Glossary
The institution in the host country with which an applicant will work during the grant term.
Initial Notifications
All applicants are notified by the end of January as to whether they were designated as Recommended (Semi-Finalists) or Non-Recommended by the Fulbright National Screening Committee. Recommended applications are forwarded to the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in the host country for final review.
Final Selection Notifications
All Semi-Finalists are notified in the spring as to whether they have been selected as a Finalist, designated as an Alternate, or Non-Selected. The exact timing of the notification will vary by country.
- 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.
A candidate who is not currently enrolled in a U.S. undergraduate or graduate degree program and who is not applying through their alma mater will apply for a Fulbright U.S. Student grant as an At-Large applicant.
The person at a U.S. embassy responsible for monitoring and supervising educational and cultural exchange programs, assisting with placement of grantees, and providing support services to grantees in non-commission countries. In some countries, the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. em-bassy may consist of only one officer—the PAO (Public Affairs Officer)—who may be the responsible person. In others, there may be an ACAO (Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer) or APAO (Assistant Public Affairs Officer).
Within the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, a dependent is either (1) a spouse, or (2) a relative (child, parent, sibling) who is financially dependent on the grantee. A small maintenance allowance may be provided for accompanying dependents in some countries. The balance of maintenance expenses for dependents is the responsibility of the grantee. An accompanying dependent is one spending at least 80 percent of the grant period abroad with the grantee.
A diplomatic pouch is a benefit sometimes available to grantees of Post countries through the U.S. Embassy. When available, this is a tool that grantees can use to ship materials to the host country. It is important to note its limitations, as this is often a one time benefit, and materials must be related to the grant and be intended to remain in the host country after the grant concludes. Examples of materials sent in a diplomatic pouch include books or educational resources. Review the grant benefits section of the award description carefully to determine if grantees may have access to a diplomatic pouch. Diplomatic pouch requirements vary by embassy.
The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) is a presidentially-appointed, 12-member independent body that formulates the policies and selection criteria governing the Fulbright Program and which has legislative responsibility for making final selections
A bi-national, autonomous entity established by treaty between the U.S. and the partner country to plan, administer, and supervise the Fulbright Programs between their respective countries. Find out more information and a listing of the 49 Fulbright Commissions.
The FPA is appointed by a U.S. college or university to serve as the contact on campus responsible for publicizing Fulbright Program opportunities and for providing guidance on the application process. FPAs will also coordinate the submission of applications to IIE and will organize the on-campus interview process.
The private, non-profit agency under contract to the U.S. Department of State to organize publicity, receive and process applications and, through its National Screening Committee (NSC), make recommendations to the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for graduate study/research awards and English Teaching Assistant Programs under the Fulbright Program. IIE also administers the Fulbright U.S. Student grants in Post countries.
The first stage of the Fulbright application review process is conducted in the U.S. by a panel of university faculty members with expertise in the country or world region (for study/research awards), in TESOL, Education, and foreign language (for English Teaching Assistant Programs), and in the specific disciplines (for creative and performing arts grants).
The U.S. embassy in the host country responsible for Fulbright Program activities in countries where there is no Fulbright Commission. Responsibility for the Fulbright Program rests with the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the embassy under the direction of the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO).
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy is responsible for all public affairs activities, including educational and cultural exchanges, as well as speaker programs, press activities, etc. The PAS is the supervi¬sory agency for the Fulbright Program in a country with no Commission/Foundation.
The Fulbright Commission or U.S. embassy in the host country that has direct responsibility for selecting Fulbright grantees and for supervising grantees during the grant period.
The sponsor of the Fulbright Program, which operates under policy guidelines established by the FFSB and in cooperation with the bi-national Fulbright Commissions and Public Affairs Sections of U.S. embassies abroad. Visit their website.