Fulbright Student Award

Note: When the competition is launched, it will be advertised in the NEWS section of this website. Please check the TIMELINE  for general dates of competition.

The candidates will be selected through open, merit-based competition to participate in graduate level programs in any field except clinical medicine.

Each year scholarships are offered to Romanian citizens for the first year of master's program or for one year of academic research (non-degree). 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.

ELIGIBILITY:

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 BA degree, with good academic standing; undergraduate students can also compete, if they are in their final BA year at university;
• have English proficiency;
• if applying in law, candidates must hold a degree in that field.

The preference for candidates without extensive previous experience in the U.S. applies at each stage of competition. Candidates studying or researching in the U.S. at the time of application are ineligible for a Fulbright grant.

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;

THE APPLICATION PACKAGE consists of:
• the online application;
• three letters of recommendation from university professors and/or other acknowledged Romanian or foreign professionals;
• academic transcripts and diplomas for all undergraduate and graduate levels, accompanied by translations, scanned and uploaded to the online application by the deadline; official paper transcripts should be sent at a later date, only by those who are selected for interview.

TOEFL/GRE/GMAT test scores are mandatory only for the applicants who pass the Fulbright interview phase in September.

AWARD BENEFITS:
The Student Fulbright Award provides: international travel, tuition and university fees within established budget limits as well as accident/sickness insurance and monthly maintenance allowance. The grant also offers books and supplies allowance depending on available funds.

THE DURATION OF STUDENT FULBRIGHT GRANTS is one academic year beginning in August or September. Candidates appointed to certain types of Fulbright grants may be required to arrive during the summer for an introductory course or intensive English program prior to the academic year.
Second-year costs for the Romanian Fulbright degree-seeking (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 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES:

Selection Steps:

• applications are pre-screened;
• the assessment of study/research projects is performed by Fulbright alumni and leading Romanian and U.S. scholars in the respective fields of knowledge;
• the applicants recommended by reviewers will be invited to an interview carried out by a bi-national panel, in the first half of September;
• the nominated finalists are subject to final approval by the Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.

The Assessment Phase: each submitted application will be reviewed by one American and one Romanian specialist in the specific field of study addressed by the proposal. This is an evaluation of the professional level of the applicant's proposal, based on a series of criteria such as: clarity of ideas, academic credentials, feasibility and consistency of the proposal, evidence that residence in the U.S. is necessary for the applicant, commitment to Fulbright values etc.

Specialists can be American or Romanian but must fulfill the following criteria:
• Have at least a Ph.D. in the same field or academic area as the person screened;
• Be in leading positions in their departments or fields;
• Be members of highly regarded academic institutions (e.g. Romanian Academy);
• Have a sound ability to read and speak English;
• Be available and willing to participate in the process;
• Keep confidential our collaboration.

Frequently screening specialists
• have U.S. academic experience;
• are Fulbright alumni;
• are recommended by Fulbright professors whose judgment we trust .

The Interview Phase: the applicants who passed the assessment phase will be invited to the interview and evaluated by a nomination committee composed of specialists in various fields of knowledge. The committee evaluates candidates according to motivation and adaptability, impact and benefit for home country, in addition to the criteria used for the screening process. The candidates' presence at the interview is an absolute requirement of the program.

NOMINATING FINALISTS

After the ranking following the interview, the list of the Romanian nominees and their proposals will be forwarded to Washington DC to be approved by the International Fulbright Scholar Board of Directors.

ADMISSION AND AFFILIATION TO U.S. UNIVERSITIES

The Institute of International Education in New York (IIE) will team up with the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission in order to carry out the Romanian finalists' admission and affiliation process to accredited U.S. universities.

The duration of the entire selection process is approximately 12 months; as a result, the Fulbright Student Award competition is advertised a year before the grant starts. Affiliation of the Fulbright Student Award finalists will be concluded in May-July. Exchanges will begin in August - September, the year following the application.

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

NOTE:

All the candidates selected for a Fulbright grant are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report if and when demanded.

The letters of reference will not be considered if they are submitted//postmarked after the deadline of the competition. Only complete online applications will be accepted.

See also: FAQ