Humphrey Fellowship Deadlines: 2027–28 Dates and What to Expect for 2028–29
There is no single global deadline. Each U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission sets its own, then sends nominees to Washington by mid-September. Here are the verified 2027–28 dates and the expected 2028–29 pattern.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Where things stand on 6 October 2026
The 2027–28 call is closed in every country we checked. Nominations are with IIE, and Fellows will be told around March–April 2027 for an August–September 2027 start. The 2028–29 call has not been announced. Based on the last cycle, expect calls to appear from about April 2027, with deadlines between May and August 2027.
The State Department’s FY 2027 funding notice covers recruitment, selection and placement for academic year 2028–29, with $10,250,000 “pending availability of funds”. The notice also says it “is subject to availability of funding”. So no 2028–29 call is guaranteed until your post publishes it.
2027–28 deadlines we verified
Each row comes from that office’s own 2027–28 call. They are closed now. Use them to estimate when your 2028–29 call may land.
| Country | 2027–28 deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan (USEFP) | 20 May 2026 | Official call |
| China | 29 June 2026 | Official call |
| India (USIEF) | 9 July 2026 | Official call |
| Georgia | 12 July 2026 | Official call |
| Ethiopia | 19 July 2026 | Official call |
| Cambodia | 19 July 2026, 23:59 local | Official call |
| Timor-Leste | 25 July 2026 | Official call |
| Serbia | 31 July 2026 | Official call |
| Ghana | 31 July 2026 | Official call |
| Vietnam | 9 August 2026, 11:59pm | Official call |
| Maldives | 13 August 2026 | Official call |
| Palestinian Territories (via Jerusalem) | 15 August 2026 | Official call |
| Guinea | 28 August 2026, 5pm GMT | Official call |
The spread is wide — three months between Pakistan and Guinea. Commissions such as USEFP and USIEF tend to close earlier because they add interview rounds.
The global timeline
The official FAQ gives the fixed points: embassies and commissions submit nominations to IIE in Washington by mid-September, Fellows are announced in March of the next year, and the Fellowship starts between August and September. Embassy calls put the announcement at “late March – April”.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| About April–August | Country calls open and close (varies by post) |
| July–September | Shortlisting and national interviews |
| Early September | Nominees notified; English test taken on voucher |
| Mid-September | Nominations due at IIE |
| Autumn–winter | U.S. review panels; Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board approval |
| March–April | Finalists notified; host university assigned |
| Spring–summer | J-1 visa, medical exam, pre-departure |
| August–September | Fellowship starts; runs about ten months to June |
A worked example: India 2027–28
USIEF published a complete timetable for 2027–28, which shows how tight the summer is:
- 19 July 2026Application due
Online form, referees and employer endorsement.
- 2Early to mid-August 2026Screening and shortlist
USIEF tells applicants the outcome by mid-August.
- 3End of August 2026National interviews
Short-listed candidates only.
- 4Early September 2026Nominees notified
Nominees take the English test (by 1 October 2026, with vouchers).
- 5Mid-September 2026Files sent to Washington
To the Humphrey Program Office at IIE.
- 6April 2027Finalists notified
Programmes begin August/September 2027.
How to plan for 2028–29
If you are aiming at 2028–29, work backwards from a May 2027 deadline, the earliest seen last cycle:
- Now to January 2027: check the five-year experience count and U.S.-history rules against your record
- February–March 2027: draft the four essays; ask your employer about ten months’ leave
- From March 2027: watch your embassy or commission site and social channels for the call
- Call opens: brief referees and order transcripts the same week
- One week before the deadline: submit, so referees can finish before cut-off
If your call is posted late, as Guinea’s was (5 August for a 28 August deadline), you will have about three weeks. Drafting essays early is the only protection. See Essays.