About the Program

The Fulbright Commission funds Nepali students for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program (FFSP) for Master’s level study in the US. Approximately 4000 foreign students from 155 countries worldwide receive Fulbright scholarships each year. The program provides all expenses (including travel) for a Master’s degree program of up to two years at selected US universities, in any field except Medicine and Nursing.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program announcement is generally made in late February/early March and eligibility requirements are as follows:

  1. Possess Nepali citizenship
  2. Have at least three years (for men) or two years (for women) of post-bachelor’s degree, full-time, professional work experience in an area directly relevant to the applicant’s chosen field of study as of the application deadline. This experience must be outlined by the professional recommender, verifying your position(s) and years of employment. Even if you worked at several organizations, you are eligible to apply as long as your work experience at those organizations adds up to the minimum work-duration requirement
  3. Possess either a four-year bachelor’s degree; or, if the bachelor’s degree was of fewer than four years’ duration, then a Master’s degree is also required, such that the total number of years of formal education equals at least 16 
  4. Students with a three-year bachelor’s degree who have completed only the first year of a two-year Master’s degree program, and Master’s degree students who have cleared all exams but still need to fulfill other university-mandated degree requirements are ineligible to apply. Similarly, students who have two or more two-year/three-year bachelor’s degree but no Master’s degree are ineligible to apply for the Fulbright program
  5. Demonstrate in post-intermediate degrees (Bachelors and Master’s) a minimum aggregate mark of:
    • 54% for students in non-technical fields (Humanities and Social Sciences)
    • 62% for students in Science and Technical fields
    • The minimum requirements for students under the semester system are: 65% in non-technical fields; 75% in technical fields; or a Cumulative GPA of 3.50/4.00 in either field
    • If the grading systems, fields of study or educational systems for the Bachelor’s and Master’s level are different (percentage and GPA grades, non-technical and science/technical fields, yearly and semester systems, etc.), the applicant needs to meet the minimum score requirements separately, not in the aggregate
  6. Be eligible for a non-immigrant J-1 US visa, and not already in possession or in the process of obtaining a US immigrant visa (“green card”)

FAQs

1. When can I apply for the program?

The competition opens each year in January/February.

2. Can I apply if I am an undergraduate Nepali student in the US?

No.  Individuals who have previously resided in the United States for six months or more during the preceding five years prior to the application submission deadline are ineligible to apply

3. Do I need take TOEFL/GRE before applying?

GRE and/or TOEFL scores are not required at the time of application. If you pass the initial screening then you are required to take the GRE and/or TOEFL test, which is offered free of cost by the Commission.

4. Do I need work experience?

Yes. Full time, post-graduation work experience in field of proposed study is required: three years for men, and two years for women.

5. I have four years of undergraduate degree and a master’s degree. Can I apply?

Yes, you are eligible to apply even if you already have a master’s degree.

6. Can I convert my GPA into percentage or my percentage into GPA?

No, you are not allowed to convert your scores percentage into GPA or GPA into percentage.

7. What are the documents that need to be attested?

The transcripts and certificates need to be attested. You do not need to attest your work experience letters.

8. Can I apply again if I was not selected in the previous years?

You are encouraged to re-apply.

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