Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for the 2027-2028
The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from citizens of Serbia for participation in the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for the 2027-28 academic year. This is a competitive, worldwide contest. If you are interested in broadening your perspectives, becoming a global leader, and giving back to Serbian society upon your return, the Humphrey Fellowship is for you.
The Humphrey Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. Nearly 6,900 Fellows representing 167 countries have participated in the program since its inception in 1978, including 20 Serbians over the past decade.
Successful candidates are accomplished, young, mid-career professionals in leadership positions with a demonstrated commitment to public service and with the potential for further advancement in their fields. Candidates should be interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge and views with both the Americans and with Fellows from other countries they meet during this program. Practical experience in the United States gained through this program, plus greater familiarity with American society and culture, will provide Humphrey Fellows with the basis for lasting, productive ties with their American counterparts in the years to come.
PROFESSIONAL FIELDS
The Humphrey Fellowship is granted competitively to public and private sector candidates from Serbia with strong leadership potential and a commitment to service who are focused on the following fields of study:
Communications and Journalism
Humphrey Fellows strengthen information integrity and U.S. influence in the global media space by their work in media and communications, including investigative and responsible journalism, national broadcasting, digital media, and public relations. They uphold individual freedoms in the digital age, manage strategic communications, promote free expression, and advance transparent media to strengthen information integrity and support open public debate.
Law and Governance
Humphrey Fellows advance rules-based systems that support U.S. security interests by working as attorneys, judges, law enforcement officials, policymakers, and civil society leaders, advancing the rule of law, strengthening security frameworks, and supporting fair and accountable justice systems. They work to combat transnational crime and trafficking, fight corruption, ensure accountability for violations on personal freedoms, and promote transparent and effective governance.
Natural Resources Policy
Humphrey Fellows drive policies that support energy independence, resource security, and economic resilience. Their work spans critical minerals, energy systems, water, and agriculture—ensuring reliable supply chains, strengthening food security, and reducing vulnerabilities that can be exploited by strategic competitors. This work directly supports U.S. economic strength and global stability.
Public and Economic Policy
Humphrey Fellows address critical public and economic policy challenges in multiple disciplines across local, regional, and national levels that drive economic growth, workforce development, and market expansion aligned with U.S. interests. They work in fields such as trade and investment, workforce development, education policy and administration, fiscal and monetary policy, public-private partnerships, and public sector management. Fellows design and implement evidence-informed policies that promote economic growth and security, strengthen institutions, and support effective domestic and foreign policy decision-making.
Public Health Policy and Management
Humphrey Fellows develop self-reliant and resilient local health systems in global health by addressing public health challenges, including preventing infectious disease outbreaks, through policy development, service delivery, surveillance, and institutional preparedness. Fellows serve as health policymakers, physicians, clinical managers, health educators, and practitioners, shaping policies that manage public health risks in ways that protect American lives and economic stability.
Technology Policy and Management
Humphrey Fellows develop and implement strategies and policies to manage the societal, economic, and security impacts of emerging and established technologies to ensure the United States and its partners lead in this area while protecting against misuse by adversaries. They work on issues such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data governance, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, biotechnology and health technologies, and technology’s role in urban planning, transportation, and workforce transformation.
THE HUMPHREY PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, a Fulbright exchange, advances American interests by bringing influential professionals from priority countries to the United States to build strategic partnerships that advance shared interests and support U.S. foreign policy goals. Through graduate-level study and professional experiences at U.S. host universities and organizations, Humphrey Fellows gain practical insight into how American policies are developed and implemented, working alongside U.S. experts in their fields. Fellows are placed in multinational thematic cohorts at U.S. host universities, where they gain skills to promote commercial and economic growth, foster long-term cooperation with the United States on shared security challenges, and advance U.S. foreign policy interests.
During their fellowship, Humphrey Fellows participate in non-degree study at approximately eight host campuses across the United States and complete at least six weeks of a professional affiliation at a U.S.-based governmental, non-governmental, private sector, or international organization. Through their academic and professional experiences, they gain knowledge about the United States, deepen their professional expertise and experience in fields of strategic importance to the U.S., and expand their networks to include U.S. counterparts.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
Appropriate candidates are young, mid-career professionals in leadership positions in either the public and private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to public service and the potential for further advancement.
The technical eligibility requirements are:
Serbian citizenship and eligibility to obtain a U.S. visa.
An undergraduate university degree (equivalent of a 4-year bachelor’s or undergraduate degree).
A minimum of five years of full-time, professional experience in the relevant field by August 2027.
Limited or no prior experience in the United States.
Demonstratedleadership qualities.
A record of public service in the community.
Proficiency* in written and spoken English. Candidates will normally have a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 525 (paper-based) or 72 (internet-based), or IELTS score of 6.0, or Duolingo score of 100. If you have taken a TOEFL exam in the past, scores are valid for two years. The TOEFL exam is not a requirement at the time of application. Candidates who pass the interview will receive the instructions how to register for the TOEFL exam.
*Note: In addition to the pre-academic language training traditionally available to all selected candidates, the Humphrey Program offers Long-Term English (LTE) language training opportunities to facilitate participation of individuals who might lack sufficiently advanced English language skills at the time of application. Candidates for LTE typically have TOEFL scores in the 440-500 range (paper-based test) or 42-61 (internet-based test). LTE participants will travel to the U.S. early for intensive language training lasting 20-25 weeks to improve their English skills before transitioning to their host university campuses at the start of the 2027-28 academic year.
Please be aware that the following individuals are ineligible to apply for the Humphrey Program:
Recent university graduates (even if they have significant positions);
University teachers or academic researchers with no management responsibilities;
Individuals with dual U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status;
Applicants who are not qualified to hold a valid passport as a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the country that they are applying from;
Local employees of U.S. Missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State, or the former U.S. Agency for International Development, including temporary employees and contractors, and members of their families as well as individuals who work for or are otherwise associated with an organization that is responsible for nominating or selecting individuals for participation in any ECA exchange program;
Candidates with an English language assessment (TOEFL/Duolingo/IELTS) score lower than 72/100/6.0.
Priority will be given to candidates with no recent experiences in a third country, especially in a developed country.
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Beyond demonstrating the required experience, skills, and a commitment to public service, candidates will also need to explain through the application process how they might benefit from the unique opportunities offered in the Humphrey Program. The key questions to answer are: Why exactly do you need this experience at this point in your career? How exactly will you and how will Serbia benefit from your participation in this program?
Applications are due July 31, 2026. Information on how to apply is below.
Within 30 days, we will contact short-listed applicants to attend an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade in the first week of September, 2026.
Candidates who pass the interview will be registered for the TOEFL exam. We will then forward the application packets with TOEFL results to Washington.
The final selection of candidates will be announced in Washington, DC around late March – April 2027. Finalists will then need to apply for a visa. The Embassy will assist the candidate with that process and other paperwork requirements, including the medical exam.
DEPENDENTS (FAMILY MEMBERS)
The Humphrey Fellowship covers air travel, a stipend, and other costs, but all expenses are budgeted only for the Fellow himself/herself. The award does not include additional allowances or funds of any sort for dependents, i.e., family members. Candidates who are planning to have dependents join them during all or part of the fellowship year in the U.S. should bear in mind the high cost of living. They must furthermore receive prior approval from the Humphrey Program that they have adequate personal funds to cover living expenses and dependents’ health insurance and (if applicable) child care. Dependents absolutely may not come during the ELT period when the Fellow is engaged in intensive study of English in preparation for the Fellowship year.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 31, 2026
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates should apply online at https://apply.iie.org/huberthhumphrey
You will need to gather additional documents:
Copy of passport (bio data page);
Evidence of your employment in Serbia (letter from employer confirming employment, and certified translation if the letter is in Serbian);
Copy of university diploma(s);
Certified university transcript(s), including course listings and grades received;
Curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé;
Two letters of reference in English; one must be from the applicant’s current employer;
TOEFL scores (if available).
These additional documents must be mailed by July 24, 2026 to:
U.S. Embassy Belgrade
Public Affairs Section
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica 92
11000 Belgrade
For additional information about the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship:
The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program is administered by the Institute of International Education (www.iie.org ).
For more information on the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program, you can visit:
the Humphrey Program website: www.humphreyfellowship.org
the Humphrey Program’s social media platforms:
ECA’s International Exchange website: https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/hubert-h-humphrey-fellowship-program
If you have further questions, please contact U.S. Embassy Belgrade’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) via email at belgradehumphrey@state.gov
