The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions
in foreign countries and in the United States also contribute
financially through cost-sharing and indirect support, such as salary
supplements, tuition waivers, university housing, etc. The US government's contribution in fiscal year 2005 was $144.5 million. Foreign
governments, through binational commissions or foundations abroad,
contributed an additional $37 million directly to the Program.
Approximately 300,000 "Fulbrighters," 100,000+ from the United States and nearly 200,000 from other countries, have participated in the Program since its inception over fifty years ago. The Fulbright Program awards approximately 7,000 new grants annually.
Currently, the Fulbright Program operates in over 150 countries worldwide.
The Fulbright Exchanges are overseen by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) and in cooperation with a number of private organizations. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is responsible for the U.S. government's overseas educational, cultural and informational programs.
The J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board is composed of twelve educational and public leaders appointed by the President of the United States to formulate the policies, procedures and selection criteria that govern the Fulbright Program. The Board also selects the grantees for Fulbright awards.
Binational commissions and foundations abroad propose the annual country programs, which establish the numbers and categories of grants based on requests from local institutions. In a country without a commission or foundation, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy develops and supervises the Fulbright Program. Currently, 50 commissions are active. Nearly all are funded jointly by the United States and respective partner government. Each commission or foundation has a board, which is composed of an equal number of Americans and citizens of the participating nation.
Some Fulbright exchanges are administered directly by the US State Department and the US Embassies overseas. Other exchanges are administered with the assistance of cooperating agencies. Foreign citizens interested in the Fulbright Program should contact the Fulbright Commission or Foundation in their home country or, where no commission exists, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy.
(source: US Department of State website)
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