Campus Interview - Fulbright Program - The University of Utah

When is the campus interview?

Please check with the Fulbright Program Adviser for the exact date, but the interview normally is towards the last half of September.

What is the purpose of the campus interview?

The purpose of the campus interview is to provide additional information about your candidacy to the National Screening Committee. The interviews are your only chance to articulate, in person, your reasons for wanting to study, teach, or conduct research abroad. Equally important, the committee will provide constructive input into improving the essays and the overall application.

How does the committee evaluate applicants?

The committee’s rating of your application is based on an evaluation of your complete application—essays, transcripts, letters of reference, language evaluation, letter of affiliation (if required), and the campus interview. The interview committee will assess the content and feasibility of your proposal, your language preparation, your knowledge of the host country, etc. The campus interview is NOT a mechanism for disqualifying applicants, but it is a mechanism for rating—not ranking—the applicants. Your rating will not be disclosed to you at any time, nor will you be given feedback regarding the confidential Campus Committee Evaluation Form.

What is the makeup of the interview committee?

Each applicant will be interviewed individually for about 20 minutes by a panel (2-3 members) of the University of Utah Fulbright recipients. Committee members have often had years of experience in working with Fulbright applications, and they are very aware of what makes a good application. In addition, your application at the national level will not only be read by people specifically in your academic field, but by others who have knowledge of the country or area where you wish to go.

What if the panel members are not in my field of study?

Please do not worry if your campus interview panel is made up of faculty and staff from outside your area of study. In fact, one of the key concepts of the Fulbright is to be able to articulate your proposal to a “lay” audience. Those applicants who can do this well are themselves often successful applicants.

Please be aware that the campus interview is meant to support your application and is not the deciding factor in your application The interview and evaluation is meant to give the National Screening Committee as much information to work with as possible, and is, thus, very important.

What if I will be away from campus during the fall semester?

If you will be away from campus during the fall semester, please notify the Fulbright Program Adviser immediately. A Zoom or Skype meeting may be arranged.

After the Interview

Mid-October. After the campus process, Fulbright applications are screened in two stages. A nationally appointed committee in the United States will first review applications. Except in a few cases, you will not be asked for any further interviews. The Institute of International Education (IIE) will notify you via email by the end of January whether or not you have passed national screenings. If you pass (that is, a “Semi-Finalist”), your application will be sent to the supervising agency in the country to which you are applying, and the final decisions will be made. You will receive final notification from IIE anywhere from mid-March to late June. Alternates sometime receive notification as late as July or August.