Fulbright Student Award to the United States 2021-2022

The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission is pleased to announce the 2021-2022 Fulbright Student Award competition for master’s study or research in the United States. Applicants can be Romanian graduates – BA, MA or PhD students – from accredited public and private universities. BA students are also invited to apply if they are in their final year of undergraduate study.

The Fulbright Student Award provides: international travel, tuition and university fees within established budget limits, books and supplies allowance, accident/sickness insurance and a living stipend for one academic year.

Second-year costs for the Romanian Fulbright master’s students may be covered depending on funds availability as well as on proof of good academic standing during the first year of study.

The applicants will be selected through open, merit-based competition to participate in quality graduate level programs in any academic field except the clinical ones (i.e. that include patient contact).

►    Grant duration: one academic year (9 months, starting August 2021)

►  Applicants must meet the following criteria:     • have Romanian citizenship; green card holders and persons with dual (Romanian and U.S.) citizenship are ineligible;
• hold at least a Bachelor’s degree (BA students may apply if they are in their final year of undergraduate study);
• have English proficiency;
• if applying in law, applicants must hold a degree in that field.

Note: Romanian citizens who are currently residing in the U.S., have been residents in the U.S. for five or more years in the previous six years preceding the date of the application or have recently graduated from a U.S. academic institution are ineligible to apply. The preference for candidates without extensive previous experience in the U.S. applies at each stage of competition.   ►  Each applicant will be required to submit:

•   a complete online application:https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2021

•    three letters of recommendation from university professors and/or other acknowledged Romanian or foreign professionals, submitted directly in the online application by referees or mailed as signed official paper copies (by May 11, 2020, postmarked); the letters of recommendations are also accepted via email (office@fulbright.ro) if they are sent directly by the recommenders as scanned signed documents by May 11, 2020;*

•   academic transcripts and diplomas for all undergraduate and graduate levels, accompanied by translations, scanned and uploaded to the online application by May 11, 2020; official paper transcripts should be sent at a later date, only by those who are selected for interview; high-school transcripts and diplomas are not required.

 *For letters of recommendation sent via post mail or e-mail: it is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the letters of recommendation reached the Fulbright office.

Application deadline: May 11, 2020

Standardized tests are not obligatory in the first stages of the competition. Score reports will be required prior to October 30, 2020. Test vouchers for exam registration will be provided only to the Romanian final nominees who must take TOEFL (for research) and TOEFL, GRE or GMAT (for master’s degree).

Please refer to the COMPLETE ONLINE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS The standard format of the letter of recommendation is accessible in editable word version here.
Note: Only online applications will be accepted. Incomplete applications lead to exclusion of the respective applicant from further selection process. Paper documents will not be returned.  
►    Applicants are also expected to:
•    be representative and responsible citizens, with a demonstrable potential to contribute to the mutual understanding of culture and values in Romania and the U.S;
•    share the acquired professional experience or disseminate results of the research upon return, contributing to their specific area of knowledge;
•    show motivation and flexibility necessary to adapt effectively to life in the United States;

Note:Researchers applying for a Fulbright Student Award are strongly encouraged to read the information HERE

►   The selection process: •    applications are subject to pre-screening; •    the assessment of study/research projects is performed by Fulbright alumni and leading Romanian and U.S. scholars in particular fields of knowledge; •    the applicants recommended by reviewers will be invited to an interview conducted by a bi-national selection committee, in September 2020; •    the nominated finalists are subject to final approval by the Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB).

NOTES:
• The Fulbright Student Award competition for Romanian applicants is for Master’s study or post-university research only. As a rule, applicants interested in research programs are expected to be early stage PhD students enrolled in a Romanian or European PhD program by the time of the application. The Fulbright awards for Romanian citizens are not meant for undergraduate programs.

• Candidates who are interested in research scholarships but already have a PhD degree are invited to apply in the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award competition which opens late May each year. More information about the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award competition is available here.
More details: http://www.fulbright.ro/fulbright-grants/for-romanian-citizens/fulbright-student-award; http://www.fulbright.ro/fulbright-grants/for-romanian-citizens/faq and http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/.

For further information, please send your inquiries to: office@fulbright.ro