"Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations." - Senator J. William Fulbright
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has supported educational and cultural exchange for the people of the United States and partner countries worldwide. The Fulbright Program operates in more that 160 countries and provides approximately 8,000 merit-based grants per year.
Fulbright participants include students, scholars and variety of non-academic professionals, from both the US and partner countries, who travel abroad to study, teach, research and conduct projects. UC Merced's Fulbright awardees include students and faculty who travelled abroad for their Fulbright experience, and students and scholars who come to UC Merced from universities around the world.
At UC Merced, the Office of International Affairs (OIA) provides information and related services to our domestic (out-bound) applicants. International (in-bound) Fulbright applicants or awardees are welcome to contact OIA if they have questions about UC Merced or otherwise need assistance.
Fulbright US Student Program
The Fulbright US Student Program provides a wide range of opportunities for awards grants to recent graduates, graduate students and young professionals for study, research and teaching in more than 140 countries. Fulbright provides awards for special programs but the most-widely distributed grants are the Study/Research Award and English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award.
In order to be eligible, applicants must be US citizens or nationals at the time of application, and have completed a bachelor's degree before the start of the grant (other eligibiltiy requirements may apply, please see the Fulbright site for details).
Most Fulbright applicants submit their applications through their home institution, such as UC Merced, but at-large applications are also accepted. serves as the campus resource for the US Student Program. Because the Fulbright awards are highly competitive, OIA strongly encourages potential applicants to contact us for program information and application assistance.
** CAMPUS DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 **
For more information, please contact Fulbright Program Advisor, Becky Mirza (bmirza@ucmerced.edu).
Fulbright Scholar Program
Under its purview, the Fulbright Scholar Program offers US Scholars, Visiting (international) Scholars and US Instititons a wide variety of program options.
The Fulbright US Scholar Program, the signature program for US citizens, provides nearly 470 teaching, research and combination teaching/research awards for more than 125 countries. Opportunities are available for college faculty and administrators, and non-academic professionals.
Whereas UC Merced's Fulbright US Student Program applicants usually apply with the assistance of OIA, Fulbright Scholar Program applicants apply independently. However, potential Scholar Program applicants are welcome to contact Fulbright Scholar Liaison, Garett Gietzen (ggietzen@ucmerced.edu) if they have any questions.
