Fulbright US Graduate Awards are for promising American graduate students to undertake postgraduate study or research at New Zealand institutions in any field. Approximately ten awards valued at NZ$30,000 plus travel are granted each year, towards one year of study or research in New Zealand.
Closing date: 17 October 2012
These awards are available for study or research in any field. However, 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 be eligible, you must:
- hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent by the time you take up your award, but not yet hold a doctoral degree;
- plan to undertake full-time postgraduate study or research at a New Zealand institution for a period of one academic year (February-November); and
- meet the citizenship requirements for this award.
Citizenship requirements
You are eligible to apply for this award if you:
- are a US citizen;
- and are not a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand;
- and are not currently living in New Zealand.
Preference for Fulbright awards is given to candidates who have not had extensive recent experience in New Zealand. (ie. have not studied, taught, researched or worked in New Zealand for a period aggregating more than nine months/one academic year during the past five years)
Entitlement
- Return airfare to New Zealand;
- Tuition fees at your New Zealand university;
- Stipend to cover living costs for the duration of your grant. The amount of 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;
- Establishment and research allowance of NZ$1,000, paid in February;
- Baggage, project and incidental allowance of NZ$1,000, paid in June;
- Basic supplemental health and accident insurance up to US$100,000;
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.
We can assist you with identifying the right New Zealand university and your application.
Award conditions
- Your award must be approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC;
- Your award is conditional on acceptance into an approved institution and course of study or research;
- The period of your award is one academic year (usually ten months, not to exceed 12 months). Grantees may, on an exceptional basis, receive an award for a shorter period of not less than six months;
- Your award must be taken up in the New Zealand academic year (February-November) following official confirmation of the award;
- You will be required to undertake a full medical examination before applying for your visa;
- You must travel on a US passport, and 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 may be required to fulfil some Fulbright New Zealand media requirements before your departure for the New Zealand, during your study and/or on return to the US;
- You must provide Fulbright New Zealand with copies of any articles, research papers or theses resulting from your award. 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 and be effective ambassadors for the United States of America. In addition to the monetary, educational and cultural exchange benefits made possible by the award, Fulbright grantees carry the prestige of the Fulbright programme along with them throughout their careers. Alumni are expected to succeed and be ‘thought leaders’ in their respective fields/careers, and to support and remain engaged with the Fulbright programme for the rest of their lives. To support their understanding of the Fulbright mission, American grantees are required to attend a Fulbright orientation programme held each February in Wellington.
Application process and forms
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 an online application by the application deadline;
- You must also submit all required support documents to IIE by the application deadline;
- IIE will advise you of the outcome of your application by June of the year following application.
Application form 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.
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.
Further information
For further information, see the IIE website or contact our graduate awards Programme Manager, Kara Wood – kara@fulbright.org.nz / +64 4 494 1504
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