2024 Fulbright Student (Master’s and PhD) Program

USEFP is now accepting applications for the 2024 Fulbright Student (Master’s and PhD) Program. The Program fully funds graduate degree study, including tuition, maintenance, insurance, and air travel. USEFP also assists with the visa process. 

For further details about the scholarship and how to apply, visit http://usefp.org/scholarships/fulbright-degree.cfm. In 2024, USEFP hopes to award 150 Fulbright scholarships. 

Application deadline is April 12, 2023. Students are eligible to apply if they can provide their final transcript by the end of December 2023. 

Key details of Fulbright Program 2023 are outlined below for your information.

Brief Overview:

Fulbright is the flagship scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State and it funds graduate study in the United States. 

For the Master's degree program, eligible candidates will have either a four-year Bachelor's degree or a Bachelor's and Master's combination totaling 16 years of formal education from an accredited university. Recent graduates are strongly encouraged to apply, except for MBA and Public Policy/Administration applicants, who require 2 years of work experience. 

For the PhD degree program, eligible applicants will have a Master's, M.Phil. or comparable degree (a minimum of 18 years of formal education) from an accredited university. It is highly desirable that candidates have work experience in teaching, research, or the public sector in Pakistan.

For both the Master's and PhD programs, all academic disciplines are eligible, except clinical medicine. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE General) is required for all applicants. Under the new scoring system, a minimum score of 145 is required on each section of the GRE examination, with a higher score on the section most applicable to your field of study. Applicants must also possess a high level of fluency in spoken and written English. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) will be required from all the selected candidates. 

All successful candidates are required to sign a contract with USEFP and, for successful PhD candidates, a bond with the HEC that binds them to return to Pakistan immediately after their program in the U.S. and serve the country for the number of years equivalent to the length of their scholarship program. This contract is redeemable on a year-for-year basis minimum of two years; as long as a person fulfills the service requirement, he or she will pay nothing 

Cycle

Applications are accepted each year in January/February and the deadline to submit application is around April/May. The application review and interview process continue until September and the results are announced in mid-October. After selection, the university submission and placement process continue until February and visa interviews take place until June. The departure to the U.S. commences in July and onwards, depending on the universities reporting dates. 

Eligibility Criteria

• Pakistani citizens with strong academic histories, residing (throughout the process) in Pakistan and committed to returning and serving Pakistan are welcome to apply.
• All disciplines are eligible except clinical medicine. People in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, health, education, environment, and climate change disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Eligible Master's applicants will have a four-year Bachelor's degree or a Bachelor's and Master's combination (16 years of formal education) and PhD applicants will have Master's, M.Phil., or a comparable degree (18 years of formal education) from an accredited university.
• Applicants should be prepared to complete grants without accompanying dependents, if need be.

Ineligibility

• Persons with a dual U.S./Pakistan nationality or those having a spouse, parent, siblings or child over 18 years of age who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Employees of the Fulbright organization, the U.S. Department of State, or USAID and their spouses, children, fiancés, siblings, dependents, and parents.
• People who have already availed one Fulbright award for any degree program.
• Persons already studying in the U.S. or on a work/residence/student visa in any country.

How to apply

A complete application package includes:

• An application form
• Three reference letters
• GRE score report
• Scanned transcripts, including an explanation of the grading scale of the university issuing the degree should be uploaded. Please note that HEC-attested documents are preferable with the application, but degree and transcripts attested by the issuing authority will be acceptable at the time of application.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. An application with references and required supporting documents must be submitted online. Please note that paper applications will not be accepted.

FAQs 

Can I take the GRE after submitting my application?

No, you must have taken the GRE test before the application deadline. Ideally, you should have your test score report uploaded with the application. If you don't have your score report by the deadline you mention the unofficial scores and upload the proof of your registration with the application showing that you've already taken the exam before the deadline.

What is considered a good GRE score?

• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for all applicants. Under the new scoring system, a minimum score of 145 is required on each section of the GRE examination, with a higher score on the section most applicable to your field of study.
• The GRE scores are required for placement at a U.S. university. However, different disciplines have different GRE score requirements. For examples, English literature will require a higher score in the verbal section and engineering fields will require a higher score in the quantitative.
• It is understood that students coming from private English-medium schools may have an advantage in the verbal portion of the GRE and such factors are taken into account in determining merit. 

Is the TOEFL also required with the application?

No, TOEFL is not mandatory with the application. Only selected candidates will be required to take the TOEFL. 

How does the selection process work?

Selection process has four stages:
Round 1: All applications are screened for completeness and minimum qualifications.
Round 2: Complete applications that meet the minimum qualifications are evaluated according to a set of established criteria and shortlisted.
Round 3: In-person or virtual interviews of short-listed applicants take place between June and August. The interview panels are made up of both U.S. and Pakistani citizens.
Round 4: Final candidates and alternates are selected in September. Applicants who have become finalists or alternates will be notified by e-mail and official acceptance letter. Those who do not get selected are notified only by mail.
Final approval is given by the Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, D.C. 

Is work experience required? 

No, unless you are applying for Public Policy/Administration or an MBA. 

How do I apply?

Read all of the application instructions carefully before beginning the application. Register for the GRE at https://www.usefp.org/testing-services/gre.cfm. Information about GRE test preparation is also available at https://www.usefp.org/testing-services/gre-preparation.cfm. There are many web resources available to guide you in writing your Statement of Purpose and Study Objectives. Contact our EducationUSA Advising Centers at advising@usefp.org to get information about free weekly workshops on essay writing and fee-based test prep classes.

For queries, email info@usefp.org. IRC can also be reached at internationaloffice@iba.edu.pk.