The base requirement is a bachelor's degree and, depending on which country you choose to apply to, language proficiency. I won a research award, which means I had to write a proposal outlining the kind of work I would be doing in Italy. I also had to write a personal statement justifying my country of choice. My dad’s side of the family is Italian, and I studied Italian in college. Unfortunately, no one speaks Italian in my family, so I wanted to reconnect with my roots and ended up applying for this award. The application also requires an essay on language proficiency (e.g., self-taught, learned in school, native speaker). Letters of recommendation are also required. However, there are other awards you can apply for, such as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) and a graduate student award. The ETA is self-explanatory: you teach English in a country of your choice. Fulbright will also support you in earning a master’s degree in a country outside the United States. This is usually longer (one to two years) compared to my award for nine months. I am more than happy to provide personal advice or review applications, so feel free to reach out!
