Nine SDSU students advance to semi-finals for this year’s Fulbright scholarships

Friday, February 7, 2025
Hardy Tower on SDSU's campus
Applicants are seeking to spend a year abroad conducting research, studying in graduate programs or teaching English

Nine San Diego State University students have reached the semi-finals for the prestigious 2025-26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards, with winners expected to be announced between April and May.

SDSU semi-finalists are pursuing Fulbright grants to travel to countries ranging from Albania to Senegal. Six applied as English teaching assistants and three are pursuing overseas research or binational business.

In all, 15 students or recent graduates affiliated with SDSU submitted applications through the university’s advising program during the 2025-26 cycle, said Yoshiko Higurashi, professor emerita of Japanese who serves as the advisor for SDSU’s Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  Eight out of these 15 applicants were named semi-finalists.  In addition, one out of four students who applied on their own was named a semi-finalist.


To advance to the semi-finals, students cleared the initial review by Fulbright’s U.S. National Screening Committee, which recommended them to host countries for further consideration.

Finalists will be determined by the host country and Fulbright’s Foreign Scholarship Board.

“It is a significant achievement to be named a semi-finalist for very competitive Fulbright scholarships,” said Cristina Alfaro, associate vice president of SDSU International Affairs.  “I congratulate all those who reached the semi-finals, and I applaud all those who applied. I encourage our students to continue to seek out international opportunities to develop global critical consciousness.”

Established by the U.S. Department of State to promote cultural exchange, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides 2,200 grants for participants to pursue research, enroll in a graduate program or teach English abroad. It is the most prominent international exchange program in the world, with more than 140 countries participating.

For the current cycle, SDSU research semi-finalists are Robert Lang and Joaquin Ramoso. Semi-finalist Callista Helms is pursuing a transborder business program. English teaching semi-finalists are Kelly Sierra, Erin Cragg, Julianna Deras, Marina Godinez, and Dorothy Ntchougan Sonou. One semi-finalist wished to remain anonymous at this time.

Fulbright Scholars receive a fully funded year abroad, including airfare. Once students finish their Fulbright, they earn preferential hiring status with the federal government for one year, and they get a Fulbright email address for life.

“When you apply for graduate school or any position, being a Fulbrighter means a lot,” said Higurashi. “It is a big feather in your cap.”

Virtual and in-person information sessions to apply for the upcoming 2026-27 Fulbright awards begin in February and continue through the spring semester. To register, click here.  For more information about the Fulbright program, click here. 

Last year, 20 SDSU students submitted Fulbright applications through the university’s advising program and 10 made the semi-finals. Of those, seven were named Fulbright scholars. An eighth SDSU student, who applied on her own, also earned a Fulbright.

Categorized As