New scholarship scheme: University of Erfurt one of the founders of the new Fulbright Transatlantic Diplomacy Program

TAD aims to produce a new generation of leaders  committed to public service, international cooperation and long-term transatlantic relations. Thanks to the generous Fulbright scholarship, three German students from the Master of Public Policy degree will go to the partner universities in the USA each year with full funding and the Brandt School will welcome three students from the USA in Erfurt in return. The scholarship holders also take part in supporting events organised by Fulbright throughout their studies, which bring them close to political practice and prepare them for future leadership roles. They furthermore get access to the internationally renowned Fulbright network.

The new scholarship track invites applications that embrace the Fulbright core values of knowledge, reason and compassion and are committed to making use of them in the service of transatlantic relations for a peaceful, more cooperative world. It also reflects the principles of interpersonal diplomacy and fosters lasting individual and academic relationships that deepen mutual understanding and reach across regions. Fulbright Germany ensures a broad geographical spread between home and host institutions in both countries so that all TAD participants and partners benefit from different regional, political and social contexts and can gain truly multi-regional perspectives.

For the TAD, Fulbright Germany works with selected universities and schools in Germany and the USA that have a strong academic profile in the fields of public policy, international relations and diplomacy and are committed to promoting transatlantic academic exchange and institutional cooperation.

Participation in the TAD– both as a sending and host institution – is limited to these partner universities and programmes. This exclusive scheme ensures close coordination of study plans, institutional commitment and aligned academic standards on both sides of the Atlantic. The US partners include the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public & International Affairs (SPIA), the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver, , the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University and the University of Washington, Seattle’s Henry M. Hackson School of International Studies as well as their Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.

"The initiative is a fantastic opportunity for our students and a signal of excellency for our institution. It shows that the University of Erfurt takes internationalisation seriously, and that the Brandt School has made a name for itself worldwide as a graduate institution in public policy," explains Professor Achim Kemmerling, Vice Director of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy and Vice Dean for Internationalization. "It is also a great opportunity to give new impetus to transatlantic exchange," says Professor Beate Hampe, Vice President for International Affairs at the University of Erfurt.

German students admitted to the MPP intake starting their degree in October 2026 may apply for the TAD directly through Fulbright’s platform by August 31, 2026 and are to start their studies in the U.S. in the fall of 2027.  We still accept applications to the MPP until July 15, 2026 from German candidates and all those who do not need a visa to study in Germany.