The Fulbright Program
General Information
The Fulbright Program,
the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational
exchange, was proposed to the U.S. Congress in 1945 by then freshman
Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. In the aftermath of World
War II, Senator Fulbright viewed the proposed program as a much-needed
vehicle for promoting "mutual understanding between the people
of the United States and the people of other countries of the world."
His vision was approved by Congress and the program signed into law
by President Truman in 1946.
Fulbright
grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for
a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing,
advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary
schools. Since the program’s inception, more than 250,000 participants
--chosen for their leadership potential-- have had the opportunity to
observe each other’s political, economic and cultural institutions.
Of
these participants, 42,200 have been overseas academics and professionals
who have conducted research or taught in U.S. universities as Fulbright
Visiting Scholars, and more than 40,100 U.S. faculty and professionals
who have engaged in similar activities abroad.
Both
U.S. and Visiting Fulbright Scholars lecture or conduct research in
a wide variety of academic and professional fields ranging from journalism
and urban planning to music, philosophy, business administration and
zoology.
The
Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Under a cooperative agreement
with the Bureau, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars
(CIES) assists in the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program
for faculty and professionals.
The
primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation
made by the United States Congress to the Department of State. Participating
governments and host institutions in foreign countries and in the U.S.
also contribute financially through cost-sharing and indirect support,
such as salary supplements, tuition waivers and university housing.
The Congressional appropriation for the Fulbright Program in fiscal
year 2001 was $118.7 million. Foreign governments, through their binational
commissions or foundations, contributed an additional $28 million directly
to the Fulbright Program.
Both public and private agencies in the United States assist in the
administration of the Fulbright Program. Overseas, it is administered
by binational Fulbright Commissions or by the Public Affairs Section
of the U.S. Embassies. The Presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright
Foreign Scholarship Board is responsible for the final selection of
all Fulbright grantees and the supervision of the Fulbright Program
worldwide.
The
Fulbright Program encompasses a variety of exchange programs, including
those for faculty and professionals. A brief explanation of and link
to each program is provided below.
The
U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800 scholars and professionals
each year to more than 140 countries, where they lecture or conduct
research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.
The Visiting Fulbright Scholar Program awards grants to foreign scholars
to come to the United States to lecture or conduct postdoctoral research.
Nearly 800 scholars come annually for an academic year or term.
Pre-Doctoral Fellowships are offered to U.S. and foreign graduate students
and graduating seniors. Nearly 800 Americans are studying abroad with
either full or partial support from the Fulbright Program. Similar awards
are offered each year to foreign graduate students for support at U.S.
universities.
The
Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program provides opportunities for mostly
one-for-one exchanges between U.S. and foreign elementary, secondary
and postsecondary teachers.
The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program was established in 1979 to bring
accomplished mid-career professionals from developing countries to the
United States at a mid-point in their careers for a year of study and
related professional experiences. Fellows are selected on the basis
of their potential for national leadership in the fields of public administration
and public policy analysis, public health, agricultural development
and planning and resource management.
The College and University Affiliations Program seeks to establish linkages
between U.S. universities and institutions overseas through the exchange
of faculty and staff. Begun as a pilot project in Africa in 1982, the
program became worldwide in 1983. These linkages focus on the social
sciences, humanities, business administration and the arts. Since the
program's inception, over 350 institutional grants have been awarded.
A portion of the Fulbright program, the Fulbright-Hays Foreign Area
and Language Training Programs, is administered by the U.S. Department
of Education’s Office of International Education and Graduate
Programs. Funds are awarded to Americans individually or to U.S. institutions
to support research and training efforts abroad focusing on non-western
foreign languages and world area studies.
