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Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the mutual exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. The program was founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, and has been considered as one of the most prestigious scholarships in the United States.

History
, U.S. Senator (D-AR), the program's founder Founding In 1945, Senator J. William Fulbright proposed a bill to use the proceeds from selling surplus U.S. government war property to fund international exchange between the U.S. and other countries. With the crucial timing of the aftermath of the Second World War and with the pressing establishment of the United Nations, the Fulbright Program was an attempt to promote peace and understanding through educational exchange. The bill devised a plan to forgo the debts foreign countries amassed during the war in return for funding an international educational program. A detailed proposal was first considered by the State Department on 1 March 1946. It was through the belief that this program would be an essential vehicle to promote peace and mutual understanding between individuals, institutions and future leaders wherever they may be. In August 1946, Congress created the Fulbright Program in what became the largest education exchange program in history. The program was expanded by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, introduced by Representative Wayne Hays and known as Fulbright–Hays Act. It made possible participation in international fairs and expositions, including trade and industrial fairs; translations; funding for American studies programs; funds to promote medical, scientific, cultural, and educational research and development; and modern foreign language training. The program operates on a bi-national basis; each country has entered into an agreement with the U.S. government. The first countries to sign agreements were China in 1947 and Burma, the Philippines, and Greece in 1948. 21st century In March 2024, the Russian government declared the Institute of International Education (IIE) and Cultural Vistas as "undesirable" in Russia. This decision effectively ended the Fulbright Program, which had been established in the USSR during the 1973–74 academic year. In February 2025, the Trump administration initiated a funding freeze on State Department programs, including the Fulbright Program, disrupting financial support for thousands of scholars. The suspension impacted over 19,000 participants. The freeze was gradually lifted at the end of March 2025. 2025 board resignations and political interference On June 11, 2025, eleven of the twelve members of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board resigned in protest, citing what they described as "unlawful" political interference by the Trump administration. The board, which provides oversight for the international Fulbright exchange program, alleged that political appointees at the U.S. Department of State blocked or delayed awards for the 2025–26 academic year and subjected more than 1,200 foreign finalists to unauthorized ideological screening. The board’s open letter stated that review criteria were improperly influenced by applicants’ positions on topics such as climate change, race, and gender. The resignations prompted concern from higher education leaders and U.S. lawmakers. Senator Jeanne Shaheen stated that the alleged interference “politicizes one of our most respected international education programs” and could harm the U.S.'s global academic credibility. == Program ==
Program
, Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, and Michigan have been the top producers of U.S. Student Program scholars. Michigan has been the leading producer since 2005. • The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to conduct research and study in the United States. Some scholarships are renewed after the initial year of study. • The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program provides opportunities for young English teachers from overseas to refine their teaching skills and broaden their knowledge of U.S. culture and society while strengthening the instruction of foreign languages at colleges and universities in the United States. • The International Fulbright Science and Technology Award, a component of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, supports doctoral study at leading U.S. institutions in science, technology, engineering or related fields for outstanding foreign students. This program is currently on hiatus. • The Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships award up to four U.S. students the opportunity to study the power of music as a cultural force abroad. Fellows conduct research for one academic year on projects of their own design about a chosen musical aspect. They share their experiences during their Fulbright year via video reports, blogs, and podcasts. • The Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship provides the opportunity for U.S. students to serve in professional placements in foreign government ministries or institutions to gain hands-on public sector experience in participating foreign countries. • The Fulbright Schuman Program awards scholarships to American citizens for research in the European Union with a focus on EU affairs/policy, or the US-EU transatlantic agenda. Scholar grants • The Fulbright Distinguished Chair Awards comprise approximately forty distinguished lecturing, distinguished research and distinguished lecturing/research awards ranging from three to 12 months. Fulbright Distinguished Chair Awards are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program. Candidates should be eminent scholars and have a significant publication and teaching record. • The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends U.S. faculty members, scholars, and professionals abroad to lecture or conduct research for up to a year. • The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. academics and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning, and related subjects at overseas institutions for a period of two to six weeks. • The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program and Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program bring foreign scholars to lecture or conduct post-doctoral research for up to a year at U.S. colleges and universities. Four Fulbright–Hays grants currently make awards: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad, Fulbright–Hays Faculty Research Abroad, Fulbright–Hays Group Projects Abroad and Fulbright–Hays Seminars Abroad. Fulbright–Hays Faculty Research Abroad fellowships provide grants to U.S. colleges and universities to fund individual faculty who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of 3–12 months. Fulbright–Hays Group Projects Abroad provides grants to support overseas projects in training, research, and curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies for teachers, students, and faculty engaged in a common endeavor, including short-term seminars, curriculum development, group research or study, or advanced intensive language programs. Fulbright–Hays Seminars Abroad provides individual U.S. educators and administrators opportunities to go abroad as part of a group in the summer to participate in immersive educational and cultural activities and thereby improve their understanding of the peoples and cultures of other countries. Based on their seminar experiences, participants develop cross-cultural curricula for their home educational contexts. == Administration ==
Administration
The program is coordinated by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State under policy guidelines established by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), with the help of 50 bi-national Fulbright commissions, U.S. embassies, and cooperating organizations in the U.S. Bi-national Fulbright commissions and foundations, most of which are funded jointly by the U.S. and partner governments, develop priorities for the program, including the numbers and categories of grants. More specifically, they plan and implement educational exchanges, recruit and nominate candidates for fellowships; designate qualified local educational institutions to host Fulbrighters; fundraise; engage alumni; support incoming U.S. Fulbrighters; and, in many countries, operate an information service for the public on educational opportunities in the United States. In a country active in the program without a Fulbright commission, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy administers the Fulbright Program, including recruiting and nominating candidates for grants to the U.S., overseeing U.S. Fulbrighters on their grant in the country, and engaging alumni. Established in 1919 in the aftermath of World War I, the Institute of International Education was created to catalyze educational exchange. In 1946, the U.S. Department of State invited IIE to administer the graduate student component and CIES to administer the faculty component of the Fulbright Program—IIE's largest program to date. AMIDEAST administers Fulbright Foreign Student grants for grantees from the Middle East and North Africa, excluding Israel. LASPAU: Affiliated with Harvard University LASPAU brings together a valuable network of individuals, institutions, leaders and organizations devoted to building knowledge-based societies across the Americas. Among other functions, LASPAU administers the Junior Faculty Development Program, a part of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, for grantees from Central and South America and the Caribbean. World Learning administers the Fulbright Specialist Program. American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS) administers the Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP), a special academic exchange for grantees from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Southeast Europe. The Academy for Educational Development administers the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange Program and the Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program. == Related organizations ==
Related organizations
The Fulbright Association is an organization independent of the Fulbright Program and not associated with the U.S. Department of State. The Fulbright Association was established on February 27, 1977, as a private nonprofit, membership organization with over 9,000 members. Arthur Power Dudden was its founding president. He wanted alumni to educate members of the U.S. Congress and the public about the benefits of advancing increased mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries. In addition to the Fulbright Association in the U.S., independent Fulbright Alumni associations exist in over 75 countries around the world. The Fulbright Academy was an organization independent of the Fulbright Program and not associated with the U.S. Department of State. A non-partisan, non-profit organization with members worldwide, the Fulbright Academy focused on the professional advancement and collaboration needs among the 100,000+ Fulbright alumni in science, technology, and related fields. It merged into the Fulbright Association in 2013. == Bilateral commissions ==
Bilateral commissions
The Fulbright Program has commissions in 49 of the over 160 countries with which it has bilateral partnerships. These foundations are funded jointly by the U.S. and partner governments. The role of the Fulbright Commissions is to plan and implement educational exchanges; recruit and nominate candidates, both domestic and foreign, for fellowships; designate qualified local educational institutions to host Fulbrighters; and support incoming U.S. Fulbrighters while engaging with alumni. Below is a list of current commissions. == J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding == The J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding is awarded by the Fulbright Association to recognize individuals or organisations which have made extraordinary contributions toward bringing peoples, cultures, or nations to greater understanding of others. Established in 1993, the prize was first awarded to Nelson Mandela. == Notable alumni ==
Notable alumni
Fulbright alumni have occupied key roles in government, academia, and industry. Of the more than 325,000 alumni: • 93 have received the Pulitzer Prize. • John Ashbery, poet • Gustavo V. Barbosa-Cánovas, Uruguayan American professor of Food Engineering; director of the Center for Nonthermal Processing of Food at Washington State University • George Benneh, Ghanaian academic, university administrator and public servant • Christopher Charles Benninger, recipient of the Indian Institute of Architects Gold Medal for contribution to architecture in (2004) • Victor Bianchini, U.S. federal judge, California State superior court judge, retired colonel of U.S. Marine Corps; former law school dean • Amy Biehl, anti-Apartheid activist murdered in South Africa • Harold Bloom, literary theorist and critic • Josep Borrell, Spanish politician, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (2019-2024), President of the European Parliament (2004-2007), Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (2018-2019). • Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egyptian politician and secretary-general of the United Nations, 1992–1996 • Michael Broyde (born 1964), law professor • Kofi Abrefa Busia, Ghanaian academic and Prime Minister of Ghana (1969–1972) • Fernando Henrique Cardoso, president of Brazil, 1995–2002 • Kyle Carey, Celtic American musician • Bob Carr, Australian politician • Ron Castan, Australian constitutional law barrister • Lenora Champagne, playwright, performance artist and director • Dante R. Chialvo, scientist • Dale Chihuly, glass sculptor and entrepreneur • Mark Choate, historian, soldier, and diplomat • Eugenie Clark, ichthyologist and founder of Mote Marine LaboratoryGeorge C. Clerk, Ghanaian botanist and plant pathologist pioneer • Nathan Collett, filmmaker • Aaron Copland, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for MusicLeah Curtis, Australian composer • Eugenia Del Pino, Ecuadorian developmental biologist • Myanna Dellinger, Danish-American law professor • Arthur Deshaies, artist, printmaker, professor and head of the graphic workshop, Florida State University • Rita Dove, U.S. Poet Laureate and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for PoetryIbrahim M. El-Sherbiny, Egyptian materials scientist • Alfredo E. Evangelista, Filipino archeologist and director of the Anthropology division of the National Museum of the PhilippinesGlynnis Fawkes, archeological illustrator and graphic novelist • Eric Foner, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for HistoryJohn Hope Franklin, historian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient • Maryellen Fullerton, lawyer and law professor and interim dean at Brooklyn Law SchoolRadhika Gajjala, communications and a cultural studies professor • Philip A. Gale, British chemist and university administrator • Vicente Blanco Gaspar, ambassador of Spain • Ashraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan • Gabby Giffords, United States representative for Arizona's 8th congressional districtWalter Gonzalez Gonzalez (1924–1979), first Fulbright scholar to the United States from Bolivia, president of the Society of Bolivian Engineers ("Sociedad de Ingenieros de Bolivia") • Robert A. Gorman (born 1937), law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolWendy Greengross (1925–2012), general practitioner and broadcaster • Amanda Harberg, composer on the faculty at the Berklee College of MusicNigel Healey, vice chancellor, Fiji National UniversityJoel Heinen, professor, author and environmentalist Florida International University, Miami. • Edward Herrmann, actor • Robert Hess (1938–1994), president of Brooklyn CollegeJohn Honnold (1915–2011), law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolRoss Horning, historian • Brad K. Hounkpati, founder of Grain de Sel Togo, IncElizabeth Ellis Hoyt (1893–1980), economist, considered the inventor of the modern day Consumer Price IndexJulia Ioffe (born 1982), Russian-born American journalist • Michael Janis, glass sculptor and educator • Rahul M. Jindal, Indian-American transplant surgeon at Uniformed Services UniversityRoberta Karmel (born 1937), Centennial Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, and first female commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionCharles Kennedy, British politician • Suzanne Klotz, painter and sculptor • Koh Tsu Koon, Malaysian politician • Cy Kuckenbaker, filmmaker • Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong 2017–2022 • Karen LaMonte, sculptor • Jeffrey W. Legro, political scientist and professor • Ben Lerner, writer • Bernadette Lim, physician and community organizer • John Lithgow, actor • Dolph Lundgren, actor • Jamil Mahuad, president of Ecuador 1998–2000 • John Atta Mills, legal scholar and president of Ghana (2009–2012) • Baidyanath Misra, former vice-chancellor of the Odisha University of Agriculture and TechnologyAnna Moffo, soprano • Daniel Patrick Moynihan, United States Senator and diplomat • Robert Nozick, political philosopher • Joan Oates, archaeologist • Lisa Orr, potter and teacher of ceramics • Mikael Owunna, photographer • Linus Pauling, awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Peace PrizeHugh V. Perkins, professor (UMCP), author, and education developer in Pakistan, 1958-1959 • Sylvia Plath, poet, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1982 • Niharica Raizada, actress • Ian Rankin, author • Alec Rasizade, historian, author of Rasizade's algorithmAnand Reddi, global health research, public health advocate and biotech executive • Maria Ressa, awarded the Nobel Peace PrizeAlexis Ringwald, former CEO of LearnUp, a Manpower Group company • Berenice Robinson, author and composer • Theodore Roethke, poet, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1954 and the National Book Award for Poetry in 1959 and 1965 • Margaret Vardell Sandresky, composer, organist and theorist • Juan Manuel Santos, former president of Colombia from 2010 and 2018; recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 • Philip Schultz, poet • E. Anne Schwerdtfeger, composer and choral conductor • Heather J. Sharkey, historian of the Middle East and Africa at the University of PennsylvaniaWallace Shawn, actor and playwright • Mahi R. Singh, physics professor at University of Western OntarioJane Smiley, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for FictionJavier Solana, Foreign Affairs Minister (1992–1995), Secretary General of NATO (1995–1999), European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and Secretary-General of the Western European Union (held these post between October 1999 and December 2009). • Williametta Spencer, composer • Henry Steiner, Austrian graphic designer • Tracey Vivien Steinrucken, Australian ecologist, molecular biologist • Joseph Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Prize in EconomicsHerbert Storing, Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of VirginiaRobert S. Summers, law professor at Cornell Law SchoolRishi Sunak, prime minister of the United KingdomMerze Tate, first black woman to attend the University of Oxford, first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in government and international relations from Harvard UniversitySergio Troncoso, author of From This Wicked Patch of Dust, Crossing Borders: Personal Essays, and The Nature of TruthSasha Velour, queen, artist, and winner of season nine of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''Eudora Welty, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for FictionJustin Wolfers, economist • C. Vann Woodward, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for HistoryCharles Wright, poet • Muhammad Yunus, awarded the Nobel Peace PrizeSebastián Piñera, president of ChileSiphokazi Magadla, South African political scientist, professor at Rhodes University and author of Guerrillas and Combative Mothers: Women and the Armed Struggle in South Africa == See also ==
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