The fellowship

Humphrey Fellowship Benefits: What the Year Pays For, and What It Doesn’t

The award covers you, not your family. The official list has seven items. Stipend amounts are not published, so ignore any blog that quotes a monthly figure.

ScholarshipUnion Editorial 3 min read Updated Oct 6, 2026

The seven covered items

From the official FAQ, “What does the Fellowship Program include?”:

Tuition and fees

Paid at your assigned host university. You audit or register for a partial course load.

Maintenance allowance

Monthly living allowance, plus a one-time settling-in allowance.

Accident and sickness cover

For you only. Dependants need their own insurance.

Book allowance

For course materials.

Computer subsidy

A one-time payment.

Air travel

International travel to and from the U.S., and domestic travel to required events.

Professional development allowance

For field trips, professional visits and conferences.

The amounts are not on any official public page. The programme’s administrator confirms stipend levels with the State Department each year, according to the FY 2027 funding notice. Your award letter will state them.

What is not covered

Any extra allowance for a spouse or children
Dependants’ health insurance and child care
Your salary back home — agree leave terms with your employer
Costs of attending the national interview (China’s call says interviews are at your own expense)

Bringing your family

The FAQ says Fellows “may choose to apply to have their family join them shortly after they have arrived”. Before your family can apply for J-2 visas you must show proof of funds, insurance that meets State Department rules, and child-care plans. The programme warns that the year is demanding and Fellows spend a lot of time away from campus.

Some countries say no

“Not all countries permit Humphrey Fellows to bring their dependents,” the FAQ says. Ethiopia’s 2027–28 call states that the Fellowship “does not permit accompanying family members.” Pakistan’s USEFP says dependants cannot travel with you at the start.

What the year includes

The money pays for a set programme. The Fellowship Components page lists five parts:

1
Academic enrichment
Non-degree study at a host university
Placed in a cohort at one of seven host universities, with no degree requirements, so you can travel and network.
2
Required course
The Humphrey Seminar
Where you build your individual goals and plan, with a focus on U.S. society, networking and leadership.
3
Washington, D.C.
Global Leadership Forum
For all Fellows. The State Department notice describes it as a two-day event in Washington.
4
At least six weeks
Professional affiliation
Full-time work with a U.S. government, non-profit, private or international organisation. The Brazil instructions call it 30 working days.
5
All year
Professional development
Workshops, conferences and meetings with policymakers and scholars.

Visa and the return home

Fellows travel on a J-1 exchange visitor visa, which is why U.S. citizens and green-card holders cannot apply. Guinea’s 2027–28 call says Fellows “must return to Guinea after completing the program and fulfill the applicable two-year home-country residence requirement.” China and Ethiopia also ask for a commitment to return for at least two years. Plan on going back to your job.

The Fellowship is classed as non-degree in the U.S. student visa system, and Fellows cannot switch to degree status during the programme, Mauritania’s call notes.

Is it worth it without a degree?

That depends on what you need. If you need a credential, a funded master’s such as Fulbright, Chevening or the Joint Japan/World Bank scholarship is a better fit. If you already have the credential and need U.S. contacts, a sabbatical and a placement inside a U.S. institution, Humphrey is built for that. Compare in Humphrey vs Fulbright.