New Fulbright Foreign Student Program2025/2026

Fulbright Foreign Student Program2025/2026

Fulbright Foreign Student Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is the largest Fulbright program with Africa and provides financial assistance for a maximum of two years of study toward a graduate degree in a U.S. university or for participation in a non-degree research or nonacademic professional program.

It is designed primarily to strengthen African universities through higher degree training for faculty members. Applications are also accepted from prospective candidates in public and private educational and cultural institutions, independent research institutes, and professional institutions.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is open to any qualified candidate but strongly encourages the inclusion of female candidates and prefers candidates who have not had extensive recent experience in the United States.

Recent (within three years) recipients of Fulbright grants are not eligible to apply, and it should be emphasized that funding is for a maximum period of two years only.

It is important to note that doctoral degree candidates will typically need to secure additional funding to complete their course of study and we now prioritize the selection of Fulbright Master’s candidates over Ph.D. candidates.

U.S. Embassy encourages candidates with disabilities to apply as special accommodations are available.   The U.S. Government has provided previous grantees with a screen reader and note taking software, laptops, cell phones, canes, and/or wheelchairs to assist them while on their grant in the U.S.

Eligibility Requirements

    1. Applicants must be citizens of Tanzania or permanent residents qualified to hold a valid passport issued by Tanzania.
    2. Applicants must have a record of outstanding academic achievement and preparation in their chosen field of study. They must show high motivation and serious commitment to completing the program and to returning home.
    3. Applicant must have at least the equivalent of four (4) years of university study or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Candidates that have three (3) years of tertiary study should have the equivalent of thirteen (13) years of primary and secondary school and their undergraduate degree should allow them to be eligible to pursue higher education in Tanzanian universities.
    4. Applicants who wish to pursue study in a field other than their current field of study must demonstrate adequate background in that field.
    5. Applicant must meet the minimum scores on required standardized tests.
    6. Applicants must be affiliated with or committed to working at an academic institution or public or private institutions in Tanzania upon return and should have the endorsement of their home institution.
    7. Applicants should have a high motivation and a serious commitment to completing the program as scheduled and to returning home.
    8. Applicants with no extensive or recent U.S. experience will be given preference.
    9. Applicants must have at least two years professional experience relevant to their prospective field of study.
    10. Applicants must have a sufficiently high level of English proficiency to enable them to complete a full-time program of graduate study in the United States.
    11. No applicant may receive more than one Fulbright Student grant, including Humphrey Scholar alumni. This does not apply to the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program alumni.
    12. Employees staff (LES) employed by the State Department/United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are ineligible for grants during the period of their employment and for one year following the termination of employment.

In Tanzania, the Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, which nominates candidates to the Fulbright Scholarship Board in Washington, DC. The Fulbright Scholarship Board makes the final selection of candidates

Funding

Fulbright funding is for a maximum of TWO years of funding in a master’s degree or doctoral program. Students accepted to degree programs less than two years are eligible to only receive funding through the designated period of degree completion – as stipulated by the host institution. Master’s applicants are given placement priority. 

Ph.D. candidates who secure funding from outside sources will remain under Fulbright visa sponsorship rather than have sponsorship transferred to the host institution. Ph.D. candidates unable to secure funding for the additional years will return home without completing their degree.

For more information on the program and application requirements e-mail to: [email protected].