General Program
The Fulbright Program was created in the aftermath of World War II with the hope that educational exchange could help lay the foundation for a lasting peace. It was thanks to the initiative of J. William Fulbright that the American government was able to create a program of educational and cultural exchange between the United States and participating countries. Senator Fulbright viewed the program as a much needed vehicle for mutual understanding that would provide the opportunity for leaders and future leaders to observe and better comprehend the institutions, cultures and societies of other countries and peoples. Since its inception more than fifty years ago 255,000 "Fulbrighters," 96,400 from the United States and 158,600 from other countries, have participated in the Program. The Fulbright Program awards approximately 4,500 new grants annually.
Fulbright Alumni include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, governors and senators, ambassadors and artists, prime ministers and heads of state, professors and scientists, Supreme Court Justices, and CEOs.
Click here for a list of Fulbright Commissions worldwide.
A first cultural agreement between the United States and France was signed in Paris on October 22, 1948 and established the Fulbright Commission in France (Commission franco-américaine d'échanges universitaires et culturels). In 1965, a second cultural agreement signed by the United States and France initiated bilateral funding of the Commission.
How It Works: Fulbright from Fulbright Program on Vimeo.
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| J. William Fulbright (1905-1995) |
Since then, many thousands of American and French students, young professionals, and scholars have helped strengthen the long-standing bonds of friendship and understanding between our two nations, while furthering their own goals of education and career preparation in a wide variety of fields. There have been over 8,000 Americans who have studied in France and over 10,000 French citizens who have benefited from study in the United States through this program.
Click here for a more detailed biography of James William Fulbright.
