:Fulbright Program

{{Short description|American educational grant program}}

{{hatnote group|{{Redirect|Fulbright|the senator|J. William Fulbright|the Missouri pioneer|William Wilson Fulbright}}{{Distinguish|Fullbright}}}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Fulbright Program

| website = {{URL|https://fulbrightprogram.org/}}

| established = {{start date and age|1946|08|p=1|br=1}}

| sponsor = Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State

| awarded_for = Grants for U.S. professors ("scholars"), graduating college seniors and graduate students ("students"), young professionals ("specialists"), and artists to research, study, or teach English abroad

| image = Fulbright Program.svg

| image caption =

}}

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.{{Cite web | url=https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2011/11/25/get-noticed-through-prestigious-scholarships | title=Get Noticed Through Prestigious Scholarships | publisher=U.S. News & World Report | date=November 25, 2011 | access-date=March 22, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322204800/https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2011/11/25/get-noticed-through-prestigious-scholarships | archive-date=March 22, 2018 | url-status=live }}

Via the program, competitively selected American citizens including students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists, and artists may receive scholarships or grants to study, conduct research, teach, or exercise their talents abroad; and citizens of other countries may qualify to do the same in the United States. The program provides approximately 8,000 grants annually, comprising roughly 1,600 grants to U.S. students, 1,200 to U.S. scholars, 4,000 to foreign students, 900 to foreign visiting scholars, and several hundred to teachers and professionals.{{Cite web | url=http://www.cies.org/about-us | title=Fulbright Scholar Program: About Us | publisher=Comparative and International Education Society | access-date=June 23, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621065912/http://www.cies.org/about-us | archive-date=June 21, 2017 | url-status=live }}

The Fulbright Program is administered by cooperating organizations such as the Institute of International Education and operates in over 160 countries around the world.{{cite web | title=IIE Programs | publisher=Institute of International Education | url=http://www.iie.org/What-We-Do/Fellowship-And-Scholarship-Management/Programs | access-date=July 28, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728221410/http://www.iie.org/What-We-Do/Fellowship-And-Scholarship-Management/Programs | archive-date=July 28, 2014 | url-status=dead }} The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State sponsors the Fulbright Program and receives funding from the United States Congress via annual appropriation bills. Additional direct and in-kind support comes from partner governments, foundations, corporations, and host institutions both in and outside the U.S.{{cite web|title = Fulbright Program Fact Sheet|publisher = U.S. Department of State|url = https://eca.state.gov:443/files/bureau/fulbright_fact_sheet_2.pdf|access-date = December 16, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140923171523/http://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/fulbright_fact_sheet_2.pdf|archive-date = September 23, 2014|url-status = live}} In 49 countries, a bi-national Fulbright Commission administers and oversees the Fulbright Program. In countries that have an active program but no Fulbright Commission, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. embassy oversees the Fulbright Program. More than 370,000 people have participated in the program since it began; 62 Fulbright alumni have been awarded for a Nobel Prize; 88 have won Pulitzer Prizes.{{cite web | url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/notable-fulbrighters | title=Notable Fulbrighters | publisher=U.S. Department of State | access-date=October 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020011716/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/notable-fulbrighters | archive-date=October 20, 2022 | url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/that-knock-on-a-congressmans-door-could-be-a-fulbright-scholar-with-a-tin-cup/2017/06/08/06aa1984-4baf-11e7-bc1b-fddbd8359dee_story.html | title=That knock on a congressman's door could be a Fulbright scholar with a tin cup | first=Carol | last=Morello | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=June 8, 2017 | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141802/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/that-knock-on-a-congressmans-door-could-be-a-fulbright-scholar-with-a-tin-cup/2017/06/08/06aa1984-4baf-11e7-bc1b-fddbd8359dee_story.html | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}

History

File:JWFulbright.jpg, U.S. Senator (D-AR), the program's founder]]

{{Quote|The Fulbright Program's mission is to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.{{cite web |title=J. William Fulbright Quotes |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/history/j-william-fulbright/j-william-fulbright-quotes |publisher=Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs |access-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142716/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/history/j-william-fulbright/j-william-fulbright-quotes |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}|sign=Senator J. William Fulbright}}

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.{{cite book|title=The First Resort of Kings: American Cultural Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century| isbn=9781574885873 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TkqISeBnQQYC&dq=fulbright+scholarship+repay+debt&pg=PA175 | last1=Arndt | first1=Richard T. | year=2005 | publisher=Potomac Books }} 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.{{cite web |title=Fulbright: The Early Years |publisher=U.S. Department of State |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/history |access-date=December 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507050103/http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/history/early-years |archive-date=May 7, 2013 |url-status=live }}

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, 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.Martin J. Manning and Herbert Romerstein, Historical dictionary of American propaganda (Greenwood, 2004) p. 193.

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.

In March 2024, the Russian government declared the Institute of International Education (IIE) and Cultural Vistas as "undesirable" in Russia.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-07 |title=2024-03-07 Institute of International Education |url=https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/report/2024-03-07-institute-of-international-education/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Scholars at Risk |language=en-US}} This decision effectively ended the Fulbright Program, which had been established in the USSR during the 1973–74 academic year.{{Cite journal |last=James |first=William A. |date=1987 |title=A Promising Future: The Fulbright Program with the USSR |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1045063 |journal=The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |volume=491 |pages=118–125 |jstor=1045063 |issn=0002-7162}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Patel |first=Vimal |date=2025-03-07 |title=Study Abroad Funding Is Paused, Leaving Some Students Stranded |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/study-abroad-programs-funding-trump-fulbright-gilman.html |access-date=2025-03-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}  This suspension has left 19,000 participants {{Cite web |date=2025-03-09 |title=Scholars stranded in America and abroad amid funding freeze of State Department programs |url=https://apnews.com/article/fulbright-scholars-stipends-frozen-indefinitely-9da042b5e0bda70fb1c76105564c71f4 |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=AP News |language=en}} uncertain about their future, prompting educators to urge Congress to restore funding to these vital international exchange initiatives.{{Cite web |last=Patton |first=Alison |date=2025-03-07 |title=Many Fulbright scholars say they feel stranded after the Trump administration suspended their funding |url=https://woub.org/2025/03/07/fulbright-scholars-feel-stranded-trump-administration-suspends-funding/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=WOUB Public Media |language=en-US}}

Program

[[File:Countries with operating Fulbright programs, Mar 2020.svg|thumb|Countries with active bilateral Fulbright Student and Fulbright Scholar programs with the US ({{as of|2020|lc=y}}). Light shading indicates countries with just Fulbright Scholar programs.{{Cite web |url=https://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries |title=Countries |access-date=March 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505044116/http://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries |archive-date=May 5, 2016 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs/program-details-country |title=Program Details by Country |access-date=March 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013100530/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs/program-details-country |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |url-status=live }} (Mainland China and Hong Kong Fulbright programs were terminated by means of presidential executive order on July 13, 2020){{Cite web|title=Trump targets Fulbright in China, Hong Kong|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/16/trump-targets-fulbright-china-hong-kong|access-date=July 30, 2020|website=www.insidehighered.com|language=en}}

{{legend|#e41a1c|East Asia and the Pacific|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#2171b5|Europe and Eurasia|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#E5A400|Middle East and North Africa|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#F18805|South and Central Asia|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#984ea3|Sub-Saharan Africa|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#4daf4a|Western Hemisphere|border=1px #555 solid}}

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{{Quote|Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations.{{cite web |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright |title=Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs: About Fulbright |publisher=U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs |access-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180609035428/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright |archive-date=June 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}|sign=Senator J. William Fulbright}}

The Fulbright Program exchanges scholars and students with numerous countries in bilateral partnerships managed by commissions for each country. It provides funding for U.S. persons to visit other countries in the U.S. Student Program, U.S. Scholar Program, Teacher Exchange Program, and others, and enables foreign nationals to visit the United States in programs such as the Foreign Student Program, Visiting Scholar Program, Teacher Exchange Program.

Candidates recommended for Fulbright grants have high academic achievement, a compelling project proposal or statement of purpose, demonstrated leadership potential, and flexibility and adaptability to interact successfully with the host community.

Fulbright grants are awarded in almost all academic disciplines, except clinical medical research involving patient contact. Fulbright grantees' fields of study span the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, and professional and applied sciences.{{cite web |title=Fields of Study/Project Topics |publisher=U.S. Department of State |url=http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs |access-date=December 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022001035/http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |url-status=live }}

= Student grants =

  • The Fulbright Degree Program funds graduate education for international students wanting to study in the United States. Students apply for the scholarship in their home country and after a long process, they can pursue a Masters or Ph.D. program in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://blog.scholarden.com/fulbright-scholarship/fulbright-scholarship-2020-step-wise-guide/|title=Fulbright Scholarship 2020 – Step-Wise Guide {{!}} Scholar Den|last=admin|date=February 16, 2020|website=SD GRE Blog|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219051618/https://blog.scholarden.com/fulbright-scholarship/fulbright-scholarship-2020-step-wise-guide/|archive-date=February 19, 2020|url-status=live}}
  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals, and artists to research, study, or teach English abroad for one academic year. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others' viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. The application period opens in the spring of each year.{{Cite web|last=Berkey|first=Ayden|date=October 30, 2020|title=Fulbright U.S. Student Program|url=https://accessscholarships.com/scholarship/fulbright-u-s-student-program|website=Access Scholarships}} Since the inaugural class in 1949, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, and Michigan have been the top producers of U.S. Student Program scholars. Michigan has been the leading producer since 2005.{{Cite web|url=https://topproducing.fulbrightonline.org/|title=Top Producing Institutions|website=us.fulbrightonline.org|access-date=November 4, 2020}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! Top 10 producers

! data-sort-type="number" |Scholars (all-time)

Scholars (since 2005)
align="center" |Harvard University

|align="center" |1,450

|align="center" |410

align="center" |Yale University

|align="center" |1,208

|align="center" |372

align="center" |University of California, Berkeley

|align="center" |1,002

|align="center" |306

align="center" |Columbia University

|align="center" |1,001

|align="center" |327

align="center" |University of Michigan

|align="center" |939

|align="center" |450

align="center" |Princeton University

|align="center" |896

|align="center" |299

align="center" |Stanford University

|align="center" |809

|align="center" |289

align="center" |University of Wisconsin–Madison

|align="center" |805

|align="center" |225

align="center" |University of Chicago

|align="center" |769

|align="center" |354

align="center" |Brown University

|align="center" |716

|align="center" |391

{{Reflist|group=a}}

  • 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.{{cite web |url=http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs |title=Fulbright Programs |publisher= Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs |access-date=June 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120035802/http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs |archive-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status=live }}

= 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 Bicentennial Chair in American Studies at the University of Helsinki brings scholars of various disciplines to Finland. The Bicentennial Chair is open to senior faculty with outstanding publication and teaching credentials and is also considered to be among the most prestigious Fulbright appointments.
  • 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.
  • The Fulbright Regional Network for Applied Research (NEXUS) Program is a network of junior scholars, professionals, and mid-career applied researchers from the United States, Brazil, Canada, and other Western Hemisphere nations in a year-long program that includes multi-disciplinary, team-based research, a series of three seminar meetings, and a Fulbright exchange experience.

= Teacher grants =

The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program supports one-to-one exchanges of teachers from K–12 schools and a small number of post-secondary institutions.

The Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program sends teachers abroad for a semester to pursue individual projects, conduct research, and lead master classes or seminars.

= Grants for professionals =

The Hubert H. Humphrey Program brings outstanding mid-career professionals from the developing world and societies in transition to the United States for one year. Fellows participate in a non-degree program of academic study and gain professional experience.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends American scholars and professionals abroad to lecture or conduct research for up to a year.

The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning, and related subjects at overseas academic institutions for a period of two to six weeks.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year. The Program also includes an English Teaching Assistant component.

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.

= Fulbright–Hays Program =

The Fulbright–Hays Program is a component of the Fulbright Program funded by a congressional appropriation to the United States Department of Education. It awards grants to individual U.S. K through 14 pre-teachers, teachers and administrators, pre-doctoral students, and post-doctoral faculty, as well as to U.S. institutions and organizations. Funding supports research and training efforts overseas, which focus on non-western foreign languages and area studies.{{cite web |url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/fulbright-hays.html |date= January 21, 2011 |title=Archived: International Education Programs Service – Fulbright–Hays Programs: The World is Our Classroom |publisher=U.S. Department of Education |website= Office of Postsecondary Education |access-date=June 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708063043/http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/fulbright-hays.html |archive-date=July 8, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-06 |title=International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/ifle#Programs |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-06 |title=International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/ifle#Programs |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}}

Fulbright–Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad fellowships provide grants to U.S. colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of 6–12 months.{{Cite web |title=Fulbright–Hays—Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/ifle/fulbright-hays-doctoral-dissertation-research-abroad |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Fulbright–Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Program {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/ifle/fulbright-hays-faculty-research-abroad-fra-program |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Fulbright-Hays—Group Projects Abroad Program {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/ifle/fulbright-hays-group-projects-abroad-program |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Fulbright–Hays Seminars Abroad—Bilateral Projects {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/ifle/fulbright-hays-seminars-abroad-bilateral-projects |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}}

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.

The United States Department of State is responsible for managing, coordinating and overseeing the Fulbright program. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is the bureau in the Department of State that has primary responsibility for the administration of the program.

The United States Department of Education is responsible for managing, coordinating and overseeing the Fulbright–Hays program.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-06 |title=International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) {{!}} U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ope/ifle#Programs |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.ed.gov |language=en}}

The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board is a twelve-member board of educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the United States that determines general policy and direction for the Fulbright Program and approves all candidates nominated for Fulbright Scholarships.{{cite web |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/fulbright-foreign-scholarship-board-ffsb |title=Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) |publisher= Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs |access-date=January 29, 2024}}

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.{{cite web |title=Fulbright Commissions |publisher=U.S. Department of State |website= Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs |url=http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/funding-and-administration/fulbright-commissions |access-date=December 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101172159/http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/funding-and-administration/fulbright-commissions |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |url-status=live }}

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{{clarify|reason=define this initialism|date=February 2022}} to administer the faculty component of the Fulbright Program—IIE's largest program to date.{{cite web |url=http://www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/History |title=History | Who We Are |publisher=Institute of International Education |access-date=June 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616231800/http://www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/History |archive-date=June 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

The Council for International Exchange of Scholars is a division of IIE that administers the Fulbright Scholar Program.

AMIDEAST administers Fulbright Foreign Student grants for grantees from the Middle East and North Africa, excluding Israel.

LASPAU: Affiliated with Harvard University{{cite web|title=LASPAU|url=http://www.laspau.harvard.edu/|website=Harvard University|access-date=April 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425181708/http://www.laspau.harvard.edu/|archive-date=April 25, 2018|url-status=live}} 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.fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/

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

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 is 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 focuses on the professional advancement and collaboration needs among the 100,000+ Fulbright alumni in science, technology, and related fields. The Fulbright Academy works with individual and institutional members, Fulbright alumni associations and other organizations interested in leveraging the unique knowledge and skills of Fulbright alumni.

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.{{Cite web |url=https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/funding-and-administration/fulbright-commissions |title=Fulbright Commissions |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112121837/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/funding-and-administration/fulbright-commissions |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |url-status=live }} Below is a list of current commissions.

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:99%;"
scope="col" style="width:15%;"| Region

! scope="col" style="width:15%;"| Country

! scope="col" style="width:50%;"| Commission

scope="row" rowspan="9" | East Asia and the Pacific

| Australia

| The Australian-American Fulbright Commission

Indonesia

| American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation

Japan

| Japan-United States Educational Commission

Korea

| Korean-American Educational Commission

Malaysia

| Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange

New Zealand

| New Zealand-United States Educational Foundation

The Philippines

| Philippine-American Educational Foundation

Taiwan

| Foundation for Scholarly Exchange

Thailand

| Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation

rowspan="24" scope="row" | Europe and Eurasia

| Austria

| Austrian-American Educational Commission

Belgium

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States, Belgium and Luxembourg

Bulgaria

| Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange

Czech Republic

| J. William Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange in the Czech Republic

Denmark

| Fulbright Denmark

Finland

| Fulbright Finland Foundation

France

| Franco-American Commission for Educational Exchange

Georgia

|Fulbright Georgia

Germany

| German-American Fulbright Commission

Greece

| U.S. Educational Foundation in Greece

Hungary

| Hungarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange

Iceland

| Iceland-United States Educational Commission

Ireland

| The Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange

Italy

| The U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission

Netherlands

| Fulbright Commission the Netherlands

Norway

| U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation for Educational Exchange

Poland

| Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission

Portugal

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Portugal

Romania

| Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission

Slovakia

| J. William Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange in the Slovak Republic

Spain

| Commission for Cultural, Educational and Scientific Exchange Between the United States of America and Spain

Sweden

| Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States and Sweden

Turkey

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Turkey

United Kingdom

|The United States-United Kingdom Fulbright Commission

scope="row" rowspan="4" | Middle East and North Africa

| Egypt

| The Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt

Israel

| U.S.-Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF)

Jordan

| Jordanian-American Commission for Educational Exchange (JACEE)

Morocco

| Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange

scope="row" rowspan="4" | South and Central Asia

| India

| United States-India Educational Foundation

Nepal

| Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States and Nepal (USEF/Nepal)

Pakistan

| United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan

Sri Lanka

| United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission

scope="row" rowspan="9" | Western Hemisphere

| Argentina

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States and the Argentine Republic

Brazil

| Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States of America and Brazil

Canada

| Foundation for Educational Exchange Between Canada and the United States of America

Chile

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Chile

Colombia

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Colombia

Ecuador

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Ecuador

Mexico

| Mexico-United States Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange

Peru

| Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States and Peru

Uruguay

| Fulbright Uruguay

== 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.

class="wikitable sortable"
Person

!Year

!Country

Nelson Mandela

| 1993

|South Africa

Jimmy Carter

| 1994

| United States

Franz Vranitzky

| 1995

|Austria

Corazon Aquino

| 1996

|Philippines

Václav Havel

| 1997

|Czech Republic

Patricio Aylwin

| 1998

|Chile

Mary Robinson

|1999

|Ireland

Martti Ahtisaari

| 2000

|Finland

Kofi Annan

| 2001

|Ghana

Sadako Ogata

| 2002

|Japan

Fernando Henrique Cardoso

| 2003

|Brazil

Colin Powell

| 2004

|United States

Bill Clinton

| 2006

|United States

Desmond Tutu

| 2008

|South Africa

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

| 2010

|United States

Médecins Sans Frontières

| 2012

|France

Hans Blix

|2014

|Sweden

Richard Lugar

|2016

|United States

Angela Merkel

|2018

|Germany

Bono

|2021

|Ireland

Kizzmekia Corbett, Anthony Fauci

|2022

|United States

Gary White, Matt Damon

|2024

|United States

Christiane Amanpour

|2025

|United Kingdom

Notable alumni

Fulbright alumni have occupied key roles in government, academia, and industry. Of the more than 325,000 alumni:

  • 89 have received the Pulitzer Prize
  • 78 have been MacArthur Fellows
  • 62 have received a Nobel Prize
  • 40 have served as head of state or government{{cite web

| url = https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/notable-fulbrighters/heads-stategovernment

| title = Heads of State/Government

| date = March 6, 2020

| website = www.State.Gov

| publisher = US State Department

| access-date = March 6, 2020

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190721184026/https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/notable-fulbrighters/heads-stategovernment

| archive-date = July 21, 2019

| url-status = live

}}

  • 10 have been elected to the U.S. Congress
  • 1 has served as secretary general of the United Nations

= List of selected group of notable Fulbright grant recipients =

{{div col}}

  • William D. "Bro" Adams, university administrator and NEH Chair (2014–2017)
  • Edward Albee, recipient (three times) of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama
  • Karim Alrawi, recipient of the Samuel Beckett Award for the Performing Arts, President of Egyptian Pen
  • Francis Andersen, Australian Hebrew and biblical studies scholar
  • Claire Andrade-Watkins, academic, film director
  • Paula Arai, Buddhist studies scholar{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2022 |title=Paula K. Arai |url=https://www.shin-ibs.edu/academics/faculty/parai/ |access-date=February 5, 2024 |website=Institute of Buddhist Studies |language=en-US |publication-place=Berkeley, California}}
  • John Ashbery, American poet{{cite web|last1=Piccinnini|first1=Douglas|title=Ashbery in Paris: Out of School|url=http://jacketmagazine.com/37/piccinnini-ashbery.shtml|website=Jacket 2|access-date=October 8, 2015|date=2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083413/http://jacketmagazine.com/37/piccinnini-ashbery.shtml|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}
  • Gustavo V. Barbosa-Cánovas, Uruguayan American Professor of Food Engineering and 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
  • Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egyptian politician and Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1992–1996
  • Michael Broyde (born 1964), American law professor
  • Kofi Abrefa Busia, Ghanaian academic and Prime Minister of Ghana (1969–1972)
  • Fernando Henrique Cardoso, President of Brazil from 1995 to 2002{{cite web | url=http://members.fulbright.org/?prize_cardosa | title=Fernando Henrique Cardoso | publisher=Fulbright Association | access-date=November 11, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111055234/http://members.fulbright.org/?prize_cardosa | archive-date=November 11, 2014 | url-status=live }}
  • Kyle Carey, Celtic American musician{{cite web | title=Featured Fulbrighter – Kyle Carey | url=http://www.fulbright.ca/featured-fulbrighters/ms-kyle-carey/364.html | work=Fulbright Canada | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143312/http://www.fulbright.ca/featured-fulbrighters/ms-kyle-carey/364.html | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}
  • Bob Carr, Australian politician{{cite web | title=Announcing our Inaugural Conference Keynote – Professor the Hon Bob Carr | url=https://fulbrightalumni.org.au/news/5053477 | first=Vanessa | last=Adams | work=Fulbright Australia | date=August 29, 2017 | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141144/https://fulbrightalumni.org.au/news/5053477 | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}
  • Ron Castan, Australian Constitutional law barrister{{cite web | title=ADJOURNMENT | url=http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMBER;id=chamber%2Fhansardr%2F1999-10-21%2F0097;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F1999-10-21%2F0091%22}}
  • Lenora Champagne, playwright, performance artist and director{{cite web | title=Traps by Lenora Champagne | url=http://theoldstonehouse.org/event/traps-by-lenora-champagne/ | publisher=Old Stone House | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142148/http://theoldstonehouse.org/event/traps-by-lenora-champagne/ | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}
  • Dante R. Chialvo, scientist{{cite web | title=Chialvo Named Fellow of the American Physical Society |date=January 22, 2008 | url=https://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2008/01/chialvo.html | publisher=Northwestern University | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162041/https://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2008/01/chialvo.html | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}
  • Dale Chihuly, glass sculptor and entrepreneur{{cite news | title=Glass that'll bowl you over |url-access=subscription | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1996/02/23/glass-thatll-bowl-you-over/9b32d960-8a19-4929-ba2a-2a947f59ad97/ | first=Jo Ann | last=Lewis | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=February 23, 1996 | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143601/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1996/02/23/glass-thatll-bowl-you-over/9b32d960-8a19-4929-ba2a-2a947f59ad97/ | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}
  • Mark Choate, American historian, soldier, and diplomat{{cite news | title=J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 1998 |url=https://www.https://www.chronicle.com/article/j-william-fulbright-foreign-scholarship-board-28377// | newspaper=The Chronicle of Higher Education | date=March 26, 1999 | access-date=September 23, 2024 }}
  • Eugenie Clark, American ichthyologist and founder of Mote Marine Laboratory
  • George C. Clerk, Ghanaian botanist and plant pathologist pioneer{{Cite web|url=https://natureecoevocommunity.nature.com/users/264613-daniel-p-clerk/posts/49989-in-memoriam-george-carver-clerk-87|title=In memoriam: George Carver Clerk, 87|date=June 13, 2019|website=Nature Research Ecology & Evolution Community|language=en|access-date=June 13, 2019|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804054905/https://natureecoevocommunity.nature.com/posts/49989-in-memoriam-george-carver-clerk-87|url-status=dead}}{{Cite journal|date=July 2019|title=Obituary of George Carver Clerk, 1931–2019|url=https://www.isppweb.org/newsletters/pdf/49_7.pdf|journal=ISPP Newsletter|publisher=International Society for Plant Pathology|volume=49|issue=7|pages=5|access-date=July 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701171541/https://www.isppweb.org/newsletters/pdf/49_7.pdf|archive-date=July 1, 2019|url-status=live}}
  • Nathan Collett, filmmaker{{cite web | title=2006 Fellowship Recipients | url=https://ahf.usc.edu/recipients/2006-2/ | publisher=University of Southern California | access-date=June 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612175515/https://ahf.usc.edu/recipients/2006-2/ | archive-date=June 12, 2018 | url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://cies.org/grantee/george-clerk|title = George Clerk | Fulbright Scholar Program}}
  • Aaron Copland, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music
  • Leah Curtis, Australian composer{{cite web|title='New' alumnus wins prestigious Fulbright postgraduate award|url=http://www.newcollege.unsw.edu.au/news/award/new-alumnus-wins-prestigious-fulbright-postgraduate-award|work=New College, University of New South Wales|access-date=October 28, 2012}}
  • Myanna Dellinger, Danish-American law professor
  • Arthur Deshaies, artist, printmaker, professor and head of the graphic workshop, Florida State University{{cite news |title=Arthur Emillien Deshaies |work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |location=Spartanburg, South Carolina |date=August 3, 2011 |page=4 }}
  • Rita Dove, U.S. Poet Laureate and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
  • Eugenia Del Pino, Ecuadorian developmental biologist
  • Ibrahim M. El-Sherbiny, Egyptian materials scientist
  • Alfredo E. Evangelista, Filipino archeologist and director of the Anthropology division of the National Museum of the Philippines
  • Glynnis Fawkes, archeological illustrator and graphic novelist {{Fisher, April. “From archeology sites to comic book pages: Burlington cartoonist Glynnis

Fawkes.” Burlington Free Press. January 19, 2023. https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/life/2023/01/19/from-artifact-to-comic-book-art-burlington-cartoonist-glynnis-fawkes/69815288007/.}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}