Senator J. William Fulbright, sponsor of the legislation, saw it as a step toward building an alternative to armed conflict. With this as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 234,000 participants chosen for their leadership potential with the opportunity to observe each others political, economic and cultural institutions, exchange ideas and embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world s inhabitants. The U.S. Student Program awards approximately 900 grants annually and currently operates in over 140 countries worldwide. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by Congress to the 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.
Most grantees plan their own programs.
Projects may include university coursework, independent library or field research, classes in a music conservatory or art school, special projects in the social or life sciences, or a combination. Recent projects have involved cancer research in the UK, free market development in Mauritius, women s rights in Chile and contemporary artistic expression in India. Along with opportunities for intellectual, professional, and artistic growth, the Fulbright Program offers invaluable opportunities to meet and work with people of the host country, sharing daily life as well as professional and creative insights. The best way to appreciate others viewpoints, their beliefs, the way they think, and the way they do things, is to interact with them directly on an individual basis work with them, live with them, teach with them, learn with them, and learn from them. The Fulbright Program is supported by an annual appropriation from Congress to the Department of State.