Disability Resources

Non-U.S. Scholars

Each year roughly 850 faculty and professionals from around the world receive Fulbright Scholar awards for advanced research and university lecturing in the United States. Individual awards are available to scholars from over 100 countries.

Non-U.S. Scholars

U.S. Institutions

U.S. Higher Education institutions are instrumental to the success of the Fulbright mission. They are key allies in advancing the goal of sharing knowledge across communities, promoting mutual understanding across nations and improving lives around the world.

U.S. Institutions

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program welcomes and encourages applications from scholars with disabilities and will provide individualized reasonable accommodations and support, as needed, to help ensure to ensure their grant experience is as accessible as possible.

If you identify as having a disability and have questions about accessibility in your proposed host country, award, or institutional setting, please reach out to the IIE program officer for the country’s world region. You may also find it helpful to contact the U.S Embassy or Fulbright Commission in the host country, as they can provide useful insight into the local context. Contact information can be found on the relevant award description.

Please note that discussions about potential barriers or challenges are not intended to discourage you from applying to Fulbright. Rather, setting realistic expectations can help you identify opportunities that best align with your goals and prepare for any obstacles you may need to address.

If you have general questions or require reasonable accommodations during the application process, please contact Scholars@iie.org.

If you are seeking additional information about the experiences of people with disabilities in international exchange programs, or would like guidance related to international travel and living abroad with a disability, we encourage you to visit our partners at the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), which is administered by Mobility International USA (MIUSA).

Learn from Fulbright Participants with Disabilities:

Fulbright participants with disabilities have successfully studied, researched, taught, and engaged with communities around the world. Their experiences highlight practical strategies for self-advocacy, navigating accommodations, and building meaningful international connections.

Explore the stories below to learn more about how Fulbright participants have approached their experiences abroad.

Moira Egan
Fulbright alumna Moira Egan reflects on her international experience and shares insights on self-advocacy, accessibility, and pursuing opportunities abroad as a person with a disability.
Aria Mia Loberti
Fulbright alumna and actress Aria Mia Loberti discusses her experience abroad and the importance of accessibility, independence, and global engagement.
Shonda McLaughlin, 2025-2026 U.S. Scholar to South Africa
Dr. McLaughlin conducted collaborative work at the University of Johannesburg's Department of Educational Psychology and Centre for Neurodiversity. As a wheelchair user, she successfully navigated her Fulbright experience while advancing research related to vocational rehabilitation services, demonstrating the opportunities available to scholars with disabilities pursuing international collaboration and research. Individuals interested in learning more about her experience are welcome to contact Dr. McLaughlin directly.

Many U.S. Scholars with a wide range of disabilities have had successful Fulbright experiences around the world. You can find their stories on Fulbright’s social media channels, through MIUSA, NCDE, and the Fulbrighters with Disabilities network of the Fulbright Association.

U.S. Scholar Competition Deadline Approaching