All candidates accepting the Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant are required to submit the following program eligibility documents to IIE via the IIE Participant Portal. View the IIE Participant Portal Guide for instructions on how to use the system.
Grantees will need to determine if there is a Fulbright Commission in the host country because the steps and requirements for countries that have a Fulbright Commission differ from those that do not (Post countries).
Successful completion of a Fulbright grant depends on your physical and mental well-being. Therefore, medical clearance is a prerequisite for all Fulbright U.S. Scholars. It is important that grantees complete the Medical History and Examination Form as fully and accurately as possible, and that a new form be submitted if health statuses change. The information provided by grantees and physician(s) is considered private. However, it may be responsibly shared within the program.
The medical form must be completed and signed by a qualified licensed physician or nurse practitioner. The medical form and supporting documents must be submitted through the IIE Participant Portal so that it can be reviewed by the U.S. Department of State’s program physician for medical clearance.
A Fulbright grant is contingent on receiving a satisfactory medical clearance.
Submission instructions and deadline: The Medical History and Examination Form should be completed and submitted within 2-6 months of the grant start date.
What types of digital signatures can we currently accept?
What types of digital signatures do we NOT accept?
Changes to medical status after medical clearance: If medical statuses or medical needs change after receiving medical clearance, prior to departure, or at any time during a Fulbright grant, grantees are required to notify IIE and/or Post. Certain changes, especially prior to departure, may require an updated medical form.
Important Notes About Submission:
After Submission: The medical clearance process typically takes 2-3 weeks. If there are any questions about the Medical History and Examination Form or if additional information is required by the State Department-appointed doctor, IIE will contact the selectee. The appointed doctor may be in touch with your physician who completed the form for further clarification if necessary. This may extend the clearance process. IIE will send a confirmation email when the medical clearance has been approved. Selectees who wish to view a medical form after it has been submitted can access it via the IIE Participant Portal.
Note: Dependents do not require Department of State medical clearance. However, we recommend accompanying dependents have a complete medical examination prior to departure. Grantees should also obtain appropriate health and accident insurance for any accompanying dependents, including emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits.
The universal program terms and conditions outline important policies related to the grant. You will be required to e-sign this document. You will receive an email prompting your initials and signature. Although an e-signature is required, you may preview the document at the link above.
Submission instructions: Scan and upload an image of the biographical pages of your U.S. passport (containing your photo, name, signature, date of birth, place of birth, place of issue, etc.) into the IIE Participant Portal. Note: Birth certificates and other documents will not be accepted as proof of U.S. citizenship.
Submission deadline: Proof of U.S. citizenship is due no later than two weeks before the start of the grant. Grantees who do not have a U.S. passport should apply for one and complete this requirement as soon as possible. A U.S. passport which has expired within the last five years will be accepted as proof of citizenship.
IIE will send the Grant Authorization Document that stipulates the financial terms, dates, and affiliation details of the award. This is the document grantees will sign and date to formally accept or decline the Fulbright award offer.
Submission instructions: Sign and date the document and indicate if accepting or declining the Fulbright award offer. Grantees must upload the complete document as a PDF into the IIE Participant Portal using the “IIE Grant Document” category.
Submission deadline: The Fulbright Grant Authorization Document must be uploaded to the IIE Participant Portal within two weeks of the date that the document is sent by IIE.
What types of digital signatures can we currently accept?
What types of digital signatures do we NOT accept?
Payments are made by IIE via IIePAY on a quarterly schedule outlined in your Grant Authorization Document.
IIePAY is a service provided by Zelle. As soon as possible after receiving a Fulbright grant, grantees should contact their bank and ask if their bank accepts Zelle. If the grantee confirms that their bank accepts Zelle, they should also ask if there are any amount limitations (for instance, some banks only allow transfers up to $5,000). If your bank does not accept Zelle or if there are limitations on the transfer amount, please contact your IIE advisor.
If your bank confirms that they accept Zelle with no transfer limits, please follow the below instructions:
Note: If the email address does not match, see if you can change your primary address with your bank without charge or delay. If there is a charge or delay, please update your primary email address in the IIE Participant Portal.
Visit the Zelle website to register with IIePAY.
Other helpful IIePAY links:
Grantees must report all scholarships, fellowships, and grants from other sources, in dollars or in foreign currency, received by the grantee during or with respect to the grant period. This must be reported to IIE before the grant starts. Adjustments to the Fulbright grant terms and conditions may be made if benefits received from other sources duplicate benefits provided by the Fulbright grant.
Honoraria and Consulting or Other Fees Received Abroad
Education Loan Deferment Guidance for Fulbright U.S. Scholars