U.S. Embassy, Kingston is pleased to announce the application opening of the 2025-26 Fulbright Graduate Student Program. Applications are now open and will close on Wednesday, June 14, 2024, at 10:59 p.m. (Jamaica Time). The Fulbright Graduate Student Program is a specific Fulbright Foreign Student award for persons seeking to pursue a master’s or PhD degree. All Fulbright grant recipients are expected to show exceptional promise of leadership skills in their chosen field and contribute to Jamaica’s development. The Fulbright program uniquely envisions and prepares alumni of the program to be committed to directly building their home country, in this instance Jamaica; while gaining a deeper understanding of the U.S.A.: its people, policies and place in the international context. A wide variety of fields of study are considered for Fulbright grants for Jamaicans. Applicants are eligible to apply for a Fulbright grant in: the Humanities, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Social Sciences, Anthropology, Archaeology, Area Studies, Cultural and Ethnic Studies, Economics, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Natural Sciences, Space Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Sciences, Mathematics, Agriculture, Architecture and Design, Education, Engineering, Environmental Studies and Forestry, Health Sciences, Journalism, Media Studies and Communication, Library and Museum Studies, Military Sciences, Public Administration and Social Work. The following fields of study will not be considered for funding: law, medicine, nursing, and dentistry, MBAs and Professional degrees leading to a professional credential. This is a very competitive program and consideration will only be given to Jamaican-citizen, graduates of local universities, with first-class honors or upper second-class honors Bachelor’s degrees. Persons with “green cards” (alien registration cards), or current students at a U.S. university, are NOT eligible to apply for these awards. Fulbright grant Recipients are required to return to Jamaica on completion of their studies in the U.S.A. and for at least two years contribute to Jamaica’s development before becoming eligible for consideration to emigrate to the U.S.A. ELIGIBILITY: First-class or upper-second class honors bachelor’s degree from an accredited Jamaican Tertiary institution Must be a Jamaican citizen currently residing in Jamaica Must have a commitment to Jamaica’s national development Must be committed to developing one’s own leadership skills and positively sharing knowledge and skill sets gained during the program Recipients should plan to return to Jamaica on completion of their studies in the U.S.A. and contribute to the sector for which studies were pursued. FINANCIAL COVERAGE (the study grant includes coverage of costs for the following): J1 visa Airline travel to and from the United States (Note: this only covers for the initial flight at the beginning of the program to the USA and the return flight at the end of the program to Jamaica) Tuition assistance in the form of a grant covering specified fees or supplemental fees with a possible teaching assistantship when provided by the host university A monthly stipend for the study period A book allowance Health insurance (basic coverage through a group plan) Applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Detailed information about the GRE and GMAT can be obtained at the GRE and GMAT websites respectively. A score for either the GMAT or GRE must be provided by applicants, by email to: Kingstonexchanges@state.gov by or before August 31, 2024. The TOEFL is only required for applicants who are finally selected for the Fulbright grant. APPLICATION PROCESS: Candidates applying to the Fulbright Foreign Student Program will access the online application through IIE’s website at: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2025 The application process is electronic. No hardcopy applications will be accepted. Required supporting documents should be uploaded electronically and directly to the online application. Submission of letters of recommendation electronically is a convenient, required, and secure means of supporting an application. For this reason, the online application will allow referees’ information to be added and an email with the applicant’s specific identifying information will be sent to each referee, which allows for direct submission. It is the duty of the applicant to request the recommendation, prior to completing the request in the Fulbright application. Referees should be aware of the applicant’s academic performance and willing to assess academic potential for further studies. The referee should also have knowledge of the type of degree the applicant wants to pursue and the specific area of study. Applicants should discuss any such details with the referee and allow adequate time for consideration, preparation, and submission of the required letter of recommendation by the referee. Questions or concerns from applicants or referees about the Fulbright Graduate Student Program should be sent to kingstonexchanges@state.gov
