Fulbright International Education Administrators Awards

The 2027-28 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Competition is now open.

Thank you for your interest in the Fulbright U.S. International Education Administrator Awards. Explore current opportunities and Connect with Fulbright to receive important program updates and application resources. Register for a webinar today for more information and join an office hour to have your questions answered live by IIE staff.

Application deadline varies by award.

We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the deadline to submit your application. Technical difficulties with uploading documents, submission of the application, or registration of recommenders, particularly in the hours prior to the deadline, will not be grounds for an extension. Applications not fully submitted by the deadline will not be considered. No exceptions.

Start your application now!

Introduction

Applicants must submit their complete application by the application deadline to be considered for an IEA award in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for that application cycle and award competition. 

Applicants may only apply for one Fulbright award per competition, and applications will only be considered for that competition. Applications cannot be deferred to a future year.

Before starting your application, review the eligibility requirements and the award description. All applicants are also encouraged to review the leave and support resources.

It is your responsibility to understand what is required for your selected award and to submit the application with the appropriate application materials by the application deadline noted above. Failure to provide necessary information or materials may affect the eligibility of your application. Using the application resources and reaching out early with questions will facilitate a successful application.

The application does not allow for any additional uploads beyond the required components.

Your application materials should be well-organized. Connect the dots for the reader: present information clearly to prevent the reader from (mis)interpreting to the extent possible. You may find the Review Criteria helpful as you prepare your materials.

All material must be your own work. It is unacceptable to misrepresent accomplishments, to borrow from the works of others without proper acknowledgment, or to submit as one's own material that has been written, re-written or heavily edited by others. Breaches of these protocols may result in rejection of the application.

Once your application has been submitted, no further changes or edits can be made to your application. Proofread your materials more than once – before submitting.

Creating Your Application

Application link: https://apply.iie.org/fusc2027. This is the application for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, which includes the IEA awards. The Fulbright U.S. Student and Visiting Scholar Programs have different applications (and different links).

You do not need to complete the application in one sitting or session. You can return to your saved work to edit it at any time prior to submission. We recommend opening an application early to familiarize yourself with the layout and question prompts.

First, you need an application account. 

New (first-time) users: 

• Open the link above and click Create an Account. Enter your email address, name, and date of birth. Use an email address that is not subject to change. Your email address serves as your login and will be used for application notifications. Your full name must be entered as it appears on your government-issued ID. (You will have an opportunity to enter your preferred name later.) Click Continue.
• You will receive an email from apply@iie.org (Application Registration) with a link to the application and a temporary PIN to verify the account. Once you enter this PIN on the application link, you will be asked to set a password.
• Then proceed to starting your application.

Returning users: If you started an application or applied at any point since 2020, you have an application account already. Please do not create a new application account.

• Open the link above and click Log In to continue an application. Once you have logged in, you can proceed to creating your application. Also see: Reapplying (below).
• If you forgot your password or your password expired, follow the steps to reset your password (you will be sent a password reset email with instructions).
• If your email address has changed, email scholars@iie.org, and we can update the email address associated with your application account. 

Next, create your application. Click Start New Application at the bottom after logging in. The popup should show Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2027-2028. Click Create Application, then click Open Application to start working on your application. 

You will also receive an email confirming that you started your application. Save this email! This has the link to your application, the deadlines, and links to essential resources.

Managing Your Application

Application link: https://apply.iie.org/fusc2027

Now that you have an account and an application, use the Returning Users prompt to log in. Then, on the Application Management page, click Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2027-2028 to open your application. 

The application will log you out automatically after 60 minutes of inactivity. To save your progress, click Save and Continue at the bottom of the application page and return to the page you were working on.

When you are done working on your application, close your browser tab/window. Be sure to work on your application in one, single web browser tab to avoid making conflicting edits. Do not have the application open in more than one tab/window in your browser.

Reapplying

If you started an application or applied at any point since 2020, then you have an application account already. We are not able to postpone or defer applications from one year to another year, nor are we able to copy a whole application from one year to another.

• Has your email address changed? Email us at iea@iie.org to update your email address on your application account.
• Is your email address the same? Please DO NOT create another application account to start a new application. This will make things more confusing: we have found it can be challenging to distinguish between accounts. If you aren’t sure: try logging in; the system will indicate if that email address is not recognized, meaning you do not have an application account associated with that address.
• Go to the application (https://apply.iie.org/fusc2027) and login as a Returning User using your login (email address) and password. (Follow steps to reset password if needed.)
• Once logged in, you will land on the Application Management page where you can view your prior application(s) and start your new application.
• Click Start New Application and select Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2027-2028. If that does not work, login via https://apply.iie.org/fulbrightusscholar instead, and it should prompt you to create your 2027-2028 application.
• Note: DO NOT open past and current applications in the same browser simultaneously as data will not save properly. If you must refer to an old application, download it as a PDF or open it in a different browser.

What carries over to the new application?

• Some basic personal information fields will automatically populate based on the information you previously provided. Be sure to double-check the information in case any updates are needed.
• You will need to select the program, country, and award. Be sure to review the award description, as award details and requirements may have changed for this year’s competition.
• You will need to enter the project details and upload the supporting documents (CV/Resume and Institutional Statement). Ensure your materials fit the award for this year’s application cycle.
• You will need to register two recommenders. Even if they have provided a recommendation for you before, they must upload their letters to your new application. If they need a copy of the letter they uploaded last year, your reference(s) are welcome to email FulbrightScholarReview@iie.org for assistance.
• To download a PDF copy of your prior application, click on the respective Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program application to open it. Then click on Preview Application Proof to open a downloadable copy of your application.

Applications are reviewed individually, on their own merit, with the pool of applications submitted that year. The status of your prior application is not considered in the Peer Review process. Some applicants choose to revise their prior proposal; others opt to propose an entirely new project. See also: Review Criteria.

Navigating the Application

When you start your application, you will only see three pages: Home, Welcome, and Program Eligibility.

The Home page is where you open your application, and it is labeled Application Management. The Welcome page contains important information about the program, application, deadlines, and instructions.

You will not see any application components available in your application until you complete the Program Eligibility page (Eligibility Essentials for U.S. Scholars). 

Once you complete these pages, the Program Type and Country and Award pages will appear. 

Then, after you complete these pages, the rest of the application will appear. Note: Some elements of the application will appear based on responses to questions on the Award Details page. 

Changing Awards

You can change awards before you submit your application. You cannot change awards after submission.

Be mindful of the award parameters (activity, start date, award length, etc.) and award requirements as you may need to update some responses and materials to match the new award. 

Additional Tips

• Required questions are marked with an asterisk (*). You will not be able to submit until all required items are complete.
• Text boxes: Where character limits are indicated, spaces and punctuation count as characters, including paragraph breaks (Enter or Return key). Prepare answers to longer questions ahead; you can copy and paste into all text boxes.
• Uploaded documents: If any files exceed stated page limits, a warning will only appear on the Review page (at the end of the application), and you will be prevented from submitting until a shorter document is uploaded. Upload documents in PDF format to preserve any special formatting and special characters.
• Use proper capitalization and proofread.
• Preview your application before submitting.

CV/Resume

All applications require a curriculum vitae or resume. 

Your CV/Resume should be clearly organized and tailored to show how your credentials, professional standing, and accomplishments relate to international education. Your CV should help demonstrate that you meet the requirements for the specific award. 

Include your employment history, listing all items chronologically, starting with the most recent.

Format Requirements:

• Up to 6 pages.
• Single-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins. This helps ensure readability.
• Use headers and/or bullets to organize and convey key elements; use page numbers.
• File type: Adobe PDF (recommended) or Word document.
• Note: If any non-English characters, images, tables, equations, etc. are used, you must upload your document as an Adobe PDF to maintain formatting.

Do not include:

• Personal information. This includes contact information (mailing address, email address, phone number), date of birth, marital status, citizenship, and your picture.
• Links to your website(s), social media profiles, etc. While published work may include hyperlinks, reviewers are advised not to review material outside of the application. Content to be considered in the application review must be contained within the application itself.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required. 

Recommendation letters evaluate your professional qualifications, the potential for institutional impact, and your cultural preparation.

Recommendations must be submitted by the posted application deadline. Deadlines vary by award. Recommendation letters will not be accepted after the award deadline, and extensions will not be granted. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their recommenders receive the request for their letter with sufficient notice, and that they submit it by the deadline.

• You must register your recommenders in the application before you submit your application. Your recommenders can submit their letter before or after you submit your application, as long as they submit before the deadline.
• You register your recommenders in the application by entering their information, including their email address. Your recommender will receive an email with a unique link to upload their recommendation to your application.
• You can monitor their progress and send them reminders through your application, even after you submit (up until the deadline). Note: If your recommender is no longer available, you can exclude them (remove them) and register a new recommender (even after you submit), so please register recommenders earlier than needed!
• You and your recommender will receive emails confirming when their recommendation has been submitted.
• Recommenders must submit their recommendations via the online system. Recommendations sent by email will not be accepted, nor hard copy documents. Recommendations are confidential; applicants do not have access to the content of them, nor can they upload recommendations on behalf of their recommenders.
• All recommendations must be in English.

Who may serve as a recommender?

• One recommendation letter must be from your current supervisor or someone in your reporting line at your institution; they should be familiar with your administrative skills and leadership success.
• One recommendation can be from any colleague who can speak to your personal attributes and interest in international education; they can be from your own or another institution.

Who cannot serve as a recommender?

• Relatives of the applicant
• Representatives of U.S. Embassy posts or Fulbright Commissions in the proposed host country (country of application)
• Representatives of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State
• Representatives of the Institute of International Education, including current IIE staff, IIE Board of Trustees, and Fulbright Scholar Advisory Board (CIES) members

Instructions for Your Recommenders

Please see these instructions for those providing recommendations, which includes the prompts for their letters.

Format Requirements

• Up to 3 pages.
• On letterhead and signed (recommended).
• File type: Adobe PDF (recommended) or Word document.
• All recommendations must be written in English.

Seminar Details (Essays)

IEA award seminar itineraries are arranged by the host country. This means you do not provide a project statement or make your own plans. Instead, you provide responses to the following questions in the application. 

The details you provide here should be clear and compelling and should complement the information in your CV/resume.

• As the application system may time-out while you are drafting your responses, you are strongly encouraged to draft and save them in a document outside of the application. This also allows you monitor character limits.
• Character limits include punctuation, spaces, and paragraph breaks. Using returns or paragraph breaks may cause your response to be cut off in the application PDF.
• Applications are reviewed as PDFs and have limited space allotted for each Essay response. You can review the Application Proof PDF on the Review & Submit page. It is important to review formatting to ensure that text responses are not cut off and display correctly. 

Professional Biography (up to 2,000 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and paragraph breaks)

• Highlight your educational background, professional/administrative experience, most significant professional accomplishments, and key responsibilities in your current position. You may include information on your professional affiliations/memberships, community service, publications, honors and awards, and any other relevant information.

Country Selection and Professional Relevance (up to 4,500 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and paragraph breaks)

• Why are you applying to the IEA award for this country? Describe how your professional responsibilities relate to this award, including any achievements in the development of international initiatives and/or systems.
• What expertise can you share with peers in the host country? Describe your experience with this country. Please include if you have visited this country previously, and any communication or interaction with the country such as setting up partnerships, cultural engagement, and experiences sending/receiving students.

Outcomes and Impact (up to 3,000 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and paragraph breaks)

• How would your participation in this IEA seminar contribute to the international education goals of your institution?
• What is the anticipated impact your participation would have on your institution and/or community? Be specific and consider outcomes with the potential to be broad and sustainable. How would you share what you have learned with your home institution and others?
• What is the anticipated impact your participation would have on your professional development and career?

Cultural Preparation (up to 1,500 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and paragraph breaks) 

The Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. During their awards, Fulbrighters will meet, engage with, and learn from the people of the host country.

• Address your familiarity with the host culture, and any other global experiences that prepare you to adjust and adapt successfully to life in the host country, including your prior experiences in the host country/countries (if any).
• How does your experience prepare you to represent the United States as a cultural ambassador? Provide specific examples.
• How do you plan to share your culture and values, and learn from others?

Additional Information (optional; up to 500 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and paragraph breaks)

• If there is any additional information you would like those reviewing your application to be aware of, please include it here. This is an optional component that allows you to add any other information that you feel completes the picture of your candidacy.

Institutional Statement

An Institutional Statement is required. Note that this document is not about you personally; it is to provide an overview of your institution and its international engagement.

The Institutional Statement should address the following

• General information about your home institution (type of institution, total enrollment, number of degrees offered, etc.).
• The number of international students on campus and where they are coming from.
• If applying for the IEA Seminar in Japan or South Korea, you must include the number of students from Japan and South Korea currently on your campus.
• The study abroad opportunities available on your campus.
• Any institutional partnerships, particularly with universities in the country where the award takes place.
• Any future goals/plans to engage internationally.
• If this document is produced (in part or entirely) by someone other than the applicant, the source(s) should be cited within the document.

Format Requirements:

• Up to 3 pages.
• Single-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins. This helps ensure readability.
• You may choose the format: this can be an enumerative list, or it can be annotated/explanatory (within the 3-page limit). Use headers and/or bullets to organize and convey key elements; use page numbers.
• File type: Adobe PDF (recommended) or Word document.
• Note: If any non-English characters, images, tables, etc. are used, you must upload your document as an Adobe PDF to maintain formatting.
• Do not include hyperlinks to websites intended to direct the reader to access information not included in the application. You may cite web links with the understanding that reviewers are advised not to review material outside of the application. Content to be considered in the application review must be contained within the application itself.

Additional Application Information

The application will ask for information regarding your:

• Academic and professional background, including your current employment, and academic history.
• Previous Fulbright awards (if applicable): If you have completed or undertaken a Fulbright Scholar award, you will need to provide compelling justification for an additional Fulbright Scholar award. The justification has a 1200-character limit where you describe the accomplishments and contributions from your previous award(s) and how the proposed project will build on your previous Fulbright experience(s).
• Personal and contact information, including dependents and citizenship.

Signature, Review, and Submission

Signature page:

• Carefully review this section. Your electronic (typed) signature attests to the authenticity and accuracy of the information supplied in the application. 

Review & Submit page:

This page checks for questions with missing answers and uploads with too many pages. This page does not review the content of the responses or uploaded documents. 

• If no errors appear, then your application is ready for submission.
• If Required Field or Error appears, you will be unable to submit your application until this is resolved. These typically refer you to the page but may not identify the specific question(s) needing attention. Return to the indicated page or section to correct the error; once corrected, return to this page. The review will be conducted again. When all errors have been resolved, you will be able to submit your application.
• Preview your application before submitting: You are responsible for reviewing your application to ensure your responses and uploaded materials appear correctly. Click on Preview Application Proof to view your application.
• When you are satisfied with your application, submit your application.
• Once you submit your application, you cannot make any changes.

Make sure to click Submit Application by the application deadline!

After Submission

Once you submit your application, you will land on the Application Status page.

This page confirms your application was submitted. It also contains your application checklist, where you can monitor the status of your recommendations, and more. 

You will also receive an email confirming your submission. Save this email! It contains the link to your application and the review timeline. You can return to your application at each stage of review to see its progress. If you do not receive an email confirming submission within a few minutes, check your spam/junk folder for the email, and login to your application to double check that you submitted your application.

We recommend adding Scholars@iie.org and FulbrightScholarReview@iie.org to your address book to prevent emails from landing in your spam/junk folder.

To view and save a copy of your application after submission: Click Preview Application PDF on the Application Status page. 

All submissions are final, applications cannot be unsubmitted. Applications cannot be updated once the review and selection process are underway. This includes changing awards, updating the CV/Resume file. Note: Should the applicant’s position or institution change after submitting the IEA application, please notify us at iea@iie.org.

Withdrawing Your Application

If you need to withdraw your application from consideration for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, please email FulbrightScholarReview@iie.org from the primary email address associated with your application. Include your full name, host country, and a brief explanation.