Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Funding varies by country and placement. Check the current amount and what is covered with the Fulbright office or U.S. Embassy in your country.

Fields: Any field

Citizens of 40 listed countries

Eligible country codes: DZ, AO, BJ, BW, BF, CM, TD, KM, CG, CD, CI, EG, SZ, GH, GN, KE, LS, LY, MG, MW, ML, MR, MU, MA, MZ, NA, NE, NG, RW, SN, SL, ZA, SS, SD, TZ, TG, TN, UG, ZM, ZW

• Only countries listed on the Fulbright Foreign Student page are eligible, and requirements vary widely by country.
• You must live in your country of nomination and hold the equivalent of a US bachelor's degree.
• English requirement is TOEFL 550 paper-based, 79 to 80 iBT, or IELTS 6.5.
• Past Nigerian calls were aimed at doctoral researchers and faculty, but this is not confirmed for the current round. Check your country's current guidelines.

Set by each country's Fulbright office, usually in the year before the programme starts. No 2027/28 Nigeria deadline was found on an official page, so check with the U.S. Embassy.

Deadlines move a little every year and some close early. Confirm the date on the official page before you plan around it.

• Documents differ by country. Check the list from your national Fulbright Commission or the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section.

1. 1

   Step 1: Check your country entry

   Open foreign.fulbrightonline.org/apply and select your country to see local guidelines.
2. 2

   Step 2: Contact the local office

   Apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your country, which handles applications and deadlines.
3. 3

   Step 3: Placement route

   Under IIE placement, IIE applies to universities for you. Under self-placement, you apply to universities yourself and secure admission.
4. 4

   Step 4: Language test

   Prepare for TOEFL or IELTS to meet the English requirement.

• Fulbright awards normally use the J-1 visa. The J-1 two-year home residency rule is not covered on the Fulbright page, so confirm with your local office.
• Nigerian nationals: Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective 1 January 2026, suspends entry on F, M and J visas for Nigerian nationals outside the US without a valid visa at that date. It has no student-specific exception, only case-by-case national interest exceptions, and visas issued earlier are not revoked. The Secretary of State reviews it every 180 days, so check travel.state.gov before applying.

• Start by contacting the Fulbright office or U.S. Embassy in your country, as there is no central application.
• If you are Nigerian, read the visa position on whitehouse.gov and travel.state.gov before spending money on tests or applications.
• Start your English test early, as the IELTS or TOEFL score is a firm requirement.

Winning the award does not include the visa. Plan your application with our guide for the host country.

• United States student visa

Checked against these official pages on 17 Oct 2026.

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program (opens in a new tab)
• Fulbright Foreign Student apply page (opens in a new tab)
• Fulbright Nigeria page (opens in a new tab)
• White House Proclamation, December 2025 (opens in a new tab)