Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program

About the Program

There are many types of Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards, including:

  • Fulbright Scholar Awards
  • Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Awards
  • Fulbright Postdoctoral Awards
  • Fulbright International Education Administrator Awards

Awards are available for scholars with a variety of academic interests, experience levels, and career profiles. Opportunities range from a few months to a full year. Interested faculty and staff should explore the awards to determine which award is right for them.

Apply for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

About the 2026-2027 Competition

The deadline to apply to U.S. Scholar awards is September 15, 2025 (5:00 pm Eastern (UTC -5:00)). The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is offering more than 380 awards in more than 130 countries this year.  Visit fulbrightscholars.org/us-scholar-awards for more information.

If you are interested in learning more about the program and/or applying to the U.S. Scholar Program, we encourage you to:

  • Schedule a meeting with Penn’s Fulbright U.S. Scholar Liaison, Scott Moore (see below for contact information)
  • Watch Fulbright’s Recorded Webinar, which offers a sneak peek into the 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Competition
  • Join one of the upcoming Fulbright webinars 
  • Ask questions during Fulbright’s interactive office hours

We also encourage you to share these opportunities with your faculty, staff and administrators who would make great Fulbrighters, and refer them to the program.

Scott Moore
Contact Penn’s Fulbright U.S. Scholar Liaison

If you are a Penn faculty or staff member interested in applying to the Fulbright U.S. scholar program, contact Scott Moore, Penn’s Fulbright U.S. Scholar Liaison, to schedule a meeting.

Program Resources

To search all awards (by region, country, discipline, type, length, and other criteria visit the Fulbright Scholar Program Award Search page. 

Fulbright Scholar Directory

Search the complete Fulbright Scholar Directory to see all past awardees.

Fulbright Events

Attending one or more of the Fulbright events is strongly recommended to anyone considering applying to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. For information about upcoming events and webinars, visit the Fulbright Events page.

Tax Information

For tax information for Fulbright grants, visit the IRS Fulbright Grants resource page.

Speak to
Program Alumni at Penn

Penn faculty members interested in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program may wish to speak to other Penn faculty members about their experiences. Former scholars are an excellent resource for current and potential applicants. The following Penn faculty members are past Fulbright U.S. Scholars who would be happy to speak to you.

Sunday Akintoye
Associate Professor, School of Dental Medicine
Email: akintoye@upenn.edu

Lisa Mitchell
Associate Professor, School of Arts and Sciences
Email: lmitch@sas.upenn.edu