Fulbright US Graduate Student Awards

The Fulbright US Graduate Student Awards are for promising graduate students in any field to undertake postgraduate study at a New Zealand institution.

Up to 10 highly prestigious and competitive awards are offered each year to students who show academic excellence, leadership potential and the ability to be cultural ambassadors for the US. Awards are granted for advanced academic study in New Zealand.

While awards are given to undertake study in New Zealand in any field, Fulbright New Zealand is especially interested in proposals that incorporate New Zealand studies or have a comparative element with the US. Applicants considering Māori, indigenous, or cultural-specific projects should investigate cultural norms and practices to ensure the feasibility of their project, and can do this by searching relevant websites and contacting faculty or experts in the proposed area of study.

Eligibility

To apply for this award you must:

• hold a US bachelor’s degree or equivalent before the beginning date of the grant (but not hold a PhD - these awards do not fund postdoctoral study or research)
• plan to undertake postgraduate study or research at a New Zealand institution for a period of one academic year (February-November)
• meet the citizenship requirements for this award:

Citizenship requirements

• are a US citizen
• AND are not a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand
• AND are not currently living in New Zealand*
  

* Applicants outside the US who are unable to attend an interview in person may be disadvantaged.

Preference for Fulbright awards is given to candidates who have not had extensive recent experience in New Zealand.

Entitlement

• return airfare to New Zealand
• tuition fees at your New Zealand university
• stipend for the period of the grant (one academic year - February-November) to cover living costs. The amount of the stipend depends on where in New Zealand you live: NZ$390 per week for living in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, NZ$340 per week elsewhere
• basic health and accident insurance cover up to US$100,000
• establishment and research allowance of NZ$1,000, paid in February
• baggage, project and incidental allowance of NZ$1,000, paid in June

No allowance is available for dependents who will be accompanying you to New Zealand. Please note, however, that if your partner will accompany you to New Zealand for over six months they will be eligible to obtain a work permit.

Award conditions

• you must plan to be in New Zealand for a period of one academic year (February-November), in the year following the award offer
• any dependents who will be accompanying you to New Zealand must be declared on your application
• your award must be approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC
• you must enrol at an accredited higher education or research institution in New Zealand. You are encouraged to find your own placement at an institution, butFulbright New Zealand is able to assist you with placements if necessary
• New Zealand immigration documentation must be completed from within the US
• international travel will only be funded between the US and New Zealand
• you must participate fully in an arrival orientation, a mid-year report-back event and an end-of-year report-back event
• you must provide Fulbright New Zealand with copies of any articles, research papers or theses completed while in New Zealand. A final report must also be completed before you depart from New Zealand

Fulbright orientation

It was Senator J William Fulbright's mission to build peace through the mutual understanding of cultures. Fulbright applicants and grantees are expected to understand and support this mission. To support this understanding, American grantees are required to attend a Fulbright orientation held each February in Wellington.

Application process

The application and selection of this award is facilitated by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in the US. Any questions regarding the application process or the status of your application should be directed to IIE.

• you must complete and submit the online Application and support documents to IIE by the deadline
• you will be advised by IIE of the outcome of your application

Application and support documents

More detailed information about the application process and a link to the online application form can be found on the IIE website.

Applicants currently working towards US doctorates need to indicate in their applications as to how their intended research in New Zealand will contribute back to their doctoral programme.

Further information

Supplementary Awards

Recipients of Fulbright US Graduate Awards may be able to extend their exchange to New Zealand by applying for supplementary awards and scholarships:

• The University of Auckland offers a special University of Auckland Fulbright Scholarship valued at NZ$15,000 per annum plus research/tuition fees towards a second year of Masters study or second and third years of PhD study by Fulbright US Graduate Students who complete their first year of study at the university
• Victoria University of Wellington offers a similar Victoria Fulbright Masters Scholarship valued at NZ$15,000 plus up to NZ$25,000 in fees towards a second year of Masters study by Fulbright US Graduate Students who complete their first year on a Fulbright award at any New Zealand university.

Fulbright US Graduate Students at these and other institutions may be eligible for a variety of other postgraduate scholarships - please check with university scholarships offices for further information.

More on Study in New Zealand

Study in New Zealand

The Study in New Zealand section of our website gives you all the fundamental information you need to know about studying in the US.