The 2025-2026 application is now closed. The 2026-2027 competition will open in Spring 2025.

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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Panama

2 Open Study/Research Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
10 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

Proposals to conduct research and/or study in Panama, either independently or as part of the candidate's current graduate program, will be considered. However, serious consideration will be given to those who present significant study or research projects and establish an academic affiliation with an institution for coursework or research support. The research and its potential results should make significant contributions or have significant potential for impact on Panama.

Applications in all fields will be accepted. Areas of particular interest are International Finance; Environmental Sciences; Hydrology; Forest Management; Fishery Management; Sustainable Tourism; STEM Education; Ethnography; Cybersecurity; Journalism; and Political Science with a focus on anti-corruption, transparency, and governance.

 

Grant Length
10 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

Grant Length: 10 months.

The academic year is March through December. Most grantees choose to begin in the fall, but the start date is flexible. No grants may begin before the Pre-Departure Orientation, and the latest possible start date is March 31, 2026.

Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation

As a condition of the grant, all grantees to Panama are required to participate in the Pre-Departure Orientation in the U.S. in summer 2025, where Post (Embassy) will participate virtually, respond to questions and clarify doubts.

An onsite Post (Embassy) briefing session will be conducted within one week of the grantees' arrival in Panama.

 

Candidate Profile

Candidates must be dedicated, detailed and responsible research fellows with experience in the research field, since they are expected to work independently.

Candidates must have a clear idea of how they will engage with the host country outside of their grant activities to fulfill this mission; and how they plan to share their culture and values in their host community.

Since all grantees are required to give presentations to Post and to the community at-large on their research achievements at the completion of the program, candidates must be a confident presenter at conferences and teachers in classrooms, able to explain their project and results to audiences of all levels.

Applicants are responsible for arranging their own affiliations with an academic institution, research facility, or another appropriate organization.

 

What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?

The climate in Panama is very variable. Before there were two seasons, the rainy season which was from mid-April to November and the dry season which was from mid-November to April. Currently, due to the ravages of climate change, it can rain at any time and be sunny within 15 minutes.

The work culture in Panama is also quite different than in other countries. In Panama, work culture is based much more strongly on how well you know people, and on interpersonal connections. Grantees think that in the long run, relationships built this way are much stronger than the more transactional and impersonal approach in other countries.

Panama City is a cosmopolitan city with a banking area and skyscrapers located in the city center and around the coastal strip. This stands in contrast to the tranquility that is experienced in the most rural areas of the capital as well as in the rest of the provinces, where grantees can enjoy different folkloric and recreational activities. Grantees can access different geographical areas with varying microclimates within short distances of one another, including visiting a beach and going hiking in the highlands to enjoy a pleasant, cooler climate.

Eligibility
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
6 Months
Dual citizens of this country are eligible

Applicants who do not hold U.S./Panamanian citizenship are preferred, but dual citizens of this country are eligible.

Degree Level of Applicant
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Special Application Instructions

Applicants traveling to Panama must complete the process to obtain their Temporary Resident Permit under the immigration category of Fulbright Students. Post will guide applicants through the process, which involves some documents that must be requested, notarized or apostilled in the United States.

Before entry to the country, the grantee must contact the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section staff who will assist them with the necessary information to issue the Fulbright Temporary Resident Permit which allows them to stay in the country for a period longer than three months.

Foreign Language Proficiency
Required - Advanced

Additional Information:  Applicants should discuss plans for language study between time of application and the commencement of the grant with the Language Self-Evaluation. A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college level Spanish language instructor is also required.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline

Applicants are responsible for arranging their own affiliations with an academic institution, research facility, or another appropriate organization, and for submitting supporting documentation verifying the affiliation at the time of application. 

Post encourages applications for study/research outside of Panama City.

Students wishing to pursue human subject research of a medical nature, or environmental research, particularly of endangered Panamanian flora or fauna, are required to obtain a letter of support from a higher education institution located in Panama. At least one working (non-retired) local professor from the institution must be willing to provide academic guidance and oversight of the research. Support from a U.S.-based institution is insufficient, unless the institution has a physical presence in Panama in the form of either a professor(s) or a local licensing agreement. Students are responsible for securing their own academic (non-credit) sponsorship prior to arrival in Panama. The Public Affairs Section must receive a copy of this letter of support prior to arrival in Panama.

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition offered at discretion of host university/Award
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.

$1,850 monthly stipend amount in
$ [US Dollar]
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.

$ [US Dollar]
  • Research/Materials allowance
  • Settling in allowance
  • $1,675 base allowance to cover round-trip international travel, transit, excess baggage, settling-in expenses
  • $500 research allowance
Estimated Cost of Living

Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.

Please visit this website to help estimate the cost of living, meals, and incidentals in different capital cities. Significant differences can exist in smaller towns where costs tend to be lower.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is available
Housing Arrangements

Candidates are responsible for housing arrangements. However, Post can assist putting candidates in contact with former grantees who can share with them housing information. 

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.WHA@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
https://pa.usembassy.gov/
Special Considerations

Due to security risks, travel may be restricted to some regions of Panama. Travel beyond Santa Fe, Province of Darien is prohibited. Please refer to the State Department's Panama Travel Information webpage for the latest updates. Applicants are responsible for obtaining the necessary permits/authorizations and paying the respective fees required by the Panamanian government to carry out their research projects.

Before entry to the country the grantee must contact the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section staff who will assist them with the necessary information to issue the Fulbright Temporary Permit, which allows him/her to stay in the country for a period longer than three months.

Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Sarah Ferguson de Cano: fergusons2@state.gov
Additional Online Resources
Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Panama: https://pa.usembassy.gov/
Panama. Live for more: https://www.tourismpanama.com/