Mexico
4 Fulbright Graduate Degree Award
Accepted Degree Levels
|
Grant PeriodFall StartGrant Length9 Months |
Award Type
Fulbright Graduate Degree Grants
- Yes
Award Profile
The U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational Exchange (COMEXUS), the Fulbright Commission in Mexico, will support up to four academic semesters (2 years) in a master’s program or up to six academic semesters (3 years) in a doctoral program. Selected candidates will receive funding for their first two semesters. Approval of subsequent financial support will be subject to academic performance and availability of funds. Benefits include monthly maintenance, up to 50,000 pesos in tuition per year, and one round-trip ticket from the United States to Mexico.
Only candidates seeking to complete a master’s or doctoral degree at a Mexican university or qualified Mexican academic institution are eligible to apply.
Applications will be accepted in all fields of study except medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry. Applications in STEM fields, and Public Policy, or Public Administration are particularly welcome.
Fulbright grants in Mexico are known as "Fulbright-García Robles" grants.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Grant Length:
Master's degree candidates: 9 months support for up to two years, to coincide with the academic calendar of the host institution (typically in early August).
Doctoral degree candidates: 12 months support for up to three years, to coincide with the academic calendar of the host institution (typically in early August).
Grant payments will not start before August of the grant year.
Orientation
All grantees will be required to attend a mandatory Welcome Orientation in Mexico City during the last week of August 2025, organized and sponsored by COMEXUS. If grantees have class times that conflict with this mandatory orientation, COMEXUS will provide a letter to excuse attendance or give permission to miss an activity of the orientation.
COMEXUS will arrange international transportation for grantees, except in very specific cases in which grantees travel with a qualified dependent. Grantees should not purchase their airfare without first consulting their COMEXUS Program Officer.
Candidate Profile
Applications of all degree levels are accepted. Candidates should demonstrate:
- The need to complete their master's or doctoral degree in Mexico
- The connection of the university faculties/programs selected to the candidate's future goals
- The binational relevance and impact of their research interests
- Flexibility (especially for those seeking a master's degree) in modifying research plans to accommodate program learning and advisor guidance.
- Knowledge of the research generated by Mexican scholars (historical and contemporary) in their discipline.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
The close, dynamic relationship between the United States and Mexico offers a plethora of opportunities for students interested in conducting research at the university level on issues of relevance for both countries. Mexico is proud of its ancestral cultural heritage as well as its long history of academic excellence. The opportunities for informed travel and discovery for U.S. researchers are endless.
The site of major Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec, among others, and home to one of the most biodiverse environments, it is no wonder that Mexico boasts the largest UNESCO world heritage in the American continent: 14 cities, 35 cultural and natural sites, as well as an important number of intangible patrimonies. Additionally, Mexico has designated 132 Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns), communities that over time have maintained their original architecture, traditions, history and culture, which enhance the richness of travel destinations.
Mexico was colonized by Spain in the early 16th century and achieved independence three centuries later. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente Fox of the conservative Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe Calderón, but Enrique Peña Nieto regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andrés Manuel López Obrador, from the Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (MORENA), became president in December 2018. Presidents in Mexico cannot be reelected after their six-year term. In 2024 there will be elections and the two strongest candidates are women, so Mexico will most likely have a female President for the first time!
Education in Mexico has a long tradition. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), which started as Real y Pontificia Universidad de México (Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico), was founded in 1551 and is the second oldest institution of higher education in the American Continent. UNAM has been cited as one of the largest and most important universities, not only in Mexico but in all of Latin America. Its philosophy is closely tied to social responsibility, at the service of the country and humankind by educating academics and professionals to be of use to society, able to organize and carry out research on social and political issues that have vast cultural benefits. All three of Mexico’s Nobel Prize winners, Octavio Paz, Mario J. Molina, and Alfonso García Robles were UNAM graduates.
There are six subsystems of higher education institutions in Mexico: public universities, technological institutes, technological universities, teacher training colleges, and other public and private institutions. When all of them are counted, Mexico has 1,250 institutions of higher education. Mexico’s 45 public universities, generate 50 percent of all academic research and produce 52 percent of undergraduates as well as 48 percent of graduate students. There are also one hundred and sixty-eight private universities to be found throughout the country.
There are a few very interesting and original public higher educational institutions unique to Mexico that have been studied and reproduced in other countries. This is the case of the Universidades Interculturales, specifically designed for bilingual and bicultural environments in regions with a strong indigenous presence. There is a world-renowned prestigious agricultural university, La Universidad Autonoma de Chapingo, that boards students from all over the country. The Escuelas Normales Rurales (teacher training in rural areas) are also exemplary educational institutions. All combined, the opportunities for U.S. Study/Research Students to establish relationships with their Mexican counterparts are endless.
The education system is mostly centered in Mexico City, however, there are other important educational hubs that attract students from all over, for example, Puebla, Puebla; Xalapa, Veracruz; Leon and Guanajuato, Guanajuato; Guadalajara, Jalisco and Merida in the Yucatán peninsula.
Eligibility
7 Months
- Candidates must not be living, working or studying in Mexico during application and selection process.
- Candidates with a valid Tarjeta de Residente (temporal or permanente) are not eligible to apply.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
- Doctoral
Special Application Instructions
Refer to this program in your Statement of Grant Purpose and list 'Graduate Degree Award' under Award Name on the Fulbright application.
Foreign Language Proficiency
Additional Information: Higher level proficiency will be necessary to complete the requirements of the proposed degree program. Applicants should include in the Language Self-Evaluation plans for language study between the time of application and the commencement of the grant. A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college-level Spanish language instructor is also required.
Fulbright Proposal Types
No
Yes
Affiliation
Letter recommended but not required at deadline
Applicants are responsible for applying directly to the university’s graduate program in addition to the Fulbright Program. The applicant should attempt to obtain a letter from the university academic department stipulating that the academic program sought by the applicant is available and admission is feasible based on a preliminary review of the applicant's background and credentials.
It is recommended to research a minimum of three Mexican universities to determine, program(s) of interest, call for application deadlines and program start date, and whether these programs are a good fit for the candidate's profile. Applicants must refer to at least one and up to three Mexican university programs in which they are interested in applying and justify these choices in the Statement of Purpose.
Applicants must secure an affiliation with a Mexican university and present a letter of acceptance prior to receiving the final grant offer.
Applications to Mexican universities take time and special documentation is often required for international students. Special attention should be given to the application deadlines and the time needed for U.S. documentation (such as diploma and transcripts) to be translated and notarized (apostillado).
Affiliation Fees/Tuition
COMEXUS will provide up to 50,000 pesos per academic year to cover the costs of tuition and other relevant degree program expenses, as determined by the Commission, to all grantees regardless of the area of study. This amount will cover most public universities in Mexico, however, may not cover all tuition expenses for some private universities. The Commission will assist grantees in obtaining tuition waivers, when possible.
Applicants are encouraged to check actual and full tuition costs of the university and program to which they are applying. Private universities in particular can cost several thousand pesos per semester. If the annual tuition covered by the Fulbright award does not cover the full tuition of the academic year, it is the grantee´s responsibility to pay the balance.
Eligible grantees may also qualify for a CONAHCYT grant to cover the balance of tuition. More information is available here.
Award Benefits
- A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
- International travel benefits
- Accident & sickness health benefits
- 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
- 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
Stipend Amount
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
This is an approximate amount and varies according to specific host location and local cost of living.
One-Time Allowances
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
- Research/Materials allowance
- Settling in allowance
There is a one-time allowance of $500 dollars for books and a one-time $200 dollar allowance for relocation and settling-in expenses.
Additional Grant Benefits
- Mid-year seminar
Grantees are required to attend a midterm enrichment seminar during mid-January, Transportation from grantees' placements to the seminar and back will be covered by COMEXUS.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
You may wish to visit this website to better understand how cost of living varies according to placement.
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Neither COMEXUS nor the U.S. Embassy/consulate will assist in locating or helping secure housing for U.S. Fulbright grantees.
The Commission may make suggestions and offer contacts and references from former grantees, but it is the grantee’s responsibility to find housing. Although some grants come with a modest relocation award, the Commission recommends having sufficient funds to cover move-in expenses. Having a few short-term options in mind following the Welcome Orientation is a good idea since it is not advisable to secure long-term housing before arrival. After several days or weeks, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for in your living situation and more importantly, the length of commute between your home and primary grant activity site.
Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Visa Required
Candidates must have a Visa Authorization from a Mexican Consulate before entering the country on a Fulbright grant. For this reason, and due to Mexican immigration laws, candidates with current legal residency in Mexico will not be considered.
COMEXUS will assist in a preauthorization visa approval process for the grantees and their dependents prior to their arrival in Mexico. Within 30 days of arriving in Mexico, the grantees and their dependents must exchange their visa for a Tarjeta de Residente Temporal Estudiante.
Travel Advisories
The Fulbright Commission in Mexico follows the recommendations of both the Mexican government and the U.S. Embassy when placing U.S. Fulbright grantees in Mexico. Placement may be restricted in certain states or areas of Mexico, dependent on these recommendations. Please consult the detailed U.S. State Dept. Mexico Travel Advisory for information about your prospective location. Projects in level 4 travel advisory areas ("Do Not Travel") will not be considered. Locations with a level 3 travel advisory ("Reconsider Travel") may be approved on an exceptional basis. Any exceptional permissions may be re-evaluated if conditions change significantly before or during the grant.