MU has a long history of hosting Fulbright foreign students from around the world. Each year, the Sponsored Student Program receives prospective student dossiers from three primary U.S. administering entities: Laspau, Institute of International Education and AMIDEAST. Additionally, foreign students may apply through Fulbright commissions in their home countries.
MU’s Fulbright processing and placement procedures
Dossier processing for Fulbright foreign students varies based on the administering entity.
Laspau
- Application submission: Online Slate applications are completed by the student and submitted by the placement officer. Once the application is submitted, Laspau provides the student’s dossier.
- Email notification and cover letter: Once the Sponsored Student Program receives the dossier for the applicant from the Laspau placement officer, we will 1) review the online application for completeness, 2) follow-up with the placement officer on any missing materials, and 3) send the completed PDF application and a cover letter outlining funding terms to the appropriate departmental contact and Graduate School adviser.
AMIDEAST
- Application submission: The Sponsored Student Program receives the student’s dossier from the placement officer and applies on behalf of the student through Slate.
- Email notification and cover letter: After the Sponsored Student Program has submitted the Slate application, we will send the completed PDF application and a cover letter outlining funding terms to the appropriate departmental contact and Graduate School adviser.
Institute of International Education
- Application submission: The Sponsored Student Program receives the student’s dossier from the placement officer and applies on behalf of the student through Slate.
- Email notification and cover letter: After the Sponsored Student Program has submitted the Slate application, we will send the completed PDF application and a cover letter outlining funding terms to the appropriate departmental contact and Graduate School adviser.
Fulbright commissions
- Application submission: Students apply online through Slate directly.
- Email notification and cover letter: Once notified of the application, the Sponsored Student Program will 1) review the application for completeness, 2) follow-up with the student on any missing materials, and 3) send the completed PDF application and a cover letter outlining funding terms to the appropriate departmental contact and Graduate School adviser.
Missing materials
If a prospective Fulbright student is missing certain materials (e.g., GRE, TOEFL, letter of recommendation, statement of purpose), we will follow up with the appropriate contact. Any missing materials will be noted in the email notification from the Sponsored Student Program to the departmental contact.
Sometimes, missing materials will not become available until after the departmental deadline. We ask that you extend this deadline in these cases if at all possible. Please notify us and provide the final deadline by which missing materials will be accepted.
Communication with Fulbright foreign students
How and when institutions are allowed to contact students varies depending on the administering entity.
[su_ccordion]Laspau
- Laspau encourages students to communicate with academic departments directly regarding their application and research interests.
- Departments should contact the student through the email listed in their Slate application ([name]@laspau.org), which will route communications to the student as well as the placement officer. The placement officer is included on these messages to ensure that any questions regarding funding are directed to the appropriate contact.
- If interviews are required as part of the application process, the department can arrange these directly with the student through their Laspau email address.
- If questions come up regarding funding, direct the student to their Laspau placement officer.
AMIDEAST and IIE
- AMIDEAST and IIE apply to multiple institutions on the student’s behalf. These entities prefer that the department refrain from directly contacting the student prior to formal placement decisions. Premature communication between departments and students can potentially create confusion and misunderstanding regarding funding for both the student and the department.
- To avoid misinformation, protocol requires that departments send questions to the Sponsored Student Program (musponsoredstudentprogram@missouri.edu). We will forward those questions to Fulbright.
- If interviews are required as part of the application process for your department, let the Sponsored Student Program know. We will work with the placement officer to arrange these.
Fulbright commissions
- Students apply directly to MU and can communicate with academic departments directly regarding their application and research interests.
- Departments should contact the student through the email listed in their Slate application, and should copy the Sponsored Student Program (musponsoredstudentprogram@missouri.edu) on application decisions for tracking purposes.
Dossier processing timeline
The Sponsored Student Program receives prospective student dossiers from mid-November through April. We process dossiers based on program admission deadlines. Academic programs that have deadlines in December/January typically receive priority. If the Sponsored Student Program receives a dossier after the program admission deadline has passed, we will reach out to the appropriate departmental contact to request consideration for a late submission.
Placement decisions
We typically receive placement decisions from Fulbright as early as mid-March through July. Placement time frames can vary, especially if the student is listed as an alternate. Upgrades to principal students are subject to Fulbright funding availability, and these decisions can become available as early as the beginning of April or as late as June. If your department has a mandatory decision deadline for admitted students, let us know and we will communicate this to the appropriate placement officer.
Online program requirements
Per U.S. Department of State guidelines, Fulbright does not permit students to enroll in online courses during their academic program. In rare circumstances, exceptions can be reviewed for approval by Fulbright if a required course for degree completion is only offered in an online format. We understand that many academic departments now offer required degree coursework through an online platform. If you receive a Fulbright applicant in an academic program that has one or more required courses offered only online, notify us and provide the following:
- Name of student
- Copy of/link to degree curriculum
- List of required online courses
- Confirmation that no traditional format is offered for the course(s)
Funding for online courses — Online courses with a higher tuition rate are covered up to the graduate tuition rate through the Fulbright tuition waiver. The department and/or student will then be responsible for the difference. See the Graduate Student Tuition Support Program guidance on coverage and billing for more information.
Internship requirements
We understand that some program require internships as part of their degree curriculum and are glad that our students have the opportunity to receive hands-on experience. However, it is important to clearly communicate the nature of the internship requirement to the Sponsored Student Program as soon as possible. If a Fulbright student’s program requires an internship, notify us of the following:
- If a locally-based internship is not an option.
- If the internship requires summer enrollment.
- If the internship has an additional fee.
Funding
Fulbright funding coverage and duration varies depending on the home country commission. In most cases, Fulbright grants do not cover all program expenses. Pay close attention to the details in the cover letter provided by the Sponsored Student Program regarding what costs are and are not covered for applicants sent to your department.
University funding
If admitted and placed at MU, Fulbright students will receive a full tuition waiver through the Graduate School for the duration of the academic program or as long as their DS-2019 is managed by Fulbright, whichever is sooner.
MU cost-sharing for Fulbright students is available as part of the university’s longstanding commitment to federally-funded international exchange initiatives. Approval for funding is requested by International Student and Scholar Services through the Graduate School after candidates have been reviewed and accepted by the appropriate academic department and Graduate Admissions.
Fulbright funding
Most Fulbright students receive a living stipend, travel funds, book allowance and mandatory fee payment through through the Fulbright program for the duration of their grant. In some cases, Laspau allowances may vary. Be sure to review the financial terms document that is included in each dossier.
Summer fees
Summer fees must be approved by Fulbright before enrollment.
Assistantships and other departmental funding
Fulbright grants may not cover all program expenses for a student’s academic program. Departments may want to provide additional institutional support to make placement with their department more attractive. If you would like to consider students for additional institutional funding through departmental assistantships or “top-up” funding, notify the Sponsored Student Program so we can communicate this to Fulbright.
If a department awards an assistantship to a Fulbright student during their grant period, it is expected that the tuition waiver and insurance subsidy will be provided by the academic department. The student will be removed from the Fulbright waiver list for the duration of the assistantship period.
Institutional agreements for Fulbright Ph.D. students
In mid-March, the Sponsored Student Program will send an email to departments who have admitted a Fulbright Ph.D. student about the internal institutional agreement. This internal agreement is used to ensure that our students successfully complete their programs of study with minimal delays or disruptions. This document is referred to in the cover letter sent with the student’s application and is intended to help us better communicate to the student and sponsoring agency what they should expect in the event that their academic program extends beyond their Fulbright grant period. These internal agreements are provided only for Ph.D. placements.