents immigrated from Finland and you want to reconnect with those roots. Maybe you have a lot of friends from a particular country, and you enjoy the culture, food, and people.
Could your field of study help you narrow it down? If you are planning to apply for a research grant, look into international universities with strong programs in this field. Ask your professors if they have any leads.
Make use of the Fulbright grantee directory. This convenient tool allows you to search Fulbright awardees by country, field of study, and more. Once you have narrowed your list down to three or four countries of interest, search for previous projects within your field in those countries. Enter your search, then click on a grantee’s name to see their project title.
Contact your campus Fulbright advisor. (Search through your institution here.) This resource isn’t just for currently enrolled students. Alumni can also contact their campus advisor! Reach out and ask to set up a meeting or attend a presentation. I cannot recommend this step highly enough. My campus advisor at the University of Kansas was immensely helpful both times I applied for a Fulbright to Mexico.
Once you have made your decision, be sure to proactively solidify your connection to and knowledge about this country. Check out language practice groups or campus international clubs in your area or online. Make use of online resources to learn about your country of interest, from YouTube channels to podcasts, audiobooks, and even movies.
Finally, be sure to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the specific requirements for your country of interest and program. (Find the Fulbright countries page here.) Each country has specific requirements and considerations. You will want to know these specifications forwards and backwards!