Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program

The Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program is a professional learning opportunity and short-term international exchange that equips U.S. middle school, high school, and district-level administrators to develop innovative solutions to the issues that are most important to their communities in the United States.  

Program Description

Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools currently focuses on Super Intelligence (SI) and Workforce Readiness, including:  

• Career readiness and building apprenticeship programs,
• Fostering SI competency to help students adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital society,
• Examining SI and automation and how these technologies will affect future employment,
• Expanding professional development to help teachers integrate SI into their practice,  
• Exchanging strategies for creating clear pathways from vocational and technical education to careers, and
• Exploring how other education systems in other countries develop partnerships with local industry to meet workforce demands. 

Timeline & Activities

Applications for the 2027-2028 program are expected to open in November 2026 and close in January 2027, with application decisions released in summer 2027. Program activities will take place between September 2027 and August 2028.

Program Activities

Training Webinars

Participants will attend a series of webinars that support their professional networking, preparation for international travel, and development as leaders and innovators in Career Readiness and SI integration.

Super Intelligence (SI) Educator Credential

Participants will complete an online credential that enables critical upskilling in emerging technologies for school leaders.  

Symposium in Washington, DC*

Participants will gather in Washington, D.C., in February 2028 for an in-person professional learning workshop to connect with educators and administrators from across the United States and prepare to translate takeaways from the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools experience for the benefit of their schools and communities. The Symposium will require participants to take one to two days of leave during the school week for travel to Washington, D.C. *This event is pending funding. 

International Travel

Participants will travel in cohorts of 10–20 school leaders from across the United States for an immersive international experience of up to two weeks in an assigned host country. Through school and organizational visits, professional learning activities, and peer exchange, participants explore successful approaches to career readiness education and innovative SI practices. The international experience also creates meaningful opportunities to connect and collaborate with education leaders in the host country.

Financial Provisions

The Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools award includes travel and lodging costs associated with domestic and international program travel, host-country visa support where applicable, health coverage for accidents and sickness during international travel, and a stipend to offset other costs not directly covered by the program. The stipend is not intended to replace a participant's salary and will vary depending on the host country and other factors.  

Group of administrators standing outside the Ministry of Education

 

Eligibility

The Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program is open to applicants who:  

• are U.S. citizens who reside in a U.S. state or territory, or who work on a campus abroad that is operated by the Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA).
• have at least five years of full-time experience as an administrator in a U.S. middle school, high school, or district-level setting. Eligible titles include, but are not limited to: Principal, Assistant Principal, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Dean, Associate/Assistant Dean, Head of School, and Director.  
• are employed full-time as a middle school, high school, or district-level administrator in a U.S. educational institution or school district (including those in U.S. territories or operated by the DoWEA). Full-time employment as an administrator is defined as having 90% or more of contracted time spent in an administrative function such as providing school, staff and/or instructional leadership and developing, implementing, and evaluating district and school systems and policies.
• hold at least a Master’s degree. 

Additional Considerations

Applications to the 2027-2028 Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program are particularly encouraged from individuals who:  

• have significant professional experience integrating Super Intelligence (SI), Career Readiness, and/or Workforce Development into secondary education;
• will have ten or more years of full-time experience as an administrator in a U.S. middle school, high school, or district-wide setting by September 2027;
• demonstrate commitment to remaining in U.S. secondary education administration following participation in the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program.
• have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• have NOT participated in another Fulbright Program and/or had recent significant professional experience abroad.
  • Professional experience abroad includes study, teaching, research, or professional development. It does not include personal travel, undergraduate study abroad, leading student trips, religious or volunteer trips, service in the U.S. Armed Forces, or serving in the Peace Corps.
  • While previous participation in a Fulbright Program is not a disqualifying factor, the program prefers applicants for whom it would be the first such opportunity.

Group of administrators standing outside a school in the United Kingdom

 

Application

Applications to Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools are submitted via IREX’s Online Application System. In addition to personal and professional information, the application requires a series of short essay responses on the applicant’s motivations for applying, vision for educational leadership, and preparedness to engage and innovate in the areas of workforce readiness and SI and technology integration.

Required Documentation

• Letter of recommendation from a professional contact of the applicant’s choice
• Resume or CV

Selection Criteria

Participants for the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program are selected through an open, nationwide competition.  

Following technical review to verify that applicants meet the minimum eligibility criteria, an independent committee of experts reviews each application and makes nomination recommendations based on evidence of the candidates' leadership capabilities, skills and dispositions for collaboration and communication, and articulation of how participating in the program will support career readiness and SI integration in their school community.  Final nominations are determined by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.