Fulbright U.S.
Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers graduating college seniors, graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, artists and young professionals from all over the United States the opportunity to study or conduct research in Slovakia for one academic year (9 months) in all kinds of disciplines. U.S. students are responsible for arranging their own host affiliations and should seek affiliation with Slovak institutions that specialize in their specific fields of interest. The Commission can assist with identifying suitable institutions and establishing initial communication. For independent study or research, preliminary contacts with host institutions and an affiliation letter are necessary at the time of application.

Eligibility criteria

Factors affecting selection

Grant Benefits

Living expenses

Allowances

Travel allowance

One-time allowance covering expenses to obtain national visa

ASPE

Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges covering basic healthcare (supplemental private insurance highly recommended)

Tuitions and fees

Not applicable to public HEIs

Limited tuition and exceptional fees may apply to private HEIs

Slovak language summer school for interested candidates

Commission can offer a partial stipend for accredited summer schools in Slovakia

Administrative support

Mandatory academic and cultural 4-day orientation program upon arrival in Slovakia, mandatory mid-year conference, participation in enrichment activities, such as the Berlin seminar hosted by the German Fulbright Commission, and on-going support during the grant

How to apply

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered on the U.S. side by the Institute of International Education (IIE), which oversees the application process and pre-screens candidates.

Candidates must complete and submit an online application. Please visit the global Fulbright website to learn more details. For specific application instructions and deadline, candidates are strongly recommended to contact an on-campus Fulbright Program Adviser at their institution. Click here to find your Fulbright Program Advisor.

Application must include CV, Statement of Grant Purpose, Personal Statement, transcripts of records, 3 Letters of references, and Invitation/Affiliation Letter.

Fulbright U.S. Student Application Form

Timeline

The application period is open from spring to fall. Candidates should bear in mind that they need to submit the application approximately one year prior to the start date of their grant period. The national application deadline for the 2024/2025 academic year is October 10, 2023 at 5 pm Eastern Time. Candidates applying through U.S. institutions are required to meet the campus deadline set by Fulbright Program Advisers at respective universities.

Application flow

March – October

Application cycle is open.

August - October

Deadline for submission of the application. If you apply through a U.S. university, please check the deadline with your university´s Fulbright Program Advisor. If you apply At-Large, please check the deadline with the IIE.

November – December

National Screening Committee convened by IIE to review applications and recommend candidates for final consideration by the Commission.

January

Candidates are notified by IIE as to whether or not their applications are recommended for final consideration. The Commission is responsible for final selection of candidates.

March – April

Selected candidates are notified of their official approval by the Commission and by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

April – June

Grant documents are issued. Administrative steps to process visa applications and departure for Slovakia are taken.

July – August

Visa interviews are conducted with grantees departing for Slovakia.

FAQ

Please visit the global Fulbright website. If you have any specific questions, please contact our office at: office@fulbright.sk.

Testimonials

Karen A. Melis

Program, year, host institution:

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2011-2012, Spisska Kapitula Bishopric Archive

Current position:

Professional genealogist and founder of SlovakGenealogy

Testimonial:

“This was one of the most memorable years of my life! These ten months opened my eyes both to how Americans are perceived in this one part of the world and how simple, everyday interactions can have such an impact on altering those perceptions. The exchange of ideas, concerns, beliefs, laugher, stories, and even tears while living in my new environment was the most important part of this personal journey.”

Karen A. Melis

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2011-2012

Roman Hlatky

Program, year, host institution:

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2019-20, Comenius University

Current position:

Ph.D. Candidate at University of Texas at Austin

Testimonial:

“My time as a Fulbright researcher in Slovakia was invaluable. Not only did I make important strides in my dissertation research, I also formed meaningful bonds with colleagues and practitioners that continue till this day. Slovakia is a country of meaningful contrasts. On the one hand, the Slovak population is amongst the most pro European Union in Central Europe. On the other hand, extremist parties sit in the Slovak parliament. In my fieldwork, I set out to understand and explain these contrasts. My conversations with politicians, civil-society representatives, and ordinary individuals enriched and informed my research. Moreover, working with my colleagues in the Department of Political Science and at the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences taught me how to be a better researcher and teacher. In my future career, I look forward to introducing students to professional and academic opportunities in Central Europe broadly, and Slovakia specifically.”

Roman Hlatky

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2019-2020

J. Luke Ryder

Program, year, host institution:

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2013-14, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities at Matej Bel University, Banska Bystrica

Current position:

historian and editor in Levine Institute for Holocaust Education Of US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.

Testimonial:

“The immersive experience of a Fulbright award year in the Slovak Republic was the opportunity of a lifetime. The unique challenges and rewards of working with Slovak institutions and archives helped me to research and collaborate in more expansive ways. A deeper exposure to Slovak language and culture, and more importantly, the friendships and professional relationships made possible by this award, let to invaluable new perspectives on the history and heritage of Slovakia and the wider region.”

J. Luke Ryder

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2013-2014

Todd Jusko

Program, year, host institution:

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2007-2008, Department of Toxic Organic Pollutants, Slovak Medical University

Current position:

Associate Professor, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Testimonial:

“I would have never guessed I would spend nearly 2 years of my in the Slovak Republic. As a graduate student in epidemiology at the University of Washington, my dissertation examined the health effects of exposure to PCBs, a persistent chemical in our environment. My colleagues in Bratislava had established a cohort of mother-infant pairs in Michalovce and Svidnik. My experience working with them at Slovak Medical University (SZU) provided me with a greater knowledge and appreciation of the problem, and more importantly, facilitated a collaboration that continues today. We are still following the same cohort of mother-infant pairs and received a 5-year (2019-2024) R01 award from the NIH to further test our hypotheses around adverse immune effects (R01-ES030300). Outside of work, I met many wonderful people and established several lifelong friendships!”

Todd Jusko

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2007-2008

Steven Lemke

Program, year, host institution:

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2019-2020, Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, Department of Sculpture, Object, Installation

Current position:

Associate Director and Environmental Artist-in-Residence, the Saint John’s Pottery, Instructor, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, Minnesota

Testimonial:

„The Slovak Fulbright program size is perfect for connecting with a close cohort of students, researchers and scholars in a setting layered with history and natural beauty. Professionally, the insights and connections I gained while doing on-site research of panelák architecture opened doors to speaking opportunities that challenged me to communicate the significance of my creative practice across languages and cultures. And I especially enjoyed traveling to the Slovak countryside, where I was able to take part in a sculpture symposium at the foothills of a historic castle town and get to know artists from across the region. My time as a Fulbright fellow in the Slovak Republic was instrumental in equipping me for a career in academia, where I lead a university environmental art center and teach courses at the intersection of sculpture, architecture, and design.”

Steven Lemke

Fulbright U.S. Student, 2019-2020