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Information for Faculty/Staff on Hosting a Fulbright Student

This page provides information for faculty/departments/graduate programs who have been contacted by a student overseas who has applied for or received a Fulbright award and hopes to undertake graduate study or mentored research at Stony Brook University. 

First determine whether the prospective Fulbrighter plans to matriculate in a Master’s or PhD program OR whether the prospective Fulbrighter wishes to conduct research for an academic year or less. It is crucial that you have this information.

IMPORTANT! IIE, Laspau, Amideast, or whichever third party is assisting the student on Fulbright’s behalf will manage all things related to the student’s visa. Do not contact Stony Brook’s Visa and Immigration office, they do not have access to your student’s visa information.

IF YOU HAVE AN INCOMING FULBRIGHTER WHO WISHES TO MATRICULATE IN A MASTER’S OR PHD PROGRAM

The decision to admit a Fulbrighter is entirely at the discretion of the academic department. The Fulbrighter will be treated like any other prospective graduate student EXCEPT for the fact that VIS will not handle the paperwork; the third party managing the process will (IIE, AMIDEAST, Laspau, etc.). Incoming Fulbrighters do not receive any sort of preferential treatment. The graduate program reviews their application and renders a decision just like it the would for any other applicant.

  • Stony Brook doesn't assist with housing, but refer to the Office of Commuter Student Service and Off Campus Living for housing resources.
  • Incoming Fulbright students follow a similar admission process as other international applicants, except they won't engage with SBU Visa and Immigration as their visas are managed by a Fulbright-contracted third party.
  • Funding from a Fulbright award for incoming students or researchers varies by country; individuals should refer to their specific country commission or source for accurate details.
  • The Graduate School generally doesn't provide additional funding to supplement Fulbright scholarships; graduate programs may consider TAships, RAships, and other support options for admitted students.
  • For Visa inquiries, contact the relevant third-party organization such as IIE, Laspau, or Amideast, responsible for Fulbright, as Stony Brook's Visa and Immigration office do not have access to your visa information.
  • Although Fulbright provides health insurance that meets the scholar's visa requirements, obtaining SBU health insurance is still recommended; refer to Student Health Services or contact studenthealthinsurance@stonybrook.edu for details.

IF YOU’VE BEEN CONTACTED BY A STUDENT OVERSEAS WHO WISHES TO USE THEIR FULBRIGHT AWARD TO CONDUCT RESEARCH FOR AN ACADEMIC YEAR OR LESS

The decision to host a visiting Fulbright researcher is entirely at the discretion of the academic department. The Fulbrighter will be treated like any other visiting researcher EXCEPT for the fact that VIS will not handle the paperwork, the third party managing the process will (IIE, AMIDEAST, Laspau, etc.)

Work with your chair to come up with a vetting process to assess the fit of the incoming Fulbrighter with  your research. At the very least, the proposed faculty advisor and department chair should interview the prospective Fulbrighter. If you decide to extend an invitation to the prospective Fulbrighter after you’ve interviewed them, you will need to provide them with a letter of invitation. This will be signed by the proposed faculty advisor and the department chair. The Graduate School does NOT sign off on this letter. If the student receives the award, they will present you with an institutional response which must be completed by the department. This is also an agreement between the student and the department, so the Graduate School will not be involved. Like any other visiting researcher, the department will then need to create a non-salaried appointment for them. Departments should consult their college dean’s office for this process.

  • Stony Brook doesn't assist with housing, but refer to the Office of Commuter Student Service and Off Campus Living for housing resources.
  • Funding from a Fulbright award for incoming students or researchers varies by country; individuals should refer to their specific country commission or source for accurate details.
  • The Graduate School typically does not augment Fulbright awards with additional funding.
  • For Visa inquiries, contact the relevant third-party organization such as IIE, Laspau, or Amideast, responsible for Fulbright, as Stony Brook's Visa and Immigration office do not have access to your visa information.
  • Although Fulbright provides health insurance that meets the scholar's visa requirements, obtaining SBU health insurance is still recommended; refer to Student Health Services or contact studenthealthinsurance@stonybrook.edu for details.