The Fulbright Program facilitates scholarly exchange around the globe
The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the United States’ Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, promotes cultural exchange by providing funding for students, scholars, artists, and researchers to travel abroad and receive training in a foreign country1. The average success rate for applicants is about 20%, and this trend seems to be fairly consistent2.
This exchange allows US citizens to study abroad, and non-US citizens to receive training within the US by providing approximately 8000 grants each year1.
As of 2023, over 160 countries participate in the Fulbright Program1. Since its inception in 1945, over 400,000 individuals have participated in this cultural exchange program; this includes students, teachers, artists, researchers, and professionals3.
Map of countries participating in the Fulbright Program provided by Wikimedia Commons.
Across the 2021–2024 grant cycles, the United Kingdom was the most popular choice for student applicants, with more than three times the number of applicants than the second most popular choice (Germany). The rest of the top ten was rounded out by counties in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia4.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, 20 countries received an average of two or less applications each across last three years: Brunei, Congo, Dominica, Eswatini, Grenada, Guinea, Laos, Lesotho, Nicaragua, Niger, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Tajikistan, Togo, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe2.
Since its inception, many Fulbright recipients have gone on to win prestigious prizes, such as the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes. Additionally, over 40 former awardees have gone on to serve as heads of state or government later in their careers5. If you’re interested in this or other opportunities to train abroad, Peeref’s Funding Database can help you find open grants that suit your needs.
References
- https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/frequently-asked-questions#:~:text=How%20many%20Fulbright%20Program%20grants,several%20hundred%20teachers%20and%20professionals
- https://us.fulbrightonline.org/study-research-eta-statistics
- https://us.fulbrightonline.org/top-producing-institutions#:~:text=Since%20its%20inception%20in%201946,to%20finding%20solutions%20to%20important
- https://www.profellow.com/tips/10-must-know-fulbright-u-s-student-study-research-grant-statistics-for-the-2024-2025-awards/
- https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/history
