Fulbright Graduate Fellowship Program for the 2020-2021 academic year

18 August 2019

The US Embassy in Georgia is pleased to announce applications for the Fulbright Graduate Fellowship Program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

 

The scholarship program provides full funding for master’s degree studies at the United States Universities in all disciplines. 

 

The Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most prestigious US Government scholarships. The program is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State. The program is governed by the regulations of the William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Based on an agreement with the US Department of Education's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Institute of International Education (New York, USA) works with a wide range of US universities to find the most qualified Fulbright candidates. Suitable for the academic program. 

 

Qualification requirements:

 

  • Applicants must be Georgian citizens or holders of a neutral travel document from Abkhazia (Georgia) or the former South Ossetian Autonomous District (Georgia)
  • Applicants must have completed a bachelor's or equivalent degree
  • Applicants must possess oral and written English language skills at a level that will enable them to study in the US
  • Applicants must meet J-1 visa requirements, including a scholarship to return to Georgia after completing at least 2 years
  • The applicant must undergo a medical examination
  • Students who are already studying for a master's degree program at one of the US universities cannot apply
  • Dual citizenship holders or other persons wishing to obtain permanent residence in the United States cannot apply. 

 

Application process:

 

Applicants must meet the above criteria and upload the following documents together with the electronic application: 

 

  • Electronic application;
  • 3 Letter of recommendation from professors or chiefs of staff (upload to Embark system);
  • Official marks sheet from all post-school institutions (upload to Embark system);
  • Translation of marks sheet into English (upload to Embark system)
  • Diploma (upload to Embark system)

 

Additional requirements:

 

  • Applicants in the social sciences, journalism and humanities may additionally submit research, printed articles or other papers if they believe this will enhance their chances
  • Applicants in the fine arts and performing arts fields must submit a demonstration paper - a portfolio of artworks, a video clip, a film, an audio recording of a musical piece, etc.
  • Applicants may submit a professional resume if they wish
  • Applicants who apply for the Performing Arts may be eligible for an interview

 

Selection process:

 

  • Phase 1 - Mid-August: Examination of Qualification and Formal Requirements - At this stage it is evaluated whether the applications submitted meet the qualification and formal requirements. Applicants who do not meet the qualification and/or formal requirements do not progress to the second stage of the selection process.
  • Phase 2 - End of August: Contextual Examination of Applications - At this stage, the content of the statements is checked, which results in the eligibility of interviewees
  • Phase 3 - Mid-September: Interviewing - Selected candidates are interviewed and semi-finalists are identified. The interview will be held at the US Embassy. 

 

All phases of the selection will be conducted by a bi-national selection commission set up by the US Embassy in Georgia and comprised of the Embassy, LEPL International Education Center and former Fulbright Fellows. Semi-finalists will be required to take the following standard tests in September-October: 

 

  • TOEFL - IBT at least 80 points; PBT at least 550 points. Recommended IBT 100 points (PBT 600 points) in a range of areas including architecture, public administration, business. The minimum requirement in law is IBT 100 points
  • GRE - Required in all fields, except law
  • GMAT - Required for business administration in the field

 

The International Institute of Education is sending applications to the US universities for consideration. Candidates must not apply to universities themselves. The final decision on the distribution of candidates to universities is made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State on the recommendation of the International Institute of Education.

  

Keep in mind that successful applicants are typically under 30 years of age, have no education in the US or Europe, have at least 2 years of work experience, and have clearly demonstrated leadership potential.

 

Applications started on May 1, 2019 and ends at 18:00 on August 1, 2019.

  

For more information, please visit the website.

 

Good luck!