March
Potential applicants should meet with their faculty advisers to discuss the grant and determine who might write letters of recommendation. For most countries, a letter of affiliation is also required from an institution (within that country) willing to host the student. Students should begin to contact likely institutions to secure such a letter.
April
Fulbright competition for the academic year opens.
- Review program information
- Preparing an application
- Draft a proposal of Grant Purpose and share it with faculty before they leave for the summer and obtain feedback.
Early Summer
Read and consult the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website; the answers to almost all questions can be found there. You need to be clear about your host country and what you plan to do there. Important: You should notify the Fulbright Program Adviser of your interest and intent to apply, then meet with the adviser well in advance of the fall semester.
If you have not done so already, set up your institutional and/or research affiliations in your host country. Secure invitations and research permits early.
Ensure that you have sufficiently learned required language(s) of your host country, if necessary.
Revise your draft of the Statement of Grant Purpose and initiate a draft of your Personal Statement. Ask others to review your drafts and provide you with feedback.
- Statement of Grant Purpose – Describe your study or research plans and make a compelling argument as to why you need to conduct your study or research overseas. Develop a plan that can realistically be completed in the specified timeframe abroad. The National Screening Committee considers feasibility to be one of the most important considerations.
- Personal Statement – The Personal Statement should be a personal essay in narrative form giving a good picture of yourself and your intellectual development.
Late Summer
Contact letter writers about submitting online recommendations.
Prepare the final draft of your Statement of Grant Purpose and Personal Statement.
August
Fall semester begins at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
September
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa campus application deadline. This is a firm deadline as we begin organizing the Interview Committee. Your application must be complete (all required elements) and submitted to the Fulbright Online Application system.
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Fulbright Campus Committee interviews are scheduled by appointment only. Following the interview, your application will be unsubmitted and applicants may make revisions based on the committee’s recommendations. It will be your responsibility to then officially submit your application online before the national deadline.
October
Final online application deadline. Submission of the electronic application is 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. After 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, applicants will no longer have access to the online application. It is strongly recommended to submit your application well in advance of the national deadline to avoid any unforeseen issues. There is typically heavy traffic on the application site days prior to the deadline.
Early February
The Director of U.S. Student Programs, IIE, notifies applicants by email regarding their initial application status. “Recommended” applications are transmitted to the supervising agencies abroad, where they are reviewed again. The final selection is made by the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board.
March-June
The Director of U.S. Student Programs, IIE, notifies the “recommended” applicants as to whether or not they have been granted a Fulbright award.