The 2021 Fulbright Foreign Student (Master’s) Program

Overview

The US Educational Foundation in Nepal (USEF-Nepal or the Fulbright Commission) welcomes applications from Nepali students for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program (FFSP) for Master’s level study in the US. Approximately 4000 foreign students from 155 countries worldwide receive Fulbright scholarships each year. 

The Fulbright Program is the US government’s flagship international educational and cultural exchange program, creating connections in a complex and changing world. Led by the US government in partnership with 160 countries worldwide, Fulbright builds lasting connections between the peoples of the US and the peoples of other countries around the world, building mutual understanding between nations, advancing knowledge across communities, and improving lives around the world. The FFSP provides all expenses (including travel) for a Master’s degree program of up to two years at selected US universities, in any field except medicine and nursing.

Depending upon budget availability, approximately five candidates will be nominated by the Fulbright Board in Nepal for the FFSP. Those selected will begin their program in August-September 2022. Students who completed their schooling and degree from out of valley, minorities, and people from under-served populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

General Requirements 

All applicants must:

1. Possess Nepali citizenship
2. Have at least three years (for men) or two years (for women) of post-bachelor’s degree, full-time, professional work experience in an area directly relevant to the applicant’s chosen field of study as of the application deadline. This experience must be outlined by the professional recommender, verifying your position(s) and years of employment. Even if you worked at several organizations, you are eligible to apply as long as your work experience at those organizations adds up to the minimum work-duration requirement
3. Possess either a four-year bachelor’s degree; or, if the bachelor’s degree was of fewer than four years’ duration, then a Master’s degree is also required, such that the total number of years of formal education equals at least 16 
4. Students with a three-year bachelor’s degree who have completed only the first year of a two-year Master’s degree program, and Master’s degree students who have cleared all exams but still need to fulfill other university-mandated degree requirements are ineligible to apply. Similarly, students who have two or more two-year/three-year bachelor’s degree but no Master’s degree are ineligible to apply for the Fulbright program
5. Demonstrate in post-intermediate degrees (Bachelors and Master’s) a minimum aggregate mark of:
   • 54% for students in non-technical fields (Humanities and Social Sciences)
   • 62% for students in Science and Technical fields
   • The minimum requirements for students under the semester system are: 65% in non-technical fields; 75% in technical fields; or a Cumulative GPA of 3.50/4.00 in either field
   • If the grading systems, fields of study or educational systems for the Bachelor’s and Master’s level are different (percentage and GPA grades, non-technical and science/technical fields, yearly and semester systems, etc.), the applicant needs to meet the minimum score requirements separately, not in the aggregate
6. Should have sufficient level English proficiency to enable engagement in full-time graduate level study in the US
7. Only selected applicants will be required to sit for a TOEFL and the GRE, both of which are mandatory for university applications. The test requirements may be waived for those who:
   • have taken a TOEFL in the past 2 years between April 30, 2019 to April 30, 2021 and GRE in the past 5 years between April 30, 2016 to April 30, 2021
   • and must have scores of CBT TOEFL 230 or iBT TOEFL 88 and GRE 570 or higher
   • if you have taken an IELTS in the past 2 years between April 30, 2019 to April 30, 2021 you can upload the test score on the application but please note that not all US institutions accept an IELTS
8. Be eligible for a non-immigrant J-1 US visa, and not already in possession or in the process of obtaining a US immigrant visa (“green card”)
9. A competitive applicant should have the commitment to return to Nepal upon completion of the program. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously studied in the US. See 10
10. All grantees receive an exchange visitor (J-1) visa which requires that the individuals return to Nepal upon completion of their academic project. Grantees are not eligible for an immigrant visa, for permanent residence, or for a non-immigrant visa as a temporary worker (“H” visa) or trainee, or as an intra-company transferee (“L” visa) to re-enter the US until they have accumulated two years’ residence in Nepal after returning from the US on an exchange visitor visa. This does not preclude the individual from going to the US on other visas during the two-year period
11. Applications and materials must be submitted through the online system. No hard copies will be accepted

Scholarship benefits

• Tuition, living stipend, and travel and academic allowances
• Opportunity to experience life in the US and share your culture with Americans
• Pre-academic training and enrichment seminars
• Induction into the global Fulbright alumni network
• Earn a graduate degree in a field of your choice from a US university

Application process

The online application form and instructions regarding the competition are available at  https://usefnepal.org/fulbright/ffsp/program-information/

Completed online applications, along with all required documents, must be uploaded and submitted no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, April 30, 2020. Incomplete applications or applications received after this deadline will not be considered.

Contact Us

Contact the Fulbright Scholarship team between 2 PM- 4 PM (Mon-Fri) in the numbers below

9851 123 258, 9863 026 750 or email your queries to [email protected] 

You can also interact with us on Messenger @fulbright.nepal