The Benefits of the Fulbright Program 

Support and Advice Services in Finland

  • One-day orientation training in the fall about the choice between different U.S. universities and applying for those universities (only for the graduate students).
  • Extensive orientation training to U.S. culture, the higher education system, and details for the upcoming Fulbright period. The training includes online materials, virtual meetings, and an orientation day in Helsinki. During the orientation, the grantees also have an opportunity to discuss with previous grantees about their experiences and practical issues related to living in the U.S. (The Foundation will reimburse the grantees’ travel costs to the orientation as agreed in advance).
  • Orientation Guide (in Finnish). The Guide includes a lot of practical information and tips (e.g for those traveling to the U.S. with their families).
  • Named Fulbright Finland Foundation program coordinators for each grant program supporting the grantees throughout the grant term.
  • The Fulbright Finland Foundation's materials are available for the grantees to use and borrow.

Support and Advice Services in the U.S.

“The Fulbright network is great! We’re going to Seattle and Vancouver with my family for Christmas. I contacted the Fulbrighters in Seattle and one of the American alumni there, who’s also been in Finland as a Fulbrighter, asked us to come and see his current work place. He works for the U.S. Coast Guard on an icebreaker ship, so we’ll do a tour on the ship. That’s gonna be really cool! Also another Fulbrighter living in Bozemann, Montana has asked us to visit him. He lives close to the Yellowstone national park and we’re planning to visit the area in late spring.” - A Finnish Graduate Student 2018-2019
  • Contact person at the Institute of International Education IIE is available during the grant period especially in questions related to visas, taxation, and other local regulations in the U.S.
  • IIE service website for the Fulbright graduate grantees can be found at http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/ and for the Fulbright scholar grantees at https://fulbrightscholars.org/
  • IIE Enhanced Placement Services for Finnish degree-seeking graduate students to help for example in finding universities that provide strong academic fit and handle the university application process.

Partial Renewal Grants

  • For students who continue their studies in the U.S. after the initial grant year
  • The value of the benefit is e.g. USD 1 000-8 000

Supplemental ASPE Health Benefit

  • The value of the benefit $380–1875

Flexible and Free Visa Application Process

  • Collaboration with the U.S. consulate
  • No visa fees; the value of the benefit $160
  • No SEVIS fee; the value of the benefit $180

Pre-Academic and Gateway courses

(For graduate students only)

  • The value of the benefit e.g. $1000 – 4000
  • The free summer courses for the grantees before the start of the official studies (if the study schedules so allow): e.g. the field-specific courses lasting for 4 to 5 weeks (e.g. “Introduction to the American Legal System”) or the orientation courses to the American culture and/or studies in the U.S. lasting for 3 to 5 days (“Gateway Orientation”)
  • The IIE covers the course costs and the materials, accommodation, and meals during the course and provides a reimbursement of 200 USD for the costs caused by the transfer to the study destination.
  • Further information on the Pre-Academic and Gateway courses

Fulbright Enrichment Seminars

  • The value of the benefit is often at least 1000 USD (incl. travels, accommodation, meals, conference fee)
  • The annual Fulbright seminars are open to all Fulbright grantees coming from all over the world
  • Read more about the Fulbright Enrichment Seminars from the blog of Pirjo Kangas, a 2019-2020 Fulbright MCPD grantee
“Overall there are hundreds of Fulbright grantees in the NY metropolitan area. The IIE and the ‘One To World’ organization have regularly organized events for the grantees. I’ve been particularly happy about the IIE’s Culture Desk, which offers free tickets to cultural events. My studies are indeed balanced by theater visits as well as by concerts in the best venues of the city, such as in the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall.” - Finnish Graduate Student 2016-2017

Freetime activities for grantees organized by IIE

  • Freetime activities organized by IIE offices
  • New York Cultural Desk organizes freetime activities and offers e.g. free concert and theater tickets for the Fulbright grantees

Local and Global Fulbright Network

  • A global network of over 250,000 grantees
  • The local network of Fulbright grantees in the destination city/town and in the host university
”Adapting to the life in NY and to a new kind of academic life went really smoothly, thanks to the Fulbright organization. I met other Fulbright grantees already during the orientation week, and with them we’ve been in regular contact and helped each other with e.g. taxation, visa issues, and questions related to reporting.” - A Finnish Graduate Student 2016-2017
“With the help of the Fulbright Finland Welcome Network I’ve also got to know American Fulbright alumni.” - Finnish Graduate Student 2016-2017

Additional Value of a Fulbright Grant for Your Career Development