2. General Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship or permanent resident status qualifying you to hold a valid passport issued in Nepal- Persons selected for a Fulbright grant will be required to submit a copy of their passport data page. Persons applying for or holding permanent residence in the US are not eligible. Persons who are citizens of both a partner country and the US are also ineligible.
  Fulbright Scholars enter the US on an Exchange Visitor (J-1) visa under a U.S. Department of State program and are subject to the two-year home-country residency requirement associated with the J-1 visa. Scholars/Artists are expected to reside in Nepal for two years after completion of their Fulbright grant period in the US before they may apply for non-immigrant visas (H and L) as temporary workers, for permanent residence in the US, or as immigrants.
  Scholars/Artists and their dependents who have held J visas with sponsorship of more than six months are not eligible to re-enter as J-1 researchers or artists for 12 months following the program sponsorship end date. In addition, scholars/artists who have previously held a J visa in the professor or research scholar category are not eligible for sponsorship again in those two categories for a period of 24 months following the program sponsorship end date.
• Doctoral degree (for researchers) or equivalent professional training or experience at the time of application (for artists)- For professionals and artists outside academe, recognized professional standing and substantial professional accomplishment is expected. For post-doctoral researchers, only those scholars who received their doctorate during the years 2006-2017 are eligible to apply. A minimum of three years post-doctoral professional experience in Nepal (for post-doctoral researchers); a minimum of five years of experience in the area and at least three years continuous residence in Nepal prior to the grant application (for artists) is required
• A detailed statement of proposed activity for research and/or an artistic project at a US institution- The proposed project should contribute to the development of knowledge in your field and must be feasible within a maximum period of nine months in the US. For post-doctoral researchers, the subject of the proposed research must relate directly to Nepal. Research proposals using the given form will be accepted in any field. For artists, the proposed project must have relevance to Nepal
• Proficiency in English appropriate to the proposed project- You may be required to take an English proficiency examination
• Sound physical and mental health- Those selected for a Fulbright grant are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before their grants can be finalized.

Ineligibility

1. Persons holding citizenship or permanent residency in both Nepal and the US
2. Local employees of US missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State are ineligible for grants during the period of their employment and for one year following the termination of employment; members and staff of the Nepal Fulbright Commission, for a period ending one year after the termination of such employment.
3. Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of the U.S. Department of State employees and members and staff of the Commission, for a period ending one year after the termination of such employment. This provision does not disqualify self-supporting members of families living apart from their parents.