U.S. Embassy in Trinidad
& Tobago

Fulbright Scholarships (for graduate study only)

2024-2025 Scholarship Programs

Eligibility requirements:

• Be a national of Trinidad and Tobago;- Be a holder of a Trinidad and Tobago Passport.
• Not be a Permanent Resident of the United States or a holder of a U.S. “Green Card” (U.S. alien registration card; No dual citizens of the U.S. and TT);
• Graduated from a local tertiary-level institution with a high passing grade (e.g. upper second class hons. or first-class hons. Bachelor’s degree).
• Applicants must not have spent a considerable time living or studying in the U.S. within the past 3-5 years. The objective of the Fulbright program is to provide an educational exchange experience to those not previously afforded such an opportunity, preference will be given to candidates who have not had extensive recent experience in the United States or any other foreign country.
• Applicants should clearly indicate career goals in the application and exceptional promise of contributing to national development.
• Candidate MUST return to Trinidad and Tobago upon completion of their studies for at least two years, as required under the J-1 visa awarded to recipients of Fulbright Scholarships.
• Candidates can apply for a Masters or PhD in any field of study; but must not require student to fulfill clinical practicum on clients or patients.

Scholarship Coverage:

• Airline travel to and from the United States (NB: this only covers the initial flight at the beginning of the program and for the return flight to Trinidad and Tobago at the end of the program)
• Tuition assistance in the form of a scholarship as placed by the administering partner Institute for International Education (IIE)
• A monthly stipend
• A monthly book allowance
• Health insurance (basic coverage)
• J1 visa
• Students are only eligible for up to two years of funding

Fulbright Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship — Applications are CLOSED

The 2023-2024 application is available here: https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey . The deadline for submission of applications is CLOSED.

Program Description:

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, a Fulbright exchange, enhances leadership among international professionals who collaborate to address local and global challenges and foster change for our collective good. Through academic study and professional development with U.S. counterparts, this growing global network shares best practices and builds expertise in fields of critical importance to advance societal and institutional capacity, promote human rights and freedoms, ensure sustainable lands, and develop thriving communities. By providing future leaders and policy makers with experience in U.S. higher education, society, culture, and professional organizations, the program provides a basis for lasting, productive ties between Americans and their professional counterparts overseas.

Program Components:

a. 10-month Non-Degree Academic Study: Humphrey Fellows pursue tailored study programs at participating host institutions, where freedom from the requirements of a degree program gives each Fellow the flexibility to pursue a self-directed, individualized program at a host campus. Approximately 13 U.S. campuses have been selected through a competitive process based on their ability to offer institutional and professional resources to host cohorts of Fellows in designated fields of study. Humphrey Fellows may not request placement at a particular university. Each campus has at least one designated faculty coordinator for academic and administrative support. In addition, faculty advisors assist Fellows in pursuing balanced academic and professional programs. Even though Fellows will spend time in an academic setting and are able to enroll in classes, the Humphrey Fellowship Program is classified as a non-degree program by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Humphrey Fellows cannot transfer from non-degree status to degree status under any circumstances during their program.

b. Leadership and Professional Development: Professional enrichment activities include professional visits, enhancement skills workshops, conferences, training programs, and a professional affiliation (placement). The professional affiliation provides firsthand exposure to a U.S. work environment on a full-time basis for a minimum period of six weeks. These professional affiliations strengthen Fellows’ connections with American colleagues and allow them to contribute directly to U.S. communities by bringing a global perspective to issues in their professional fields. Early in the academic year, each Fellow develops, with assistance from the local campus coordinator and faculty advisors, a detailed plan of practical professional activities geared to the Fellow’s program objectives.

Eligible Fields/Sectors:

Human and Institutional Capacity:

• Economic Development
• Finance & Banking
• Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration
• Technology Policy and Management
• Human Resource Management

Rights and Freedoms: 

• Communications and Journalism
• International Religious Freedom
• Law and Human Rights
• Trafficking in Persons Policy & Prevention

Sustainable Lands:

• Agricultural and Rural Development
• Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change
• Urban and Regional Planning

Thriving Communities:

• Contagious and Infectious Diseases
• Public Health Policy and Management
• HIV&AIDS, Policy and Prevention
• Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention (see 4b)
• Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy
• Higher Education Administration
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language

 Application Process:

Interested applicants must apply at https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey . After national selection, final nominations are reviewed in the United States by independent review committees. These review committees make recommendations to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Awards for successful candidates will be announced around February/March 2023 for Fellowships during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Eligibility Requirements:

• A  university degree from an accredited institution
• A minimum of five years of full-time professional experience (prior to August 2023) in the relevant field and should be interested in the policy aspects of their field of specialization.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and a record of public service
• Demonstrated English language ability
• Limited prior experience in the U.S.
• Once selected, the TOEFL testing must be taken by September 25th, 2022. More information on the TOEFL iBT home test can be found here: https://www.ets.org/s/toefl-essentials/test-takers/

Ineligible candidates include:

• Recent undergraduate university graduates (even if they have significant positions);
• University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities (except in the fields of Substance Abuse Education, Prevention, and Treatment and Teaching of English as a Foreign Language);
• Individuals who have attended a graduate school in the United States for one academic year or more during the seven years prior to August 2023;
• Individuals with U.S. in-country experience of any kind lasting more than six months during the five years prior to August 2023; and
• Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status may not apply to the program as they are ineligible for a J visa.

Terms and Conditions:

The Humphrey Fellowship provides: international travel, tuition and university fees, accident/sickness coverage, monthly maintenance allowance and funding for books and professional activities. The Humphrey Program does not provide financial support for accompanying dependents. The COVID 19 Pandemic may mean that international travel, visas and public health protocols in your home country and the USA may impact program dates and implementation; selected candidates will be advised on any changes and are urged to remain flexible.

Humphrey Fellows may bring dependents on J-2 visas to accompany them while in the United States if they meet all criteria described in this paragraph and posts and commissions are supportive. All expenses for J-2 dependents must be covered by the Fellow. The Humphrey Fellowship stipend is sufficient only to support the Fellow. Candidates should be advised of the high cost of living in the United States if they are considering having dependents join them. Dependents may not accompany Fellows to English language training or arrive during the first month of the program. Fellows who wish to have an exception made to this rule must receive prior approval. Program administrators will conduct a technical review of evidence that the Fellow has adequate personal funds to cover living expenses, dependents’ health insurance, and childcare (if needed). Health insurance for dependents is required and may cost USD 200 per month per dependent.

Fulbright Specialist Program

The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP), part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The program is a field-driven initiative in which foreign host institutions conceptualize and design projects of interest within an eligible discipline that represent a priority for their respective organizations. These projects are then paired with a highly qualified U.S. academic or professional, who shares their expertise and assists with strengthening linkages between U.S. and foreign host institutions. Participating foreign host institutions benefit by:

• Gaining global perspectives from experienced U.S. academics and professionals;
• Executing projects that require a rapid response or flexible timeline through short-term, year-round exchanges; and
• Building sustained relationships with individuals and institutions in the U.S.

Eligibility Requirements for Host Institutions

Institutions that may be eligible to request a Fulbright Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• Institutions of Higher Education;
• Government Institutions (ministries or agencies, courts, parliamentary or congressional bodies);
• Cultural institutions (conservatories, museums, etc.)
• Non-Governmental Organizations including issue-centered institutions and think tanks; and
• Medical Institutions (public health organizations, teaching hospitals, etc.

Eligible Disciplines

Projects designed by prospective host institutions should focus on one of the below eligible disciplines:

• Agriculture
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Biology Education
• Business Administration
• Chemistry Education
• Communications and Journalism
• Computer Science and Information Technology
• Economics
• Education
• Engineering Education
• Environmental Science
• Law
• Library Science
• Math Education
• Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies
• Physics Education
• Political Science
• Public Administration
• Public/Global Health
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Urban Planning

Fulbright Specialist Program Activities

The Fulbright Specialist Program encourages host institutions to tailor projects to their own needs. However, all projects should have an education or training focus. Due to short-term nature of the exchange, projects should have concrete objectives that can be achieved over the course of the Specialist’s visit. Past Specialists have supported host institutions by conducting activities such as:

• Delivering a seminar or workshop
• Consulting on faculty or workforce development
• Developing academic or training curricula and materials
• Lecturing at the graduate or undergraduate level
• Conducting needs assessments or evaluation for a program or institution

Note: Personal or research projects, including clinical medical research or projects involving patient contact, are not eligible for funding under the Fulbright Specialist Program.

Program Parameters

• All exchanges must range from 14 to 42 days in length including weekends, holiday and travel days.
• Projects are restricted to one country, and all project activities must take place in the country requesting the project.
• Each project is limited to only one Fulbright Specialist grantee.