Fulbright is a competitive scholarship programme that offers South African citizens and permanent residents the opportunity to complete a Master’s or Doctoral degree at any accredited tertiary institution in the United States. Fulbright scholarships cover the full cost of tuition and living expenses in the USA for up to two years.
Applicants are encouraged to start the application process as soon as possible, as the application has several components. South Africans wishing to pursue a Master’s degree must have completed a four-year B-Tech degree or a three-year Bachelor’s degree with an Honors degree. Prospective Doctoral students must have successfully obtained a Master’s degree. Medical and MBA studies are not funded by the Fulbright scholarship.
“In 2020, nine South African students received fully-funded Fulbright scholarships to complete post-graduate studies at American academic institutions,” cultural affairs officer for exchanges, Kerri Spindler-Ranta explained. “These talented South Africans are pursuing studies in fields ranging from law and communications to history and public health. The cohort also includes four South Africans who are pursuing doctoral degrees at, among others, The University of Illinois and The University of Arkansas.
“The safety of exchange participants remains a top priority for our Mission and the whole US government, and we work with host institutions and students to make sure all COVID-19 travel regulations are strictly followed,” she said.
In partnership with the National Research Foundation (NRF), Fulbright scholarships are also available to NRF-funded South African PhD students, who are enrolled at a South African university or tertiary institute, and who intend to conduct one year’s research at a tertiary institute in the United States.
The US government strongly encourages applications from students with disabilities and from underserved areas.
South Africans interested in applying for the Fulbright Programme can learn more by visiting https://za.usembassy.gov/fulbright.
