The Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master’s degree at U.S. universities. The program has brought some of the world’s finest minds to U.S. campuses and offers program participants insight into U.S. society and values.
Many foreign Fulbright grantees are early-career professionals who will return to take leadership positions in their home countries, often working at universities or in government service.
More than 1,800 new Foreign Fulbright Fellows enter U.S. academic programs each year. Foreign students apply for Fulbright Fellowships through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy in their home countries.
The Institute of International Education (IIE) arranges academic placement for most Fulbright nominees and supervises participants during their stay in the United States.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The program operates on the principles of competition based on individual merit, without regard to the individual’s institutional affiliation, ethnicity, race, color or creed. The objective of the grant is to enable the recipient to pursue a particular field of study and contribute to the social and economic reconstruction and development of Angola. We encourage grantees to participate and engage in non-academic activities within the US community in which they will be pursuing their studies. Upon returning to Angola, Fulbrighters are expected to continue their role in building bridges of understanding, directly or indirectly, between the two countries through their professional and personal activities.
GENERAL INFORMATION
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
The Public Affairs Office of the United States Embassy, Luanda offers scholarships for graduate studies in an American university for a maximum period of two years. The Fulbright Scholarship program is designed for professionals with academic excellence, great leadership skills, civic spirit, and who have demonstrated dedication to public service.
FIELDS OF STUDY
Candidates shall be drawn primarily from the following fields: agricultural development, banking and finance, communication and journalism, drug abuse prevention, economic development, educational administration and planning, human resource development, law and human rights, natural resources and environmental management, public health policy and management, public policy analysis and public administration, technology policy and management, and urban and regional planning.
Candidates in the field of religion whose applications indicate that the primary objective is educational rather than pastoral or missionary (e.g., history of religion, comparative religion, development of religious thought, etc.) are eligible on the same basis as candidates in other recognized disciplines.
Medical studies candidates who wish to pursue studies as medical students are not eligible. Candidates with medical degrees may receive grants for advanced academic study, but not for internships or residencies.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Prospective applicants must:
be proficient in English. (This must be demonstrated by taking an English Proficiency Test administered by the Embassy, or by attaching TOEFL scores to the application if the applicant has already completed testing, minimum acceptable score is 80 points in the IBT version of the TOEFL)
Candidates will not be considered if:
- They have received a Fulbright Scholarship previously
- They have dual citizenship (American and Angolan)
- They have obtained an academic degree or a university diploma in the United States
- They have been admitted to an American university at the time of application to the program.
- They are not living in Angola at the time of application
- They have had long academic or professional experience in the U.S.
Fulbright Scholarships are highly competitive, and applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria outlined above. After a pre-selection process by the Selection Committee, which is composed of Embassy Officials and Angolan former Fulbright awardees who have completed their studies and are now engaged in various endeavors in Angola. The names of selected applicants are then sent to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) in Washington, D.C for final approval.
Candidates who meet the above criteria are encouraged to fill out this application form.
Note: Once completed the application should be sent to luandapas1@yahoo.com
PROGRAM CALENDAR
Please note that the dates given here are approximate. Please refer to our website periodically for exact dates.
- Announcement of the Program - November – March
- Deadline for Application - March (the last working day of the month)
- English Proficiency Test – April
- Pre-selected candidates are interviewed by the Selection Committee and interviewees are notified of the results - May
- Registration for pre-admission standardized tests (GRE, TOEFL etc) - June
- Written essays due for candidates in social science fields - June
- Portfolios due for candidates in art, theater and architecture fields - July
- Admission Process to American Universities begins - January
- Approval of candidates by J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board - February – May 2008
- Results of the application for admission to the universities - July
- Pre-departure orientation for grantees -July - August
- Departure of first grantees for pre-academic programs - July – August
- Study Programs begin - August – September
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
The scholarships are granted on a yearly basis and renewal will be contingent upon successful academic performance of each grantee in the previous academic year. The scholarship covers the living costs of the grantee in the U.S., but does not cover the expenses of the grantee’s accompanying family members.
The Fulbright Scholarship Program provides the following benefits:
Assistance to the grantee in the identification of and application for admission to American Universities.
Costs of standardized tests required for admission at those universities.
Pre-departure Orientation.
Medical Insurance provided by the Government of the United States, which fulfills the minimum requirements established by the J-1 visa and by the Fulbright Program.
Living expenses, which vary depending on city of destination
Pre-academic programs in the U.S. The lengths of these programs vary between four days and eight weeks, and are held before the graduate study program begins. These programs are designed to fit the needs of the course in which the grantee is accepted.
In order to make sure that Angola continues to receive the benefits of the exchange program, U.S. visa requirements state that visitors under an exchange program return to and remain in ANGOLA FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER COMPLETION OF THEIR PROGRAMS. The Commission will assist grantees in obtaining visas for their spouses and minor children, though the grantees are responsible for their living expenses.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For any additional information please contact the Public Affairs Office of the United States Embassy at: 222-641-233.
Other sites about educational exchange programs:
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Educational Information and Resources
Fulbright Program
United States Institute of Peace
educationusa.state.gov
Educational Exchange
Study USA
Information Resource Center
