Fulbright Scholarship
Fulbright Scholarship, a scholarship granted by the United States government as part of its program to promote international understanding. Awards are made to United States and foreign research scholars, teachers, students, and lecturers on an exchange basis. The objective is to promote understanding among peoples and cultures by sharing educational, scientific, and cultural interests. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State oversees the program. The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, which is appointed by the President, sets policies for the program and selects the award winners. More than 150 countries participate in the program annually.
The program began in 1946 with an act sponsored by Senator J. William Fulbright. The United States was at that time selling abroad supplies and other property used during World War II. The Fulbright Act provided that foreign currencies paid for this property should be used for exchange scholarships. The Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 extended and enlarged the program.