For the 12th year in a row, the University of Notre Dame has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright students.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program — overseen by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs — funds recent graduates and young professionals in all disciplines on abroad experiences. Fulbright has partnerships with more than 140 countries across the globe, offering participants unmatched opportunities to develop professionally in a variety of fields.
The application process is intensive, and the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement aims to guide its approximately 60 applicants through it.
“We double-check essays, provide feedback, and do a final sweep before the deadline to make sure everything is formatted properly,” the Center’s associate director of national fellowships Elise Rudt said.
Notre Dame students going on to participate in the Fulbright Program end up all over the world.
“The application itself was fairly straightforward, but having experts available to help guide my direction for the application kept me on-track and ultimately led to a cohesive, well-structured application that I felt proud to submit,” Notre Dame alumnus and Fulbright participant Aria Bossone said. A 2025 graduate, Bossone is currently working at IE University’s writing center in Madrid, Spain.
In recent years, changes in the international aid landscape have brought about shifts in the application process. With these changes, the Flatley Center has continued to develop its advising structure.
“Amidst uncertainty, we want to keep supporting students at our maximum capacity,” Rudt said.
Students planning on living abroad after graduation benefit from the advice, and the Center continues to support Notre Dame students.
“Moving your life to another country, in whatever context, is no easy feat,” Bossone said. “You question your own way of life, and cultural competency and humility become all the more relevant to your integration.”
Fulbright participants from Notre Dame also shared their experience with rising uncertainties. Federal funding cuts could threaten the program's existence.
“I feel blessed that, for the most part, our program could continue as planned, but the general anxiety from anticipation of the program being cut or defunded made me all the more grateful for the existence and goals of Fulbright in the first place,” Bossone said.
Juliet Hare, a 2024 graduate, said the program played an impactful role in informing her academic and professional goals.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to go to grad school, or if I wanted to go to law school. I just didn’t know,” Hare said. “Coming here has helped further shape what I want to do.”
She is currently working as an English teaching assistant in Luxembourg and has received many questions from students and teachers about current US events.
“It has really taught us to be diplomatic and critical. It makes me want to go into public policy a lot more than I initially did,”
She is now considering career paths in foreign service or embassy work that she had not previously explored.
Rudt explained that Fulbright offers an experience of immense personal growth because it requires participants to step out of their comfort zone. They come back with a sense of resilience that is worthwhile for any professional path.
“Across any career trajectory, that confidence is a really valuable thing to have,” Rudt said.
Fulbright participants are excited to give advice to students considering the program. “I’ve had people who are applying reach out to me, and my advice is to be willing to put yourself outside of your comfort zone, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Hare said.
Bossone shared that exploring how your values connect with the Fulbright mission paves the way for a more impactful experience.
“It’s been the most reflective time in my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said. “All of the ups and downs, the failures and successes, contribute to an authentic Fulbright experience.”
