Discover Fulbright Opportunities: Buffett Institute for Global Affairs

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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 21 years, Northwestern University has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright student awardees. Additionally, in 2023, a Northwestern graduate student and faculty member received awards under the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

Northwestern Fulbright Week

Northwestern’s Fulbright Week (April 7–11, 2025) offers 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 Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and supported by the Office of Fellowships, Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice President for International Relations.


Fulbright Study/Research/Arts Information Meeting for Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students Monday, April 7 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Office of Fellowships 1940 Sheridan Road, Conference Room, Evanston, IL	Interested in Fulbright Study/Research & Arts Awards? Attend this meeting to learn how Fulbright can transform your life and pursuits. You will hear about the history of the Fulbright program, understand the core values that animate the Fulbright competition, review various kinds of awards and hear about the Northwestern University application process and timeline. Get all your Fulbright questions answered! REGISTER
Meet Fulbright English Teacher in Spain for Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students Tuesday, April 8 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Online via Zoom	Meet NU grad and current Fulbrighter to Spain, Anika Velasco! Are you interested in teaching English abroad after graduation? The U.S. Department of State's Fulbright U.S. Student program places English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in classrooms abroad to provide support to local English teachers. ETAs strengthen English language instructions in seventy-five countries world-wide. Host institutions range from elementary and secondary school to university language departments. REGISTER
Fulbright Week Keynote & Reception with Sir Hilary Beckles \| From Episodic Moments to the Global Movement: 21st Century Reparatory Justice for Northwestern community and general public Tuesday, April 8 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Buffett Reading Room, Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, 720 University Place Evanston, IL	Join the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs for a keynote and reception celebrating Northwestern's Fulbright community and the transformative power of cultural exchange as part of Northwestern's Fulbright Week. We are delighted to have as our keynote speaker Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. Welcome & Keynote \| 4:00–5:00 p.m. "From Episodic Moments to the Global Movement: 21st Century Reparatory Justice" The 21st century will witness reparatory justice for the crimes against humanity committed during modern colonialism. Everywhere in post-colonial states, descendant citizens of these crimes in north Atlantic imperial nations are making representations for reparatory justice. In this talk, Sir Hilary Beckles will discuss how, together, they are constituting a global wave as the greatest political movement of the century. Reception \| 5:00–6:00 p.m. Following the keynote, join us for a reception to connect with fellow Fulbright grantees and advocates across campus. REGISTER
Fulbright Study/Research/Arts Information Meeting for Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students Thursday, April 10 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Online via Zoom	Interested in Fulbright Study/Research & Arts Awards? Attend this meeting to learn how Fulbright can transform your life and pursuits. You will hear about the history of the Fulbright program, understand the core values that animate the Fulbright competition, review various kinds of awards and hear about the Northwestern University application process and timeline. Get all your Fulbright questions answered! REGISTER
Meet Fulbright English Teachers in Taiwan & Cambodia for Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students Thursday, April 10 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Online via Zoom	Meet NU grads and current Fulbrighters to Taiwan & Cambodia! Are you interested in teaching English abroad after graduation? The U.S. Department of State's Fulbright U.S. Student program places English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in classrooms abroad to provide support to local English teachers. ETAs strengthen English language instructions in seventy-five countries world-wide. Host institutions range from elementary and secondary school to university language departments. REGISTER
Staff Engagement Opportunities with Fulbright for Northwestern staff Thursday, April 10 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Online via Zoom	This panel presentation focuses on opportunities for Northwestern staff members to get involved with the U.S. Fulbright program. Previous awardees of the International Education Administrators Program will share their experience applying to and participating in the program, and the impact of this Fulbright experience on their personal and professional lives. Northwestern staff members from any university department are welcome. This event is hosted by the Office of the Vice President for International Relations through its One World \ One Northwestern initiative. REGISTER
Application Workshop: Fulbright Study/Research/Arts Awards for Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students Thursday, April 11 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Office of Fellowships 1940 Sheridan Road, Conference Room, Evanston, IL	Interested in pursuing research, study or the arts abroad? Attend an application workshop to learn about the Fulbright application process at Northwestern. We will discuss application components and successful application strategies. You do not need a draft of your essays, but will benefit most if you have a clear vision of your project. REGISTER

Faculty and Administrators

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

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 Pre-Application Travel Grant for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offered by the 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. The 2024 deadline to apply for this grant from Buffett was March 15.

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 programming, which bring together staff members from across the university working in similar areas and facing similar challenges. 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.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Learn more

Northwestern’s Office of Fellowships assists Northwestern students and alumni through the Fulbright application process. Contact Steve Hill if you are interested in applying for a Fulbright award to fund your research, study or a project in the creative or performing arts. Contact Amy Kehoe if you are interested in teaching English abroad. Undergraduates may schedule appointments with Steve and Amy through ConnectNU.

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 Foreign Student Program

Learn more

Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program

Learn more

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 Danielle Vogel in Northwestern's Office for International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) for assistance.