Fulbright Deadlines 2028–29: There Is No Single Date
Fulbright deadlines vary by country, sometimes by months, and most applicants discover this too late. Here is where the 2027–28 cycle closed, what to expect for 2028–29, and when to start.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Fulbright Deadlines: The Short Version
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program has no single global deadline. Applications are administered by country commissions and U.S. Embassies. You apply through the portal at foreign.fulbrightonline.org (or your commission's own system) and follow your commission's dates.
The 2027–28 competition opened for most countries on 1 February 2026, and most country windows have now closed. A few are still open: the Fulbright Canada student award for Canadians closes on 15 November 2026. If you are starting now, your target is the 2028–29 competition. Most dates are not published yet; based on the 2027–28 pattern, expect it to open around February 2027 (some commissions, such as Spain, open in January) with country deadlines between roughly spring and November 2027, for grants starting in August/September 2028. Switzerland, for example, already lists its next deadline as August 2027.
The 2027–28 Cycle as a Reference
These official 2027–28 dates show how widely deadlines spread. Expect your 2028–29 deadline to fall around the same time of year.
- 1Jan–Feb 2026Cycle opens
The MENA FAQ says the application opened for most countries on 1 February 2026; Nepal also opened on 1 February. Spain’s call ran earlier, from 15 January to 14 April 2026.
- 2Apr–Jun 2026MENA and other early windows close
MENA applications were mostly due in May–June (Iraq: 1 May). The UK closed 5 May 2026 and Nepal 31 May 2026.
- 3
- 41–3 Aug 2026Taiwan and Switzerland deadlines
Taiwan closed 1 August 2026 and Switzerland 3 August 2026.
- 515 Nov 2026Canada deadline (still open)
The Fulbright Canada student award for Canadians accepts 2027–28 applications until 15 November 2026.
- 6Around Feb 20272028–29 cycle expected to open
Expected, based on the 2027–28 pattern. Confirm on your commission site.
Deadlines by Region
Asia
Taiwan (official 2027–28): 1 August 2026. Nepal (2027–28): 31 May 2026. Other Asian commissions set their own dates. Confirm the 2028–29 date on your commission site or foreign.fulbrightonline.org rather than assuming a September–October date from a previous cycle.
Europe
Europe has no single Fulbright deadline. Each commission or embassy publishes its own date — Spain’s 2027–28 call ran 15 January–14 April 2026, the UK closed on 5 May 2026, and Switzerland closed on 3 August 2026 and lists August 2027 for 2028–29. Check the current listing; don't rely on last cycle's September–October windows.
Americas
Americas commissions set their own dates, and there is no single regional window. Canada is a late example: its 2027–28 student award for Canadians closes on 15 November 2026. Confirm locally before assuming any particular month.
Africa and the Middle East
Rwanda (official 2027–28): 30 June 2026. MENA: the 2027–28 cycle opened on 1 February 2026 and most applications were due in May–June. Other Africa and Middle East commissions vary.
The local (commission) deadline and the portal deadline. The local one is almost always earlier. Missing either is fatal — no extensions.
Ready to plan? Follow the How to Apply roadmap.