U.S. Embassy in Albania

Fulbright Foreign Student Program 2024 – 2025

The Embassy of the United States in Tirana is now accepting applications for the 2024 – 2025 Fulbright Foreign Student Program. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is a one to two-year degree program for young professionals and university graduates interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the United States. Fellowships are awarded competitively in a merit-based process.

Program Fields

Applications funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs through the U.S. Embassy are open to all fields of study. Please select the most appropriate major academic discipline and primary specialization from the drop list in the application form.

Pursuant to the September 2019 bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on the Fulbright Academic Exchange Program, applications in the following study programs will be considered for Fulbright scholarships funded by the Government of Albania (GoA):

1. STEM (Science, Technology, Physics, Math)
2. Agriculture and Life Sciences (Sustainable agriculture and resource management; Agricultural Systems Management; Agricultural Education; Agribusiness Management; Agricultural Economics; Agricultural and Biological Engineering; Animal Nutrition; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology)
3. Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (Conservation and wildlife biology; Fisheries Biology & Wildlife Conservation)
4. Forest Sciences (Environmental Science and Forestry, Forest Engineering, Wood Science)
5. Tourism (Tourism Management; Hospitality and Tourism Management; Heritage tourism & Conservation)
6. Environmental Engineering Science (Environmental Resources Engineering, Ecological Engineering, Environmental Management, Environmental Resources Engineering
7. Engineering (Mining and Geological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Sustainable Engineering Management)
8. Bio – Chemistry (Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Organic Chemistry of Natural Products, Environmental Biology, Chemical Ecology, Environmental Biotechnology, Plant Science

Note: Per J-1 visa regulations, applicants interested in medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacology or other clinical fields of study, should be aware that direct patient care, including animal care, is not permitted, and therefore academic coursework and/or program activities at participating U.S. institutions may be limited.

Duration of Grant

The Fellowship is generally awarded for one or two academic years at a university in the United States to pursue a masters’ degree, depending on costs and available funding. Fellows are required to return to Albania for at least two (2) years at the conclusion of their fellowship. Family members may be eligible to accompany fellows on a case-by-case basis. They are also subject to the 2-year home residency rule.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be citizens of the Republic of Albania.
• Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree requiring at least four years of full-time study (or three + one, three + two in the Bologna system);
• Applicants must have a minimum of two years of professional experience in the field of study and demonstrate leadership potential.
• Applicants must be proficient in oral and written English (equivalent to B2 level – minimum score 82; TOEFL test scores are not required at the time of application.)
• Applicants must be eligible for a J-1 visa.
• Applicants must receive a satisfactory medical clearance.

Note:  Individuals who fall under one of the following categories: U.S. citizens; legal permanent residents; immediate family members of U.S. Embassy employees or Ministry of Education and Sports staff (for the GoA funds); recipients of Fulbright grants within the last five years; students already registered at or attending study programs in the United States or with more than one year of previous study in the United States; individuals employed in the United States; those married to American citizens; those who have applied to immigrate; or those have sought asylum in another country are not eligible to apply for the Fulbright Program.

Financial Provisions

The Fulbright Fellowship provides tuition and university fees, a monthly maintenance allowance, a book and supplies allowance, a computer subsidy, round-trip international travel to the host institution (and to the Fellow’s English-language training program, when applicable) and domestic travel to Washington, D.C. for a special seminar.  Supplementary funds are available for professional activities such as field trips or attendance at conferences. The Fulbright Fellowships are not renewable.

Application Procedure

All interested applicants must complete the Fulbright Foreign Student application online. Click on https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2024/   for the online application form, create an account, and then log in to start a new application. Submit the completed application forms electronically and scanned copies of all required documents no later than July 15, 2023. All required documents should be submitted online in order for the application to be further reviewed.

A complete application includes:

• Application form (generated by the Embark system including attachments available in the system)
• Translated and notarized copies of university diploma(s) and grade transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended
• Three letters of reference
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter from employer confirming employment
• Copy of passport bio page
• Copies of certificates from previous trainings (relevant to field of study only)

For further information, contact: Public Affairs Office, U.S. Embassy Tirana via e-mail at CultureandEducationTirana@state.gov

Please note: Applications received in the embark system after July 15, 2023, emailed as Google Docs or via We Transfer will not be accepted or considered.