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Advantages & Disadvantages of Fulbright Scholarship

Yes, a scholarship is important. It helps make education free for the deserving. Moreover, in Pakistan where many deserving students do not get the opportunity to go abroad to a progressive country like the U.S., a scholarship is the only means to achieve that end. Therefore I decided to help you guys by explaining to you all the advantages and disadvantage of the Fulbright Scholarship program.

When it comes to studying in America there is a great deal of hype around scholarships especially Fulbright Scholarship. However, I have come to realize that many of the students in Pakistan don’t quite research deeply before choosing it. They do not explore many other opportunities that the U.S. presents to them, other than, as I say, one of the ‘best’ scholarships around – the Fulbright Scholarship.

Choose the right scholarship or funding opportunity and it will create the most glorious experience for you at the university. Choose the wrong one and it will create a tear-inducing experience that will cause you to bang your head against the wall.

When I was studying in the United States, I met several Fulbright scholars from Pakistan studying in different universities across America. To my surprise, some of them were not happy with the Fulbright, whereas many were content. During my interactions with them, I learned a lot about their Fulbright experiences and thought it would be helpful to share these experiences with future Pakistani Fulbright applicants like you.

In this post, my main focus will be to help prospective Fulbright students decide whether or not the Fulbright Scholarship in Pakistan suits their career goals and ambitions.

Advantages of Fulbright Scholarship Pakistan

Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most financially beneficial scholarships to study in the U.S. for students from Pakistan. There are numerous monetary benefits of Fulbright Scholarship Pakistan such as the following:


100% tuition waiver


Under the Fulbright Scholarship program for Pakistan, every admitted Pakistani applicant gets a full tuition waiver i.e. they attend the entire degree program for free.


One return air ticket between the U.S. and Pakistan


The Fulbright organization pays for and arranges the two-way international travel of every student from Pakistan and back. So you do not have to worry about arranging a flight and scheduling it for the right time – all of this is taken care of by the Fulbright body Pakistan.


Sufficient monthly allowance for living & food


The Fulbright Scholarship provides a monthly stipend based on the cost of living in the location of your university. Since every state and the corresponding university has a different cost of living, therefore the allowance varies. For example, someone studying in New York will get a larger allowance than someone in Texas – since NY is a very expensive place to live. But this stipend is sufficient to cover the living expenses of an individual student.


Free health, accidental and sickness insurance


One of the benefits of the Fulbright grant is the health coverage for accidents and sickness. Health and medicine is extremely expensive in the U.S., hence having a fully covered and paid for health benefits is one of the great advantages of the Fulbright program for Pakistani’s.


Initial setup and relocation allowance


As part of the Fulbright fund, every successful applicant gets a onetime allowance to help cover the cost of finding housing and buying items needed to set it up after arriving in the U.S. This amount of money is sufficient to buy all the necessary things needed to live comfortably.


Books, Stationary and Research Allowance


This allowance is used to purchase semester books, stationery supplies, educational materials and a computer or its accessories. Again the amount varies per program and host university.


Pre-departure and in-country orientations

As a Fulbright student from Pakistan, you do not need to worry about getting your questions answered regarding America and its life. Fulbright does that for you so that when you reach the U.S. you are already aware of a lot of things about this country.

Two major orientations are held by the Fulbright organization for Pakistani’s – one on the day of departure from Pakistan and the other one on the day of arrival to the U.S. These sessions mainly focus on a brief overview and description of the Fulbright Program for Pakistan – their legal rights and responsibilities as International students.

These seminars also introduce Pakistani students to the U.S. academic system and culture. Such orientations are very beneficial to us in Pakistan since they provide an early opportunity for Fulbright students to learn about the U.S.

Once in the U.S., Pakistani students also attend social events so that they can introduce and mingle with the Americans. Special field trips are also organized as part of this awareness program for free.


Visa assistance and Fee


Although you have to submit your forms yourself in order to apply for the visa, the Fulbright does provide visa guidance and counseling to Pakistani Fulbright applicants for free. Also, there is no cost for applying for a visa and that is waived off for all Fulbright applicants in Pakistan. Unless there is a genuine security clearance issue, generally I have seen Fulbright students from Pakistan get their U.S. J-1 visa easily.

Disadvantages of Fulbright Scholarship Pakistan


2-year/5-year requirement


The biggest disadvantage of the Fulbright Scholarship is the 2-year/5-year requirement. Under this requirement, you must spend 2 years in Pakistan after you complete your Fulbright Master’s degree and 5 years in Pakistan after you complete your Ph.D. degree. You have to return to Pakistan within 30 days of your degree completion in the United States.

Once a Pakistani Fulbright graduate completes his/her 2 years or 5 years in Pakistan; he/she can reenter the U.S. on a visa such as H1 or any other work visa. However, you can always enter the U.S. on a visit visa as you wish before the 2-year/5-year requirement.

In very rare and exceptional cases this requirement can be waived by the Fulbright authorities in Pakistan. Therefore, if you are looking to get some work experience in the U.S. before returning to Pakistan or if you plan to permanently settle in the U.S. after you graduate then Fulbright is not the right Scholarship for you.

In that case, you should explore other options for funding your education in America.

There are a few other disadvantages of the Fulbright Scholarship for Pakistani students as well.


Cannot apply to the university of choice


If you receive a Fulbright Scholarship in Pakistan, you will not be able to apply to your choice of university or program. Although you can give a list of universities where you want to go, the final list of universities and their selection is done by the USEFP (IIE). Their staff will match you to the university to which they think your profile is most suitable for.

This is a disadvantage especially for those Pakistani students who are determined to go for a particular program at a particular university. For example, you want to do a degree from Harvard and you know that you have all the exceptional credentials required to get an admission there. In this instance, I would recommend that you must have other options open as well.

Like? Well, you can apply directly to Harvard as well as apply to Fulbright. When you apply directly, ask the University for assistance in the form of financial aid.

Who knows you may be able to get into Harvard on your own without a need for a Fulbright Scholarship from Pakistan. If that happens do not accept an offer from Fulbright if they make you one.


Work Issues


Please know that under the Fulbright program you will be issued a J-1 visa which prohibits you to work in the U.S. However, you can work as a teaching assistant or a research assistant but for that as well you will need to take permission from the USEFP. If USEFP allows you to work as a TA/RA, then you will not be given your monthly stipend by the Fulbright for the duration of time that you are working.

Also, some programs provide industrial internships as well. As a Fulbright scholar from Pakistan, you will not be allowed to take advantage of these wonderful work opportunities that will add immense value to you.


No Financial Assistance for Dependents/Spouse


Fulbright grantees from Pakistan can take their dependents or spouse (husband or wife) with them to the U.S. during the entire length of study. However, the recipient of Fulbright Scholarship in Pakistan needs to prove financial stability to support his/her dependents while in the U.S. She/he also needs to pay for their medical insurance which can run into tens of thousands of dollars. Also, the dependents/spouse must be below 21 which is ridiculous – we know that is most likely not possible in all cases.

So if you are married or have a child who you would like to take to the U.S. with you then Fulbright might not be the Scholarship for you since it does not provide any kind of financial support for them.

Please choose your Scholarships wisely. It is your career at stake. You do not want to go to the U.S. on something which does not match your career goals.

By listing these disadvantages of Fulbright Scholarship Pakistani students I am sure you are now in a better position to decide. Weigh these with the pros of Fulbright scholarship and decide for yourself which one suits you better.