The Fulbright US Student Program is the largest US international exchange program. More than 360,000 Fulbrighters from the United States and other countries have participated in the program since its inception in 1946.
The Fulbright Student Program provides opportunities for students to undertake year-long post-graduate research, graduate degrees, arts projects, or teaching assistantships in one of 140+ countries around the world. 2,000+ students are selected annually for Fulbrights.
Read about how UT has been consistently recognized as a national Fulbright Student Program “Top Producer.”
If you are a UT student or alum who is interested in applying for the Fulbright, fill out an interest form by clicking here or email urf@utk.edu, and we will get in touch with you.
Spring Info Sessions & Workshops:
| Tues, Feb 24th | Fulbright Info Session (In-person) | 5:00pm-6:30pm | Lindsay Young Auditorium (1st floor of Hodges) |
To register for pizza and drinks |
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| Tues, Apr 7th | Fulbright Student Panel (In-person) | 4:00pm-5:00pm | SU 262A | RSVP Here | |
| Mon, Apr 13th | Fulbright Workshop #1 (ETA Award Selection) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 | RSVP Here To register for pizza and drinks | |
| Tues, Apr 14th | Fulbright Workshop #1 (Study/Research Award Selection) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 | RSVP Here To register for pizza and drinks | |
| Mon, Apr 20th | Fulbright Workshop #2 (ETA Statement of Grant Purpose) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 | RSVP Here To register for pizza and drinks | |
| Tues, Apr 21st | Fulbright Workshop #3 (ETA Short Answer Essays) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 | ||
| Mon, Apr 27th | Fulbright Workshop #2 (Study/Research Statement of Grant Purpose) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 | ||
| Tues, Apr 28th | Fulbright Workshop #3 (Study/Research Short Answer Essays) | 5:30pm-7:00pm | ARB 307 |
Fall Info Sessions & Workshops:
| Tues, Aug 11th | Fulbright Workshop #1 (ETA Award Selection) | 12:00pm-1:30pm | ARB 307 | |
| Wed, Aug 12th | Fulbright Workshop #2 (ETA Statement of Grant Purpose) | 12:00pm-1:30pm | ARB 307 | |
| Thur, Aug 13th | Fulbright Workshop #3 (ETA Short Answer Essays) | 12:00pm-1:30pm | ARB 307 |
Fulbright Deadlines
| TBD | Internal Deadline | TBD | ||
| TBD | National Deadline | TBD |
Note: UT faculty or PhDs interested in the Fulbright Scholar Program should contact Fulbright Faculty Advisor, Dr. Denita Hadziabdic Guerry at dhadziab@utk.edu
Visiting Fulbright Students and Scholars should contact the Strategic Engagement Coordinator for Global Affairs, Dr. Danielle Walker at dwalter4@utk.edu.
For more information about the Fulbright Student Program, read through the table below:
The two main types of Fulbright awards are Study/Research/Creative Project grants and English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grants.
An applicant may only apply for one of type of grant in one country per application cycle.
To read a full description of Fulbright award types, click here.
Study/Research/Creative Projects Grants
Students applying for Study/Research/Creative Project grants design their own projects and typically work with advisers at foreign universities.
The Study/Research grant is available in 140 countries with field-specific opportunities in the Creative & Performing Arts, Business, Journalism & Communication, STEM & Public Health, as well as Graduate degrees.
Applicants should ensure their project proposals be either country-specific or field-specific. Projects typically involve independent research, formal (i.e., classroom) study, or some combination thereof.
English Teaching Assistantships (ETAs)
Students who receive an ETA grant are placed in a foreign classroom and assist teachers of English to non-native English speakers.
Opportunities are available to teach ages and academic levels ranging from kindergarten to university.
Interested candidates should know that required or recommended teaching competency varies based on country.
Afterschool teaching, coaching, counseling, mentoring, tutoring are valuable experiences.
ETA recipients also serve as cultural ambassadors and typically take on a supplemental creative or research-based projects in their host community.
Specific requirements of ETA grants also vary by country.
Fulbright Eligibility Criteria
All UT undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni interested in applying for a Fulbright must work with the Office of Undergraduate Research, Fellowships & Service Learning throughout the application process.
Those interested in applying may fill out an interest form on our website by clicking here.
To be eligible, all applicants must…
- Have a bachelor’s degree by the start of the grant, be a current graduate student (without a PhD), or be an alum who holds at least a bachelor’s degree but does not have a PhD
- A US citizen or national at the time of application (Please note that some countries hold specific standards of ineligibility, such as dual citizenship or extensive recent experiences in the host country).
- There is no minimum GPA, but broadly speaking, competitive applicants possess a strong academic record
Am I right for the Fulbright?
The Fulbright is a nationally competitive award designed to foster deep cultural exchange.
Each applicant’s qualifications and experiences—in and out of the classroom—are evaluated holistically.
Yes, candidates must be capable, and have a demonstrated record, of accomplishing what they propose in their applications; however, the Fulbright is looking for applicants who can foster better mutual understanding between the US and the host country, on a one-to-one basis.
Have questions about any items above, email us at urf@utk.edu.
- April 1, 2025: Applications for 2026-2027 Fulbright Cycle Open
- Sept 2, 2025: Campus Application Deadline
- October 7 at 5pm EST: National Fulbright Application Deadline
- December 2025 – February 2026: Semi-Finalists Announcements
- April 2026: Fulbright Recipients Announced