UK Summer Institutes
The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are three to four week programmes for US undergraduate students, who have no or very little travel experience outside North America. Participants can explore the culture, heritage and history of the UK while experiencing higher education at a UK university.
Depending on the Institute, students will have the opportunity to:
- Study alongside leading academics and professionals
- Develop knowledge in specific fields
- Experience cultural and social events
- Visit UK cultural sites and areas of scenic beauty
- Receive credit to transfer to their home institution
- Meet people from different backgrounds and cultures
- Become an ambassador for studying in the UK, for the Fulbright Commission and their host institution(s)
UK Summer Institutes available
Queen's University Belfast
Understanding Northern Ireland
University of Bristol
Arts, Activism, and Social Justice
University of St Andrews
Scotland's History: Kingdom, Nation, People.
Support
The Institute costs covered by the Fulbright Commission and its partner institutions include:
- Round-trip airfare
- Tuition and fees at the host institution
- Accommodation and some meals
- Small daily meal allowance offered at Summer Institutes where meals are not provided
To be eligible, students must:
- Be a US citizen and possess a US passport
- Have had no or very little study/travel experience outside of North America
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.7
- Be at least 18 years old by the start of the programme
- Be able to participate in the programme in its entirety
- Have at least two years of undergraduate study remaining after the Institute finishes
- Not participate in any other study abroad programmes during the Summer of 2024.
UK Summer Institutes application instructions
Choosing a Summer Institute
There are several UK Summer Institutes available every year. Each Institute is hosted by a different university, and each focuses on a specific historical or cultural context, or a subject or topic. You do not need to be familiar with these to apply and are encouraged to explore your interests.
Applications for 2024 UK Summer Institutes are now closed. Scroll down to see the timeline after submission.
Application instructions
When applications open, applicants should follow the steps outlined below:
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Read the FAQs and terms and conditions
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Read our Privacy Policy for applicants
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Apply online and upload a transcript to the application form as a PDF (official transcripts are preferred)
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Select two (2) references and enter their email addresses into the application. They should receive a notification message that will lead them to their own online portal to submit a reference letter.
The application form must be completed, with transcript attached, and submitted before the deadline. Your references should also submit your letters before the deadline or your application will be incomplete. An application will not be considered completed if any of these items are missing or submitted late.
Application process
Interviews
Finalists will be invited to interview in April. Summer Institute interviews are by video conference call and can only be rescheduled under extreme circumstances.
Notification
Please see the timeline for an overview of application status notifications. The Fulbright Commission cannot comment or provide feedback on individual applications.
Fulbright UK Summer Institutes application timeline 2023-24
14 November 2023
Applications open
1 February 2024
Applications close
Mid March 2024
Shortlisted candidates are notified
27 March 2024
Webinar: Preparing for your Fulbright Interview
15-26 April 2024
Interviews
Beginning of May 2024
Finalists announced
FAQs about Applying
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14 November 2023: Applications open
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1 February 2024: Applications close at 12:00 PM EST
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Mid March 2024: Shortlisted candidates are notified.
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27 March 2024: Webinar: Preparing for your Fulbright Interview
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15 April - 26 April 2024: Interviews
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Early May 2024: Finalists announced
Read the webpage for the programme to which you intend to apply, including the Terms and Conditions and other recommended items such as these FAQs
List all the things you have done or achieved while at school or since. For example, you may have been active in your Student Council, founded a society/club or mentored younger students. Another example might be running a social action group or organising sporting activities etc.
A strong personal statement can set you apart from other applicants and give you an opportunity to showcase what you as an individual can bring to the programme. The selection committee want to know as much as they can about you. As there is no set structure for writing a personal statement, you can use your personal statement as a marketing tool - be imaginative and make yourself stand out.
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
Being a first-gen student means that your parent(s) did not complete a 4-year college or university degree, regardless of other family member's level of education.
Interviews
No, interview dates are fixed. The timeline for interviews is published online in advance of the application deadlines.
Interviews last for 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.
It is the policy not to give to individual applicants, to others inquiring on their behalf, or to the public generally, the specific reasons for selection or non-selection of applicants for awards.
Selection criteria
Preference will be given to strong applicants who do not have extensive experience outside the US. Applicants who have spent more than four weeks outside of the US/North America in the last five years would not be eligible. Exceptions are being made for refugees and/or students from a different cultural background who have spent time abroad due to family emergencies. Candidates who have never left the US and are unlikely to without support will be prioritised.
No. We require all applicants for our UK summer programmes to be a US citizen with a US passport. Unfortunately, if you do not currently possess a US passport then you would not be eligible to take part in this programme.
No, unfortunately this programme is only open to candidates who are at least 18 years of age at the start of the programme and are currently freshmen or sophomores in college/university.
Yes, applicants who study at community colleges are eligible to apply. However, you must have at least two years of undergraduate study left to complete after returning from the institute to be eligible to apply. If not at your Community College, then please state in your application that you intend to transfer to a university and if possible name the institution you are transferring to.
No, applicants must have two years of undergraduate study left to complete to participate in this programme. As you only have one year of undergraduate study remaining after the Institute finishes, you are ineligible for this award.
We are interested in evidence of leadership qualities and initiative, academic ability, character, adaptability, and ambassadorial qualities, as well as an interest in the UK and its culture. We explicitly prioritise applicants who have never left the US and are unlikely to without our support: many of our participants are low income and/or first-generation students.
We are looking for a diverse range of backgrounds. The Fulbright Commission aims to select a diverse cohort. Therefore, we are looking for students who are willing to respectfully engage with fellow participants representing different backgrounds and different points of views. Participants should be comfortable with living either on or off campus, prepared to share living accommodations, and be willing to adjust to cultural and social and academic practices different from those in the US.
No, you may only apply for one of the Summer Institutes. You should decide based on the programme outlines of each institute and decide which institute best suits your academic and personal interests.
If you would have two years left of undergraduate education when you return to the US after the Institutes, then you are eligible to apply regardless of the amount of credits you have.
Programme queries and other questions
The Fulbright Commission and the Institute host institutions work in partnership to provide the following:
- Round-trip airfare
- Transfer from the arrival airport in the UK to the accommodation
- Tuition and fees at the host institution
- Accommodation and some meals
- Social and cultural programme with free activities
- Small daily meal allowance offered at Summer Institutes where meals are not provided
Participants are expected to pay for their own travel, health, and accident insurance.
No, participants must arrange their own health insurance that covers the UK. This expense is NOT covered by the Fulbright Commission.
As with all our Fulbright Awards, the application process is extremely competitive, but if you do not apply then you will not stand a chance of getting a place.
No. The dates for the programmes are set by the host universities and candidates must be willing to participate in the institute in full to be eligible to apply.
Participants also are not allowed to travel prior or after the programmes; return tickets with arrival and departure dates centred around Institute dates are booked and cannot be altered.
No, family members and/ or friends may not accompany or join participants for any part of the programme.
It is possible to receive academic credit on most of the summer programmes. If you participate in an institute, the university contact will be the best person to help you with details of receiving credits.
We aim to award this opportunity to students who otherwise would not be able to participate in a study abroad programme in the Summer of 2024. Therefore, Fulbright will not arrange for flights from a different destination other than the US.
Yes, the Summer Institutes are designed in such a way with the hope that participants will come back to the UK at postgraduate or postdoctoral level as a Fulbright Student or Scholar.