Fact Sheet for Departments
Information regarding administration, stipends, waivers, and cost-of-education allowances
The University of Illinois attracts students from all over the world, and some of those are supported by international Fulbright grants. This fact sheet provides information for departments considering a Fulbright grantee for graduate admission.
What is the Fulbright program?
The Fulbright program is a cultural and educational exchange program that allows US citizens to study abroad, through the Fulbright US Student Program, and international students to study here in the US, through the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. This fact sheet concerns the Fulbright Foreign Student Program.
Who runs the various components of the international Fulbright program?
Though the Fulbright Foreign Student Program follows a single set of guidelines established by the US Department of State, partnering countries vary as to how their programs operate. Partnering countries usually rely on either their Ministry of Education or their local Fulbright Commission to sponsor the program, and this includes determining which students receive grants.
Once a student is selected for a grant, many countries then use a “partner agency” to help students submit applications to universities and, upon matriculation, manage stipend distribution and other administrative tasks. Universities work closely with these partner agencies, with the main ones being the Institute of International Education (IIE), based in New York, and Amideast, based in Washington, DC.
How much funding do international Fulbright grants provide?
International Fulbright grants vary by country and individual Fulbright program. Generally, the grant amount will not cover the full cost of study. It is recommended that departments reach out directly to the respective partner agency to confirm details for a given applicant. In many cases, the grant will cover international travel, offer a modest allowance for books and supplies, and provide a stipend. That stipend varies by city and is set by the US Department of State based on the Department’s cost of living estimate for that city. The stipend for Champaign-Urbana is currently $15,840 ($1,320 monthly for 12 months), which is significantly lower than the campus base rate for a 50% assistantship.
Most international Fulbright grants provide up to two years of support for master’s students and five years of support for doctoral students. However, duration of support may vary. Departments should look closely at the student’s “Terms & Conditions” document from Fulbright to determine the duration of support being offered.
Does an international Fulbright grant qualify for a waiver?
Given the stipend level that Fulbright provides, Fulbright grants generally qualify for waivers, as long as the student is entering neither a cost-recovery nor a self-supporting program (those programs generally do not offer waivers).
Must (or should) a department provide financial support to an international Fulbright grantee?
Departments are not obligated to provide supplemental stipend support to a Fulbright grantee, for the grant is intended to provide sufficient support during the grant period. However, given that the Fulbright stipend is lower than the campus’s base rate (and is rarely, if ever, changeable), departments might want to offer supplemental support, whenever possible, through assistantships or fellowships. This is entirely at the department’s discretion.
If the department wishes to offer supplemental support, it is important that the department make clear in writing to the student and the sponsor (i.e., the department should specify in its offer letter as well as on Fulbright’s “University Support Form”) that the department’s financial support “is supplemental to Fulbright’s full stipend.” If a department does not specify this, some Fulbright grantees could see their grant stipends reduced by the amount of university support being offered.
How do cost-of-education allowances factor into international Fulbright grants?
A cost-of-education allowance (COE) is a payment offered by an external funder to a university in lieu of tuition and fees.
Many international Fulbright grants can provide a COE. However, most sponsors do not mention the possibility of a COE up front. Instead, universities usually need to request it. If you have an incoming student who will be supported by Fulbright, please look closely at the sponsor’s “Request for Admission” or “Terms & Conditions” document to see if a COE is included. If there is no mention of the COE, the department should contact the Graduate College’s Office of External Fellowships, who can then contact the sponsor about the COE.
It is in the university’s best interest to receive a COE, for this helps us educate the grantee. It is also in the grantee’s best interest, for the waiver that accompanies a COE covers all tuition during the summer as well as the academic year, and it covers all fees.
COE funds are administered by central campus, not by the Graduate College. For questions about the flow of COE funds from central campus to the grantee’s college, departments should contact their college-level business officer directly.
If you have additional questions about international Fulbright grants, contact the Graduate College’s Office of External Fellowships at ExtFellowships@illinois.edu.