The 2025-2026 competition is closed. Next Application deadline: August 2025 for the 2026-2027 academic year
 

The Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, is the flagship program on international educational exchange and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, 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.

Ideal applicants are well-rounded people who are academically well prepared, active in their community or even globally engaged, eager to get an insight into U.S. society and values and ready to meet new people.

The Fulbright Program in Switzerland

Student and Scholar Grants

The Fulbright Program in Switzerland offers students and scholars with Swiss citizenship and English proficiency funding to pursue studies at the master’s or Ph.D. level or to teach and do research at post-doctoral level. This can be done at any recognized institution of higher education in the United States in almost any field of study. Depending on the program, grant lengths range from three months to one academic year. Students and scholars who represent the ethnic, gender, social, and geographic diversity of Switzerland are highly encouraged to apply.
Candidates receive assistance throughout their application and admission process, obtain a free J1 visa and will be supported by the American host institute during the entire grant period.

Application

The application round begins approximately one and a half year prior to the start of study or research in the U.S. and includes the application process at U.S. universities. The Institute of International Education (IIE), which administers the Fulbright Program in the U.S., offers a placement service for selected Fulbright candidates. Fulbright students thus do not have to apply for admission to U.S. universities themselves.
The Call for applications for the 2025-2026 academic year is open from April 1 to August 5, 2024. Candidates can apply for either the

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program or the
• Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program.

You will also find helpful information on the Fulbright Program, application requirements and the application process in the Fulbright FAQs section.

Fulbright benefits

Through the program, the applicant can become part of the global community of Fulbright alumni, be connected to the prestigious established community of U.S. researchers and academics, and form an international network of like-minded people.

In 2021, the Fulbright Program celebrated its 75th Anniversary. Visit the U.S. Embassy’s website and have a look at our Testimonials section to read the stories of Swiss Fulbright alumni and how the Fulbright Program impacted their lives and careers.

There are many ways to stay involved with past and current Fulbrighters and participants of other U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-facilitated exchange programs.