Awards and Rankings
February 3, 2026
For the second straight year, the Fulbright Program has recognized the University of Portland as one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Eight students from UP were offered Fulbright U.S. Student awards in the 2025-26 academic year. Six of those students accepted awards to serve as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Andorra, Bulgaria, Germany, North Macedonia, Slovak Republic, and Taiwan.
Nationwide, Fulbright recognized 96 institutions as Top Producers of accepted applicants to the U.S. Student Program. Fulbright Top Producing Institutions such as UP value global connection and support members of their campus communities across the United States to pursue international opportunities.
“Here on The Bluff, we strive to be the University of, for, and with Portland and the world,” said UP President Robert D. Kelly, PhD. “Global engagement is critical to how we live out this mission, and I am thrilled that UP has once again been recognized as a Top Producer of Fulbright awards. I know that the many Fulbright recipients UP has graduated will have a tremendous impact on the communities they serve.”
The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, is the U.S. government’s premier international academic exchange program. Each year, it provides opportunities for exceptional Americans and participants from 160 countries and locations to study, teach, and conduct research abroad, advancing knowledge, science, and industry through international exchange and collaboration. Fulbright Alumni achieve distinction and are recognized as leaders in government, business, science, technology, research, education, and the arts.
In 2025, these eight UP graduates were selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program:
"As a Fulbright Program Advisor, I'm honored that UP has been named a Top Producing Institution. This achievement reflects our students' curiosity, hard work, and self-awareness as well as the exceptional, hands-on instruction at UP that helps them grow into thoughtful global citizens," said Cara Hersh, PhD, UP’s Assistant Provost of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement & Career Readiness.
Hersh said UP continues to offer academic credit for students who complete a Fulbright application. Students receive one credit for participating in networking, peer review, and research about their host country.
For the current Fulbright cycle (2026-27), nine students from UP have been selected as program semifinalists. Hersh encourages UP students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in the 2027-28 cycle to contact the Office of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement scholars@up.edu.
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