The Humphrey Fellowship Program is a Fulbright program that brings accomplished young and mid-career professionals from designated countries around the world to the United States for ten months of non-degree graduate study and related practical professional experiences. Fellowships are granted competitively to professionals with a commitment to public service in either the public or private sector.

Program Objective

During their year‐long stay at a host American university, Humphrey Fellows will take graduate level courses relevant to their professional interests. However, as the Humphrey Fellowship is not a degree program, participants spend a considerable portion of their time engaged in professional development activities, including: consultations and engagement with U.S. faculty and experts, field trips, workshops, research projects, and the development of practical strategies that could be applied in the Fellows’ home countries.

To participate in the Humphrey Fellowship Program, applicants must have:

• An undergraduate (first university or Bachelor’s) degree
• A minimum of five years of full-time, professional experience
• Limited or no prior experience in the United States
• Demonstrated leadership qualities
• A record of public service in the community
• English language ability

Eligible Fields of Study

Human and Institutional Capacity:

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

Rights and Freedoms: 

• Communications and Journalism
• Law and Human Rights

Sustainable Lands:

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

Thriving Communities:

• Public Health Policy and Management
• Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention
• Educational Administration, Planning, and Policy

Ineligible candidates include:  

• Recent university graduates (even if they have high-level 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; they are ineligible for a J visa.

How to Apply

The online application is available at https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey

Application Materials:

• Two Recommendation Letters: One of the letters should be from the current employer. Letters should be submitted through the online application system by the recommenders. If this is not possible, your recommenders can download the Humphrey Reference Letter Form (docx 47 kb). When completed, your recommenders must e-mail the reference letters to the Embassy at TashkentFulbright@state.gov. The Fulbright office will confirm receipt of the reference letters to the recommenders. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure references are submitted by the application deadline.
• Official transcripts in English: Ensure all transcripts uploaded by the applicant are official, valid documents. Transcripts must list courses taken and grades received for undergraduate (first university or Bachelor’s) degree. Diplomas are required for all other higher education degrees (Masters and Doctoral), no transcripts are needed. Diplomas need only be uploaded for the undergraduate degree if the transcript does not show proof that the degree was obtained.
• The English Language Assessment form should be left blank. IELTS and/or TOEFL scores are NOT required at this point, but if available, they should be sent to TashkentFulbright@state.gov.

Application Deadline: June 9, 2023

Selection Process

Humphrey Fellowships are highly competitive, and applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria outlined above. After the application deadline, all submitted applications undergo a technical review. Applications that pass the technical review will then be reviewed by a selection committee composed of embassy officials, which will evaluate and score each application based on a set of standard criteria. Semi-finalists with the highest scores will then be invited for an interview. All finalists and alternates will be asked to register for TOEFL using vouchers provided by the U.S. Embassy. The names of selected applicants will be sent to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC for final approval. The selected grantees are expected to travel to their host universities in the United States in late summer 2024.

What do we look for in applicants?

• Leadership qualities and a record of public service
• Potential for professional advancement and interest in the policy aspects of their fields of specialization
• Experience and interest in extracurricular and community activities
• Resourcefulness, initiative, and ability to network with U.S. organizations and professionals
• Demonstrated need to participate in the program
• Potential to benefit from experiences acquired under the program for applicants, their home institutions, and home countries
• Sufficient high level of English to undertake graduate level study in the United States
• Desire to further the Humphrey program and give back to your home country upon returning

Important

• Do not apply if you want to pursue an advanced academic degree in the United States, or if you want to attend a specific U.S. university. Universities are selected competitively to host Fellows in groups by profession.
• Applications from recent university graduates (even if they hold significant positions) are not considered.
• University teachers with no management or policy responsibilities are not eligible to apply, except for teachers of English as a Foreign Language and specialists in drug abuse prevention and treatment.
• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
• The Embassy reserves the right to check any information in the application. Applications with discrepancies will be suspended.
• All grantees are expected to return to their home countries for at least two years at the conclusion of their grant in compliance with exchange visa requirements.

Benefits Provided by the Fellowship

• Costs of standardized tests required for admission at those universities
• Assistance in obtaining a J-1 visa (Exchange Program Visa)
• Economy class round-trip airline ticket
• Medical Insurance
• Living expenses, which vary depending on city of destination. The Fellowship does not cover the expenses of the grantee’s accompanying family members.
• Payment of tuition and fees at the assigned host university.
• A Professional Development allowance for professional activities, such as field trips, professional visits, and conferences.
• Pre-academic orientation program in the United States.

Questions?

For additional information, please visit www.humphreyfellowship.org or direct your questions to TashkentFulbright@state.gov with 2024 Humphrey Fellowship Program in the subject line.