WHAT IS FULBRIGHT?

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. Government’s flagship international exchange program, is designed
to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other
countries.” With this goal as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided almost 300,000
participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to
study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared
international concerns.

The Fulbright Program is an important element of our country’s bilateral relationships in which the U.S.
and foreign governments jointly set priorities. In addition to an annual Congressional appropriation, partner
governments, corporations, foundations and academic institutions provide direct and indirect support. The
various Fulbright Programs operate in more than 155 countries worldwide and has provided approximately
294,000 participants with the opportunity to study, teach, or conduct research in each others’ countries and
exchange ideas. Approximately 7,500 grants are awarded annually.

The Program was established by Congress in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J.
William Fulbright of Arkansas. It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs, which works with private non-profit organizations in the United States and with U.S.
embassies and binational Fulbright Commissions abroad to administer the Program. Policy guidelines are
established by the Presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, which also
selects the recipients of Fulbright awards.

Since 1947, the Fulbright Scholar Program has awarded nearly 45,000 grants to support teaching and
research in countries around the world. Today it includes active programs in more than 125 countries.

Resources:

2010-2011 List for Fulbright Visiting Non-U.S. Scholars: Current Listing

U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Fulbright

Council for International Exchange of Scholars: New to Fulbright?

Council for International Exchange of Scholars. Fulbright U. S. Scholar Program Grants PDF.

Council fo International Exchange of Scholars. Occasional Lecture Program Flyer PDF.