No. US citizens and permanent residents (green card holders) are not eligible to participate in this program.

No. Nominees with very minimal travel experience in the United States may be considered for the program. However, priority will be given to nominees with no previous study or travel experience in the United States.

There will be some free time during the program. However, nominees MUST understand that this is an intensive academic program and they are expected to fully participate in all lectures, activities, site visits, and scheduled events.

At least one of your references should be from a recent professor or teacher. References will not be accepted from family members or friends. You should ask people who know you very well: teachers, professors, careers counsellors, coaches, youth group leaders, employers etc. Once you have selected your two referees, you should inform them of the deadlines for submission. It is your responsibility as the applicant to check in with your referees regularly about their progress and the timely and accurate submission of their letter.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview by the US Embassy London and the US-UK Fulbright Commission.

Interviews will take place via video call and last approximately 20 minutes. We have a list of questions we ask all final candidates and generally do not discuss the application itself, except to seek clarification if something is not clear or perhaps has not been considered. It is also an opportunity to review the articulation of the candidates. As Fulbright summer programme participants are cultural ambassadors and future leaders in their fields, they must have strong communication skills.

You are applying for an intensive and rigorous academic institute and are expected to fully participate in all aspects of the program. Participants must attend all lectures, participate in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments. Due to the intensive nature of the program, participants should not expect to fulfil professional or academic obligations, including remote work for jobs or internships, classwork, or examinations for their home university, while in the United States. Doing so will count as an unexcused absence from program activities.

No. Participants will not be allowed to leave the Institute to visit relatives or friends.

Family members and/ or friends may not accompany or join participants for any part of the program.

No. Participants who choose to travel to the United States on a Study of the US Institute are required to abide by the terms and conditions of the program. These terms state clearly that student leaders may NOT arrive in the United States before the program start date or remain in the country after the close of the Institute.

No. Study of the US Institutes for Student Leaders are designed exclusively for undergraduate students with at least one remaining year of study.

The Study of the US Institutes cover all basic costs of an individual’s participation including transportation, lodging, and meals. Generally, host institutions provide for meals through a combination of a cafeteria meal plan, a pre-loaded debit card for use at local restaurants, and/or a cash allowance to permit participants to purchase food for cooking.

Housing will be shared or single university dorms on campus or full-service hotels within walking distance of most classroom activities. Male and female participants will be housed in separate quarters. In addition to regular group meals and a university meal plan, participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own.
Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied. Special accommodations will be made available to the greatest extent possible. Should a participant need to quarantine due to positive COVID-19 test results, accommodations will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

You will receive the Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefit during the U.S.-based in-person component, which provides coverage of up to $100,000 with a $25 co-pay per medical visit and a $75 co-pay per emergency room visit, for the duration of the program. Pre-existing conditions may not be covered. ASPE also covers up to $500 for routine COVID-19 testing requirements in the United States. COVID-19 is treated like any other illness under the ASPE health benefits plan. Information on the health benefit program may be found online at http://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos.

Yes, the Study of the US Branch welcomes nominations for individuals with disabilities. We are committed to working with our Institute hosts to arrange reasonable accommodations for all participants. While notification of a disability will not negatively impact selection, we ask that you identify disabilities during the nomination process so that we can begin working with our Institute hosts to ensure appropriate accommodations.

Should health, safety, and travel conditions continue to pose significant challenges, the SUSI will pivot to a virtual format. The virtual program would consist of a minimum of 36 hours of required programming with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. To the extent possible, the virtual programming will include lectures, small group discussions, videos, readings, panels, site visits, leadership development, assignments, and individual and group activities. Participants will be required to fully participate in the entire virtual program from their locations.
Should the program need to pivot to a virtual format, participants would need access to a computer and stable internet connection. If a participant does not have access to these two items, the programme conductors will work with the participant and post to facilitate access. Participants would be expected to actively engage in all program activities, and therefore, they should immediately notify the host institution and post of any issues with their online access during the duration of the program as well as any difficulties affecting their participation.

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Student Leaders are five-to-six-week academic programs designed for foreign undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 to improve their understanding of the United States and to develop their leadership skills. The programme is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Participants are selected in different European countries, usually nominated by US Embassy and/ or the Fulbright Commission. The 2024 SUSI programme will be organised by the Meridian International Center (a nonprofit, nonpartisan diplomacy centre in Washington DC) and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.