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Northwestern Buffett Institute for Global Affairs

Discover Fulbright Opportunities

The Fulbright Program provides grants to thousands of students and scholars each year to travel abroad and conduct research, carry out professional projects, study or teach.

Funded by the U.S. government, Fulbright offers international education and cultural exchange programs to foster mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and those of other nations. For 19 years, Northwestern University has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright student awardees. Additionally, in 2022, two faculty members received awards under the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

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Northwestern Fulbright Week

Northwestern’s Fulbright Week (April 10–14, 2023) offered faculty, students and staff opportunities to learn about Fulbright grants, make new connections and increase their chances of a successful application. Fulbright Week is organized by the Northwestern Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and supported by Northwestern's Office of Administration and Planning, Office of Fellowships and Office of the Vice President for International Relations.

Fulbright Visiting Scholar Lecture: Large-Scale Social Engineering in Egypt

for the Northwestern University community and general public

Monday, April 10
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Buffett Events Space

The Northwestern Buffett Institute hosted a lecture from Dr. Amal Abdrabo, a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University and Assistant Professor at Alexandria University in Egypt, co-sponsored by Northwestern's Middle East and North African Studies Program. Dr. Abdrabo was joined by her faculty host Dr. Jessica Winegar, Professor and Hamid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Chair in Middle Eastern Studies in the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

The lecture examined the emergence of a new social contract represented by the Egyptian state and media as the “New Republic.” Examining the discourses surrounding mega-desert projects, such as the government’s new administrative capital outside of Cairo, the lecture interrogated how the state communicates the dream of a “New Republic” to citizens and assess how this state discourse corresponds to individuals’ hopes, if at all, and on what scale.
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Information Session

for Northwestern faculty

Monday, April 10
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program invited Northwestern faculty to a virtual information session. Fulbright staff discussed award opportunities as well as the application and selection process.
Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Information Session with Current Fellows

for Northwestern students and alumni

Tuesday, April 11
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Online via Zoom

Morning Session: This online information session focused on Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards. Recent Northwestern graduates now serving as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, Michael Senko and Olivia Cohen, discussed their experiences applying for the program and teaching in Taiwan.
Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Information Session with Current Fellows

for Northwestern students and alumni

Tuesday, April 11
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom

Afternoon Session: This online information session focused on Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards. Recent Northwestern graduates now serving as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, Jessa Shortridge and Alina Junejo, discussed their experiences applying for the program and teaching in Germany and Spain, respectively.
Opening Reception and Keynote Address

for the Northwestern University community and general public

Tuesday, April 11
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Hybrid Event:
Buffett Events Space or
Online via Zoom

Past, present and prospective Fulbright grantees as well as Fulbright advocates were invited to a reception celebrating Northwestern's Fulbright community and the power of cultural exchange. This event kicked off Northwestern’s Fulbright Week.

We were delighted to have as our keynote speaker Dr. D. Soyini Madison, Professor Emeritus of Performance Studies and Anthropology at Northwestern University, who lived and worked in Ghana as a Senior Fulbright Scholar conducting field research for her book Acts of Activism: Human Rights and Radical Performance.
Alumni Panel: Study and Research Fulbright Awardees

for Northwestern students and alumni

Wednesday, April 12
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom

Northwestern's recent student Fulbright award recipients for study and research abroad discussed their experiences during this online panel discussion, detailing the application and selection process as well as their time studying or conducting research abroad through their Fulbright program. A Q&A session followed the panel.
One World \ One Northwestern: Get Involved with Fulbright!

for Northwestern staff

Wednesday, April 12
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
1800 Sherman Ave, Floor 7
Room 7-600

Northwestern staff members from any university department were invited to this panel discussion on opportunities for staff to get involved with the U.S. Fulbright program through the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Program or by supporting Northwestern students through the Fulbright application process. The panel discussion was followed by a staff community-building reception.

Previous staff awardees of Fulbright's IEA Program who traveled to Germany and India through the program shared their experiences and its impact on their personal and professional lives during the panel discussion. The Office of Fellowships discussed ways to support Northwestern students in their Fulbright application process.

This event was hosted by the Office of the Vice President for International Relations (VPIR) through its One World \ One Northwestern initiative.
Fulbright Specialist Program Information Session with Northwestern Faculty Alum

for Northwestern faculty and senior administrators

Thursday, April 13
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Online via Zoom

Interested in using your expertise to serve as an expert consultant and strengthen collaborations with overseas institutions? Northwestern faculty and senior administrators were invited to join us for an in-depth look at the Fulbright Specialist Program.

The program provides U.S. citizens who are established professionals or academics and possess expertise in qualifying disciplines with the opportunity to engage in short-term (two- to six-week) project-based exchanges at host institutions around the globe. 

Fulbright Specialist Program staff overviewed the program, benefits and application process as well as answered attendee questions during this presentation. Dr. Peter Locke, Associate Professor of Instruction at Northwestern and a 2022 Fulbright Specialist to Serbia, discussed his experience.
Fulbright vs. Peace Corps: What's Right for You?

for Northwestern students and alumni

Thursday, April 13
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
1940 Sheridan Road Conference Room

Both the Fulbright and Peace Corps programs provide U.S. government-funded opportunities for Americans to gain meaningful experiences abroad. During this information session, Peace Corps representative Alexandria Warren and Northwestern's Fulbright advisers compared and contrasted these two flagship programs and provided time for students to ask questions.
Fulbright Application Workshop: Study and Research Awards

for Northwestern students and alumni

Thursday, April 13
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom

Are you interested in pursuing research or study abroad through a Fulbright program? This Zoom workshop provided information about the Fulbright application process at Northwestern, including application components and successful application strategies. Students need not have a draft of their essays, but they benefitted most with a clear vision of their research project or desired area of study. Northwestern undergraduate and graduate alumni as well as current students were encouraged to join.

Faculty and Administrators

Northwestern Buffett serves as the University’s Fulbright Scholar Liaison, facilitating increased participation in the Fulbright Scholar Program via institutional level support and peer-to-peer engagement.

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Research and Professional Exchange

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 800 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world.  

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Pre-Application Travel Grant offered by the Northwestern Buffett Institute provides Northwestern faculty members funding to visit international partners and collaborators abroad in advance of applying for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award.

Potential applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program are encouraged to review Fulbright applicant resources. Faculty members may also schedule a meeting with Anahit Gomtsian in Northwestern’s Office of Administration and Planning.  

Fulbright Specialist Program

The Fulbright Specialist Program is an opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. 

Fulbright International Education Administrators Program

The International Education Administrators (IEA) seminars program helps international education professionals and senior higher education officials from the United States create empowering connections with the societal, cultural and higher education systems of other countries. 

The Office of the Vice President for International Relations offers One World \ One Northwestern Affinity Groups, which bring together staff members from across the university working in similar areas and facing similar challenges. Affinity groups include a writing circle for grants, conference sessions and articles. Please contact Kim Rapp, Assistant Vice President for International Relations, for more information including assistance with the IEA application.

Hosting International Scholars

Fulbright Visiting Scholars

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides grants to approximately 850 foreign scholars from over 100 countries to conduct post-doctoral research at U.S. institutions. These relationships between Northwestern faculty hosts and visiting scholars are typically organically developed. However, Northwestern Buffett serves as an Administrative Official for the program and offers guidance to faculty who wish to host Fulbright visiting scholars as well as resources and support for visitors. Please contact Samantha Nissen, Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives, for assistance with completing the Institutional Reply Form.

Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program

The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program allows institutions to host a scholar from outside of the U.S. for a semester or full academic year to teach courses, assist in curriculum development, guest lecture, develop study abroad and/or exchange partnerships and engage with local communities. This institutionally driven program accepts a maximum of one application per university in non-consecutive years. Northwestern Buffett will send out a call when the application opens in a given academic year. Fulbright typically issues its call for applications approximately 15 months before the anticipated start of the grant, with deadlines 11–12 months ahead of a grant’s start date. 

Fulbright Outreach Lecturing Fund

The Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) provides funding for campuses to host Fulbright Visiting Scholars, already in the United States, for short-term speaking engagements. The OLF award is designed to enrich both institutions and Visiting Scholars through lectures that will promote academic disciplines and cultural understanding.  

U.S. Students

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers students and recent alumni the opportunity to research, study or teach English abroad and is open to students of all disciplines.

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Northwestern’s Office of Fellowships assists Northwestern students and alumni through the Fulbright application process. 

International Students and Scholars

Northwestern hosts numerous Fulbright student and scholar grantees each year. International students and scholars who are interested in pursuing a Fulbright opportunity at Northwestern should explore opportunities available to individuals from their home countries through the programs below:

Fulbright international students and scholars who are already on campus, or who have been accepted to participate in their program, may contact their Fulbright adviser or Samantha Nissen, Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives, for assistance.