Overview and Guidelines

The Fulbright Foundation in Greece will award up to five grants for the academic year beginning August/September 2022 to Greek graduate students who wish to obtain a Master's degree at a university in the United States. Awards are open to graduate students in all fields of study except medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science or to those who wish to enter residency training programs. A very limited number of awards will be offered for architectural and law degrees, and toward Ph.D. degrees.

Candidates should already have applied to U.S. universities or be in the process of applying when they submit their Fulbright application. Admission to a U.S. university is not required at the time of application but is mandatory for the award of the grant. Candidates are selected on the basis of academic excellence, potential for professional development, civic engagement, extra-curricular activities, and personal qualities/abilities to serve as a cultural ambassador for Greece. All awards are subject to the Fulbright Foundation policies, in compliance with the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) guidelines, and all governmental regulations regarding visas, immigration, travel, and residence.

Fulbright Awards offer financial support toward only the first year of study, but do not cover the full amount (university fees plus the cost of living). The candidate is responsible for securing additional and adequate funding from personal and/or other sources and will need to provide financial evidence.

Studying in the United States can be expensive. However, there are many opportunities out there and U.S. universities are often willing to aid students financially. Earning the Fulbright title is a good step in the right direction and some universities are prepared to offer special scholarships to Fulbright nominees. These include Kennesaw State University (MS in Conflict Management), Fordham University School of Law (LLM), University of New Hampshire (Graduate Study), Pepperdine University (LLM), Georgetown University (MA in German and European Studies), Bentley University (MBA), Stanford University (Leadership), University at Buffalo - SUNY (Engineering), University of Kentucky at Lexington (all fields), University of California Hastings at San Francisco (LLM, MSL), Western Michigan University (all fields). For information contact the Greek Program Coordinator.

Prospective Fulbright participants should be aware that public health conditions, availability of consular services and travel, as well as U.S. institutional operating status and policies may affect their ability to travel to the U.S. and participate in academic programs.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a grant, each candidate must

• hold Greek citizenship and a valid Greek passport. Candidates with dual citizenship (U.S./Greek) or permanent residence in the United States are not eligible.
• have permanent residency in Greece and commit to returning to Greece following the academic program to fulfill the mission and aim of the Fulbright grant.
• hold a Bachelor Degree from a Greek institution of higher education with a grade point average (GPA) of 8.0 (out of 10.00) and above or a degree from Deree–The American College of Greece or Anatolia College with a GPA of 3.4 (out of 4.0) and above. For those students who are in their last year of undergraduate study, a GPA is required on the basis of their previous performance.
• pass English language fluency tests, TOEFL or IELTS, GRE and/or GMAT, as required by the individual U.S. university.
• apply to more than one U.S. institution.

Also note that

• candidates applying for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) should have at least two years of full-time relevant work experience since their graduation. Part-time employment while in school is not considered satisfactory work experience.
• preference will be given to candidates below the age of 28 at the time of application and to those with a student profile.
• students who have already begun their studies in the United States are not eligible to apply. Applicants who have previously studied abroad in the U.S. will be expected to explain how their return to the U.S. for further study will add to their previous experience.

Grant Benefits

Fulbright Awards offer financial support for study in the U.S. However, Fulbright is much more than a scholarship: we offer fellows the opportunity to have a transformative cultural and academic experience and provide unrivaled support both during and after the Fulbright year. While a Fulbright Award is toward the first year of study only, the benefits do not end there; receiving this award opens many doors and provides unparalleled global networking opportunities.

"The Fulbright Association treats its members as if they are a part of a very large family. Their work is very important for giving to highly educated students the chance not only to pursue their studies in the U.S. but to connect and create long-lasting friendships with other Fulbright Scholars of different academic backgrounds. [...] I am very proud for having been chosen as a Greek Ambassador to the U.S. I hope that one day I will be able to give back to the Foundation the support that I was given because it is very important for this program, which is 73 years old in Greece, to continue its beneficial act for ambitious students."

_{Dimitra Theochari, Sustainable Design, University of Texas at Austin, 2010-2011 Fulbright Graduate Student}

The Fulbright grant is a non-renewable grant that provides an allowance towards tuition and/or living expenses for the first year of study only, roundtrip airfare, and limited health and accident insurance. The amount of this allowance depends on the Foundation's budget for each year and cannot exceed the amount of $20,000 (maximum $2,000 per month for 10 months or one academic year).

More specifically, grant benefits include

• a round-trip travel allowance according to Fulbright Travel Policies & Regulations.
• limited health and accident insurance (for recipient only). All participants receive the Department of State's health insurance coverage (A+SPE) of $100,000 per illness or per injury with co-pays of $25 per medical visit and $75 for hospitalizations or emergency entries for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions are not covered. Some U.S. universities require that you enroll in their health insurance plan. Make sure to inquire whether there will be any additional cost.
• free advising and counseling services on academic issues.
• an invitation to the Finalists Workshop.
• a pre-departure orientation session.
• participation in the Annual Awards Ceremony.
• a Fulbright Certificate of Award.
• J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa
• the Gateway Orientation, Enrichment Seminars, Pre-Academic Programs, and other benefits/invitations offered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), the cooperating agency in the United States.
• membership in the online global communityfor all participants of U.S. government–sponsored exchange programs (such as the Fulbright program). International Exchange Alumni website

Terms and Conditions

• Registering before applying is mandatory. The registration serves to establish eligibility, which cannot be established through e-mail communication.
• An external Selection Committee appointed by Fulbright will interview shortlisted candidates on specific dates. Candidates will be informed of their interview appointments with the Selection Committee by email. Interviews last for about 15 minutes, are conducted in English, and are held virtually.
• Candidates will be informed of their nomination status on the day following the end of the interview cycle. Candidates will be designated as 'primary', 'alternate', or 'non-selected'. Alternate candidates will remain on standby until the overall budget is reviewed and finalized.
• Candidates selected must provide the Foundation with proof of admission to a U.S. university and sufficient financial resources—in addition to the Fulbright award—before the issuance of the J-1 visa.
• Candidates selected for a Fulbright grant are required to submit a medical history and examination report before their grants can be finalized. The Fulbright office will provide the necessary Medical Health Form.
• Fulbright grant recipients are responsible for making travel arrangements in accordance with Fulbright Travel Policies & Regulations.Awards cannot be deferred to the following year.
• Fulbright policy limits a student's stay to a maximum of three years for a Master's candidate and five years for a Ph.D. candidate, including time spent for academic training (maximum 18 months). Academic training is limited under U.S. federal regulations and may not exceed the amount of time spent on academic studies. U.S. federal regulations also require that academic training commence within 30 days of completing the Fulbright study program.
• Male applicants are responsible for settling all relevant Greek military obligations.
• Fulbright grant recipients must travel on a J-1 visa sponsored by the Fulbright Program. It is a condition of the visa that, after completing the academic program, including studies and training, students must return to Greece and reside there for two years before being eligible to immigrate or apply for permanent residence or a work permit in the United States. The purpose of the two-year home residency requirement is to ensure that exchange visitors return to their home country and fulfill the exchange objectives of the Fulbright Program to broaden and strengthen mutual understanding between Greece and the United States.

Registration and Application Procedures

Step 1. Registration
The registration form is available online and serves to establish eligibility, which cannot be established through e-mail communication. Once submitted, it will be automatically available to the Fulbright Foundation/Greek Program Coordinator for a first review. You will receive a confirmation email in the week following your submission.

Step 2. Fulbright Online Application Procedure
Following successful registration and confirmation of eligibility, applicants will be given a link to complete the online Fulbright application in English (SLATE platform). Applications submitted without prior registration will not be accepted. When you begin your application, the platform will ask you to confirm that you have contacted the local office (registration) and that you are eligible for this award.

The Fulbright Foundation accepts ONLY applications submitted online through the SLATE platform. Faxed, emailed, or mailed copies of applications will not be accepted.

The following documents must be completed/uploaded as part of the online application:

• Online application form including GDPR consent.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• Degrees and transcripts of all university grades, in both Greek and English (Academic Materials section).
• TOEFL or IELTS, GRE and/or GMAT score reports in accordance with U.S. university requirements.
• Study/Research Objectives.
• Personal Statement.
• Letters of admission (if received).
• A scanned copy of your passport as well as a scanned copy of any valid U.S. visa issued within the last 4 years. If you do not yet have a passport, you will need to include a copy of your ID card.
• A digital portfolio for candidates in the fields of Architecture and the Arts (Additional Information - Supplemental Materials section).
• Three letters of reference. Your reference (the person writing the letter of recommendation) should complete and submit the forms through the online platform once you have registered them. All candidates should inform their references that all letters must be submitted online by February 8, 2022. All letters should be written in English. The letters of reference should be written by professors with whom you have studied or pursued research or by someone who has supervised your work as related to your proposed field of study.

All candidates are requested to submit one printout of their completed and submitted application, including portfolio (if applicable), to the Fulbright Foundation, 6 Vassilissis Sofias, 10674 Athens, (attn: Greek Program Coordinator) within 10 days of its online submission.

We encourage students to submit their final application in person to the Foundation, depending on the pandemic situation.

Contact
Greek Program Coordinator
The Fulbright Foundation
T 210 7241 811/2, ext. 3
E

Registration Form

Acces to the registration form will be provided here from October 5, 2021 onward.

Program Calendar