FY25 Fulbright Student POGI.pdf

PROJECT OBJECTIVES, GOALS, AND IMPLEMENTATION (POGI)

FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010354

Office of Academic Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E)

The POGI guidelines apply specifically to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by the Office of Academic Exchange programs (ECA/A/E) for the FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program. Your proposal must conform to the solicitation, the guidelines stated in this document, and the standard Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). Any application not adhering to the conditions set forth herein may be deemed technically ineligible. These guidelines are specific to the program mentioned above and are IN ADDITION TO the guidelines outlined in the PSI. If there is a perceived disparity between documents, the solicitation is to be the dominant reference.

I. STATEMENT OF WORK

Pending the availability of funds, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S.

Department of State will enter into (a) cooperative agreement(s) with one or more U.S. public or private non-profit organizations or consortia of eligible organizations meeting the provisions of a 501 (c) 3 to administer the FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program.

The FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program will support the administration of approximately 1,908 new awards for U.S. students to study, conduct research, and teach English abroad, approximately 1,800 new awards for foreign students (including approximately 645 self-placed graduate students) to study and conduct research and approximately 350 new awards for foreign language teaching assistants to teach their native language in the United States. Additionally, funds may be used to support special initiatives for FY 2025 or previously funded participants as requested by ECA. Pending the availability of funds, ECA anticipates awarding up to seven cooperative agreements of up to $20,000,000 to provide support services for the FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program, as well as other academic exchange activities and cohorts as requested by ECA.

Under the terms of the cooperative agreement, the award recipient(s) will be responsible for administering a number of special programs and activities for U.S. and foreign students including, but not limited to: the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Award, the

Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship in Public Health, and the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship for U.S.

students; the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program; Pre-Academic and

English Language Training; Short-term Gateway (arrival) Orientations; Foreign Student

Enrichment Seminars; and support for the Fulbright Program with Ukraine. This/These cooperative agreement(s) will support the administration of the program for new FY 2025 students and applicants as well as any special initiatives for participants or alumni requested by

ECA.

U.S. public and private non-profit organizations or consortia of eligible organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to cooperate with ECA in one or more of the following:

1. The administration and implementation of the entire worldwide Fulbright Student Program or the entire Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

2. The administration and implementation of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program for one or more regions of the world.

• Organizations or consortia applying for the foreign student program in two or more world regions must also include a creative and detailed plan to administer enrichment seminars and programs for foreign students; short-term English language, pre-academic, and orientation programming for all foreign students; and the worldwide FLTA Program.

• For East Asia and the Pacific, proposals must include a comprehensive plan to provide support for the Fulbright Program with China should the program there restart.

• For Europe, proposals must include a comprehensive plan and budget to provide support for the program with Ukraine, as well as a comprehensive plan to provide support for the Fulbright Program with Russia should the program there restart.

Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, ECA may renew this/these cooperative agreement(s) for a period of approximately four additional fiscal years before openly competing it again. This/these cooperative agreement(s) will support administration of the program for new students and applicants only;

student awards granted in FY 2024 and previous years will continue to be managed by the recipients that currently administer the Fulbright Student Program. ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase funding amounts and participant numbers pending the availability of FY 2025 funds, the needs of the program, and U.S. Department of State foreign policy priorities.

If the Fulbright Student Program is awarded to (a) recipient(s) that does/do not currently administer the Fulbright Student Program, the new recipient(s) and the current administrators of the Fulbright Student Program will be required to collaborate closely to ensure a successful transition.

Responsibilities for administration of the FY 2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program include:

application screening and selection; program planning and management; post-nomination services, and fiscal management for U.S. student participants; and recruitment and outreach to U.S. student applicants for the AY 2025-2026 program.

For the FY 2025 Fulbright Foreign Student Program, responsibilities include: program planning and management; application screening and placement; pre-academic training and orientation for AY 2025-2026 foreign student participants; enrichment workshops for AY 2024-2025 foreign student participants; and the provision of recruitment and application materials to Fulbright commissions and Public Diplomacy Sections (PDS) at U.S. embassies for the AY 2026-2027 Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Proposals should demonstrate flexibility and creativity in program planning and administration, with particular consideration given to proposed activities that involve in-person programming.

The award recipient(s) is/are requested to propose virtual activities to serve as replacements for, or complements to, traditional in-person activities, where applicable.

II. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring, as follows:

1. Participating in the design of, and providing programmatic and policy guidance for, all program activities;

2. Providing input and final approval on program timelines, estimated budgets and costs, and orientation, enrichment, and special activity schedules and agendas;

3. Overseeing the selection and placement of participating students, in cooperation with Fulbright commissions and U.S. embassies, and subject to final selection by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB);

4. Providing guidance on non-immigrant visa policies and other SEVIS-related issues for the foreign student program components, including the FLTA program;

5. Approving significant changes to students’ proposed program, degree objective, field of study, or host institution, in cooperation with Fulbright commissions and U.S.

embassies;

6. Assisting with participants’ emergencies, including but not limited to, serious physical and mental health issues and emergencies, evacuations, and repatriation of remains;

7. Providing guidance related to decisions involving unforeseen challenges or special circumstances, such as program suspensions or wide-spread participant evacuations, ensuring outcomes address current foreign policy priorities, goals, and objectives; and

8. Liaising with relevant U.S. embassies, Fulbright commissions, and other program stakeholders, including Department of State personnel.

III. DETAILED STATEMENT OF WORK

A. FULBRIGHT U.S. STUDENT PROGRAM

In support of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the award recipient has responsibility for the following activities:

1. Application Screening and Selection

• Develop and maintain an online announcement with specific country award descriptions as well as a robust and stable online application system for the U.S.

student program, by which applicant data is processed through the application and selection phases of the program cycle, working together with ECA and the administrators of the Fulbright Scholar Program and other Fulbright Programs. All application, selection, and individual award descriptions should be entered and maintained in a sortable, searchable format/system that can be shared with ECA.

The application system and/or application process must also be accessible to applicants with disabilities.

• Propose a timeline and work plan to meet the following deadlines: The award recipient should prepare and launch an informational website on the Fulbright U.S.

Student Program including eligibility requirements and the award announcement for the Academic Year 2026-2027 program cycle by March 31, 2025.

• This website should include a searchable, online catalog so that guidelines and eligibility (including language requirements, academic calendar, grant period, eligible fields of study, affiliation requirements, qualifications, research clearances, grant benefits, cost of living, conditions of award, other general information) are provided in a uniform way for each country.

• The award recipient will be required to submit a draft of the appropriate sections of the AY 2026-2027 online catalog to all eligible countries for their input.

ECA/A/E branches should receive these drafts no later than January 31, 2025.

• Describe a plan to conduct a thorough technical review of U.S. student applications for eligibility and completeness (biographical data, citizenship, veteran status, transcripts, letters of recommendation, project/study plans, etc.), and obtain missing documentation from applicants before releasing applications to Fulbright National Screening Committees, Fulbright commissions and/or PDS, ECA, and the FFSB. Refer questions of eligibility to the appropriate ECA/A/E branch prior to selection committee review.

• Outline plans for a transparent, merit-based review process, with clearly identified criteria for assessing the U.S. student applications. Propose a plan to appoint and convene national review panels to recommend and rank candidates. U.S. student review panels should reflect the diversity of the U.S. higher education community and include panelists from minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and other underrepresented institutions as well as qualified Fulbright alumni. As directed by ECA, the award recipient will provide opportunities for Fulbright commissions to provide input to panelists on country-specific concerns or priorities and develop mechanisms to report review panel results to all Fulbright commissions and PDS.

• Develop and implement best practices and training for review panel members and for award recipient staff who serve as panel facilitators. Best practices and training content should aim to provide consistency and standardization across all national review panels regardless of meeting location. In addition, the award recipient should provide introductory comments at each panel to emphasize ECA and FFSB priorities and include ECA/A/E staff as resources at the award recipient facilitator training and national review panels.

• ECA/A/E staff should receive a schedule of meetings at least six weeks in advance of the first review panel and biographical information on the review panel members, two weeks prior to the meetings (or when the panel members receive their materials).

• Maintain the current practice of hosting virtual review panels, including ECA/A/E staff as observers.

• Propose a plan to notify U.S. student applicants of their application status after meetings of national review panels.

• Submit the slate of candidates recommended by the review panels for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to ECA for transmittal to the FFSB. Working with ECA and other Fulbright Program partners worldwide, develop and maintain system interfaces to facilitate the transmittal of nominee data to the FFSB during the final selection process.

• Propose an electronic system to collect, review, and track participant medical forms, in consultation with ECA. Ensure that the system facilitates the medical clearance process for selected participants while safeguarding personally identifiable information (PII).

• Contract with a qualified physician for review of medical forms and suggest methods for establishing a pool of qualified medical professionals as future resources. Systematize the method for pre-notification to ECA/A/E staff when there is a conditional medical clearance in order to ensure that any concerns are addressed by the nominee, Fulbright commission, and/or PDS before the participant arrives in country.

2. Program Planning and Management

• Describe a plan to maintain current participant data electronically, including individual grant amount and fiscal year of funding. Required data fields for the electronic data system include, but are not limited to, the following: first name;

middle name; last name; gender; race and ethnicity; date of birth; country of birth;

country of citizenship; country of residence; country of program; participant type;

field of study/research topic; degree objective (graduating senior/Master’s/Ph.D.);

home/host institution or affiliation; first generation college student status; prior community college attendance; Fulbright Program category/subcategory; fiscal year of funding; award amount; home/host U.S. state; and U.S. Congressional district. Ensure data is accurate prior to submitting to ECA for inclusion in U.S.

Department of State statistical reports.

• ECA encourages the award recipient to utilize established industry standards to ensure appropriate collection, use, maintenance, dissemination, and retention of PII.

Proposals should detail internal protocols to ensure that the personal information of Fulbright applicants, grantees, and alumni is appropriately protected. Protocols should be applied to data submitted for inclusion in statistical reports, as well as any PII being transmitted between the award recipient and ECA or to and from Fulbright commissions or PDS. These protocols should fall within the parameters required by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as appropriate.

• In accordance with Federal, State Department, and Fulbright Program policies and practices, and in close consultation with ECA/A/E, the award recipient should determine if any Fulbright candidates have disabilities for which they may need or want to request special accommodations in order to successfully complete their Fulbright program. In such cases, consult closely with ECA/A/E staff in completing, on a case-by-case basis, the necessary procedural steps for reasonable accommodations.

• Maintain a system for distributing and collecting all required program reports completed by U.S. students. Any problems experienced by participants while completing and/or submitting reports must be addressed in a timely manner. The award recipient should ensure that participant reports are accessible to ECA/A/E staff, Fulbright commissions, and PDS, notifying each when participant reports are posted.

• Ensure staff training on key program areas including, but not limited to, Fulbright U.S. Student Program policies, application review, national review panel facilitation, grantee monitoring and crisis management, and strategic communication.

• Participate in planning meetings with ECA, which focus on overall improvements in program administration, outreach, participant monitoring, evaluation, enrichment and follow-on activities, etc. Meeting notes should be shared with ECA in a timely manner and should outline any agreed-upon actions.

• In collaboration with ECA, identify appropriate current Fulbright participants or alumni, and organize their attendance at meetings, such as FFSB meetings or focus groups, to present their experiences or to discuss suggestions for program improvements.

• Submit required reports. (See Section IV of this POGI “Program Reporting” under for guidance on required statistical and financial reports.)

3. Post-Nomination Services

• Describe your capacity and plans to work closely with ECA/A/E branches on the implementation of post-nomination services for U.S. students. Note the differences between services to be provided for U.S. participants going to countries where a Fulbright commission manages the program and those going to non-commission countries, where the program is administered by PDS. In general, for U.S. students going to countries with a Fulbright commission, the commission will be responsible for writing grants, disbursing stipend payments, and funding and/or arranging international travel. For U.S. students going to non-commission countries, the award recipient will write the grants, disburse stipend payments, and arrange international travel for participants via U.S. airline carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.”

• Electronically prepare, distribute, and collect signed copies of the universal “Terms and Conditions” for U.S. students going to both non-commission and commission countries.

• Prepare individual grant authorizations and grant documents for U.S. students going to non-commission countries. Complete loan deferment forms in a timely manner.

• Enroll participants in the ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) and/or other health benefits plan as directed by ECA.

• Utilize a system that assigns a unique ID number to each participant enrolled in ASPE for the purposes of health benefits enrollment. This unique ID number must further include a specific number that identifies the U.S. students administered by the award recipient. The award recipient must collect data on primary and secondary health benefits for each participant enrolled in ASPE.

• Provide assistance and support to participants regarding health benefits; assist in filing claims to the designated health benefits agency and provide all participants with information regarding supplemental insurance. Consult with ECA on participant health issues that may affect successful completion of individual programs.

• Provide pre-departure advice and information to all participants. Prepare and distribute country-specific fact sheets that have been cleared with appropriate ECA/A/E staff.

• In consultation with ECA/A/E and the recipient for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program, manage logistics for virtual pre-departure orientations (PDOs) for the FY 2025 cohort of U.S. students and U.S. scholars going to non-commission countries. Assist ECA and the recipient for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program with regional PDOs. Disseminate “save the date” notifications to all semi-finalists. Promote orientation dates on relevant program webpages. Develop and maintain a PDO web platform to provide orientation information, including country-specific fact sheets and other information relevant to U.S. student pre-departure preparations. Propose ideas to include a PDO component for the Fulbright U.S. English Teaching Assistant Program, which will provide approximately 10 to 15 hours of additional training for ETAs. This PDO component should focus on teaching pedagogy, language learning, lesson planning, classroom management, and English language resources.

• Propose ideas for providing additional training and/or resources to all ETAs, prior to the start of their grants. This may include additional online coursework, access to teaching materials, etc.

• In consultation with ECA, develop content for PDOs, webinars, and other possible uses. Orientation content and activities should provide tools to support U.S students while on program that foster inclusive environments and explore potential challenges, such as addressing cultural adjustment, bias, and/or discrimination. These sessions should be relevant to study/research and ETA participants of all backgrounds and include alumni and consultants as speakers. Materials for the sessions should be accessible during both the PDOs and the grant period. The award recipient should also actively encourage selectees and participants to join and use the resources of the Fulbrighter network.

• Assist with participant travel arrangements by communicating with Fulbright commissions and/or PDS and ECA/A/E staff regarding travel plans.

• Propose a monitoring plan for U.S. students overseas. Consider appropriate communication tools and monitoring techniques to reduce potential gaps in U.S.

student monitoring and allow for varied levels of support per country, depending on existing support services and number of grantees in country. Include a schedule for proactively communicating with all U.S. students at pre-determined points during their grants, particularly during periods when participants are known to face greater challenges. Communication should focus on program engagement, cultural adjustment, physical and mental health, personal safety, and issues pertaining to personal identity.

• Assist ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PDS with reassignment of U.S.

participants when circumstances require.

• Provide assistance and support to participants regarding health benefits; assist in filing claims to the designated health benefits agency and provide all participants with information regarding supplemental insurance. Consult with ECA on participant health issues that may affect successful completion of individual

• Assist ECA in handling crises affecting U.S. participants abroad, such as medical emergencies and medical evacuations, including mental and physical health issues;

natural disasters; political or societal unrest; and repatriation of remains. This includes emergency support services in the event of program suspensions and/or circumstances necessitating the repatriation of U.S. students from abroad.

• Respond to renewal and extension inquiries from participants in consultation with, and approval of, the relevant ECA/A/E branches.

• When necessary, prepare appropriate documentation for the FFSB requesting termination or revocation of a U.S. student grant. Take appropriate action to recoup funds that may have been previously distributed to a participant whose grant has been terminated or revoked.

• Provide an evaluation plan and methodology to collect, analyze, and report on outcomes (including multiplier effect) from U.S. student program alumni one year from the end date of their Fulbright grants; include recommendations for the long-term tracking of U.S. student alumni. Additionally, include methods for summarizing U.S. student alumni data worldwide and/or by program or world region. Place special emphasis on surveys, software, and other data collection methodologies to determine the community outcomes and multiplier effect of Fulbright ETAs. Propose ways to utilize data from these survey findings to promote the program. All evaluation plans should incorporate Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) requirements as stipulated in Section D.10. of the NOFO.

• Notify U.S. students of their non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status for U.S. government employment and provide them with specific information and guidance on the U.S. student program website. Prepare and send non-competitive eligibility certificates for Fulbright U.S. Student Program participants within two weeks of the end date of their Fulbright Programs.

• Provide additional resources to U.S. students returning to the United States at the end of their Fulbright Program. Materials should be made available online and should address topics such as the following: reentry and adjustment, employment searches, professional development, and opportunities for continued engagement with the Fulbright Program and its alumni networks.

• Draft a plan to provide Fulbright U.S. students returning to the United States with information on storytelling training to share their Fulbright stories on Fulbright and non-Fulbright platforms, as well as opportunities to engage with Fulbright alumni networks, including the Fulbrighter app and the Fulbright Association.

• Prepare electronic Fulbright certificates for participants, retiring members of the national review panels, and retiring Fulbright Program Advisors.

4. Fiscal Management

• Prepare accurate individual award estimates for country, regional and/or program budgets. Include allowances and monthly stipends, health benefits, and travel costs as necessary. Provide estimates for any program enhancement activities. As directed by ECA/A/E, update budget projections a minimum of three times per fiscal cycle and, for finite activities (such as national review panels and PDOs), provide a final budget with actual costs at the close of the fiscal year.

• Manage payments for U.S. students going to non-commission countries and ensure payments are made as scheduled. Monitor and distribute approved grant payments, reimbursements, and advances in a timely manner; authorize special allowances as stipulated by ECA/A/E; clarify policies and procedures and resolve problems relating to award benefits and payments.

• Administer memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and/or other agreements with cost-share partners in support of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. As requested by ECA, provide status updates, financial reports, etc., regarding these funding relationships.

• Audit payments for U.S. students, including travel, stipends, allowances, and other related payments.

• Audit internal functions, systems, and controls as necessary.

• Review accounting system for expenditures in connection with U.S. government audits.

• Submit reports as requested. (See Section IV of this POGI “Program Reporting” for guidance on required statistical and financial reports.)

5. Recruitment

• Develop a creative and comprehensive plan for recruitment that will generate a strong pool of qualified Fulbright U.S. Student applicants. The plan should be specific to the U.S. student program and developed in coordination with ECA/A/E outreach staff, as well as the recipient for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program. The recruitment plan will be subject to ongoing coordination and approval by ECA.

• U.S. Department of State and/or ECA sponsorship, management, and oversight of the Fulbright Program must be emphasized in all recruitment activities, and the http://eca.state.gov/fulbright and https://www.fulbrightprogram.org. (A separate outreach and marketing plan is requested later in the POGI.)

• All plans for U.S. recruitment activities and initiatives for the Fulbright U.S.

Student Program should incorporate specific strategies for recruiting a pool of qualified applicants representing all aspects of diversity as referenced in ECA’s DEIA Statement, including but not limited to: race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, geographic location, education, socio-economic status, disability, and institutional diversity. The pool of qualified applicants should include robust numbers of underrepresented applicants from diverse types of U.S. institutions, including but not limited to minority serving institutions. All recruitment efforts should highlight and emphasize the fact that the Fulbright U.S. Student Program reflects the full spectrum of diversity in the United States.

• The recruitment plan should include:

• Proposed recruitment materials and activities, which should include, but are not limited to, print and digital content and in-person or virtual recruitment activities, such as conferences, campus visits, and other events.

• A strategy for implementing a series of high-quality, general-information, and program-specific webinars for potential applicants and proposed methods to track and analyze webinar usage. Regional in-person or virtual workshops for college and university Fulbright Program Advisors (who are responsible for guiding, evaluating, and interviewing Fulbright U.S. Student Program candidates from their campuses) to provide training on program criteria and procedures and encourage participation from a larger and more diverse pool of U.S. students and institutions.

• Targeted in-person or virtual workshops reaching Fulbright Program Advisors and students from diverse institutions throughout the United States with a special focus on MSIs, including predominately black institutions, historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities.

http://eca.state.gov/fulbright https://www.fulbrightprogram.org/

• Ideas for identifying a group of recent U.S. student alumni to engage in recruitment activities, as well as outreach initiatives, PDOs, other alumni programs, and provide feedback to ECA in an effort to improve the U.S.

student experience.

• A subsection of the plan should include specific recruitment strategies for the Fulbright-National Geographic Award, the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship, and the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship.

• A cost estimate for each recruitment component. Prioritization of, and funding for, recruitment activities will be determined in consultation with

ECA.

• A strategy detailing the award recipient’s proposed staff travel, including college/university visits, conferences, and workshops. (See section on “Budget Guidelines” under “Additional Information to be Submitted” in this POGI for guidance on the FY 2025 proposed travel plan.)

• Develop and maintain, in coordination with the ECA/A/E outreach staff and jointly with the administrator of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, a comprehensive online calendar of upcoming outreach and recruitment activities (conferences, campaigns, webinars, workshops, college/university campus visits, and other activities) specific to Fulbright U.S. Student Program recruitment. Information about specific events, including registration and panel submission deadlines, should be added to the calendar as early as possible and provided to ECA at least four months prior to each event.

• For conferences and other outreach events listed in the proposed recruitment plan, ECA requests that the award recipient provides unused complimentary registrations to ECA. ECA/A/E may use these registrations at their discretion. Any unused complimentary registrations should be documented in the Performance Progress Report.

• Submit a plan to ensure that a well-developed network of U.S. college and university campus contacts for the Fulbright Student Program is appropriately identified, trained, and informed to act as program representatives at their respective institutions and are empowered to play a robust role in local recruitment and program promotional efforts. The award recipient should identify campus representatives at a broad range of institutions, particularly at MSIs, and maintain a list of these Fulbright campus contacts that is accessible to ECA/A/E staff and other Fulbright Program partners. Campus representatives are expected to share information about all Fulbright Program components, including the Fulbright Scholar Program and Fulbright Specialist Program, on their respective campuses.

In support of recruitment efforts, and as stated in the recruitment plan, the award recipient will:

• Develop digital and print materials necessary to publicize the Fulbright U.S.

Student Program, as well as special programs and activities within the Fulbright U.S.

Student Program, including, but not limited to, the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships, the Fulbright-National Geographic Award, and the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship. Application materials should encourage persons with disabilities to apply to the Fulbright Program. Additionally, materials should explain the purpose and historical context of the Fulbright Program and prominently highlight the sponsorship, management, and oversight role of the U.S. government and ECA. ECA requires that the recruitment strategy and all brochures, including cover designs, be submitted to ECA/A/E for final approval. ECA will retain copyright use of, and be allowed to distribute, materials related to this program as appropriate.

• Publicize Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant opportunities via written content, digital distribution, and other means. ECA requests that the award recipient utilizes social media assets primarily as a vehicle to share the impact of the program, but the award recipient may also use participant profiles, infographics, and other data visualization posted on Fulbright social media channels for recruitment purposes, where appropriate.

• Collaborate with ECA/A/E outreach staff regarding social media platform-specific guidance as determined by ECA’s Office of Public Affairs and Strategic Communications (ECA/PASC); monthly theme, audience needs, trends, and behavior; and other factors such as worldwide events. The award recipient should work through its website, network of contacts with U.S. colleges and universities, and educational, professional, and academic discipline newsletters and journals. Other recruitment vehicles should be utilized as well, particularly to reach graduating seniors, artists, and underrepresented audiences.

• Publish annually an online directory of U.S. and foreign student award recipients. Directory entries should be searchable, and include participant name, home or host country, home or host state, host institution, and field of study.

• Prepare and publish an electronic version of the 2025-2026 academic year Fulbright U.S. Student Program announcement by March 31, 2025.

6. Special Fulbright U.S. Student Program Components

In addition to the responsibilities listed above under Application Screening and Selection, Program Planning and Management, Post Nomination Services, Fiscal Management, and Recruitment, the award recipient should also be prepared to implement the additional activities related to the administration of the special Fulbright U.S. Student Program components as listed below:

FULBRIGHT-NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STORYTELLING AWARD

• Plan to administer approximately five Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Award enhancements.

• Develop website and other online and print materials necessary to publicize the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Award. ECA requires that the recruitment strategy and any program-specific materials be submitted to ECA/A/E for final approval.

• Assist in conducting targeted recruitment for this award enhancement in collaboration with ECA/A/E and National Geographic, including the development and scheduling of program-specific webinars.

• Prepare program-specific, individual grant authorizations and grant documents for Fulbright-National Geographic Award participants going to non-commission countries. Complete loan deferment forms in a timely manner.

• In consultation with ECA/A/E and the recipient for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program, present a plan for a virtual PDO for Fulbright-National Geographic Award participants.

• Provide guidance and consult with ECA/A/E, participants and Fulbright commissions and PDS, as necessary, to create program-specific budgets and terms of appointment, and disseminate information on any non-Fulbright orientation activities, to ensure that participants are able to successfully complete their

• Work closely with ECA/A/E in the implementation of post-nomination services. For non-commission countries, write the grants, disburse stipend payments and special allowances, and arrange international travel for participants via U.S. airline carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.”

FULBRIGHT-FOGARTY FELLOWSHIP IN PUBLIC HEALTH

• Plan and administer approximately ten Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health, including administering an MOU with the Fogarty International Center (FIC) at the National Institutes of Health in support of this STEM initiative.

Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship in Public Health. ECA requires that the recruitment strategy and any program-specific materials be submitted to ECA/A/E for final approval.

• Assist in conducting targeted recruitment for this program in collaboration with ECA/A/E and the FIC, including the development and scheduling of program-specific webinars.

• Prepare program-specific, individual grant authorizations and grant documents for Fulbright-Fogarty Fellows going to non-commission countries. Complete loan deferment forms in a timely manner.

• Provide guidance and consult with ECA/A/E, participants and Fulbright commissions and PDS, as necessary, to create program-specific budgets and terms of appointment, and disseminate information on any non-Fulbright orientation activities, to ensure that participants are able to successfully complete their

• Work closely with ECA/A/E in the implementation of post-nomination services. For commission and non-commission countries, write the grants, disburse stipend payments and special allowances, and arrange international travel for participants via U.S. airline carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.”

JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP

• Plan and administer up to 25 John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowships for U.S. student researchers in academic areas such as human rights, non-violent civil rights movements, conflict resolution or mediation, peace studies, and related fields.

John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship. ECA requires that the recruitment strategy and any program-specific materials be submitted to ECA/A/E for final approval.

• Assist in conducting targeted recruitment for this program in collaboration with ECA/A/E, ensuring special focus on minority-serving institutions, including HBCUs, HSIs, predominately black institutions and other MSIs.

• Prepare program-specific, individual grant authorizations and grant documents for John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows going to commission and non-commission countries. Complete loan deferment forms in a timely manner.

• In consultation with ECA/A/E and the administrator of the Fulbright Scholar Program, propose a plan for a PDO for John Lewis Civil Rights Fellows that includes thematic content, as well as professional development that assists fellows to successfully conduct their research overseas.

• Provide guidance and consult with ECA/A/E, participants and Fulbright commissions and PDS, as necessary, to create program-specific budgets and terms of appointment to ensure that participants are able to successfully complete their

• Work closely with ECA/A/E in the implementation of post-nomination services. For commission and non-commission countries, write the grants, disburse stipend payments and special allowances, and arrange international travel for participants via U.S. airline carriers following regulations of the “Fly America Act.”

• Propose an innovative plan for capstone programming that provides participating U.S. student researchers an opportunity to network with professional and/or alumni practitioners in human rights and related fields, as well as present their research findings.

B. FULBRIGHT FOREIGN STUDENT PROGRAM

In support of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, the award recipient(s) has responsibility for the following activities:

1. Program Planning and Management

• Estimate program enhancement costs for new foreign students including testing (IBT TOEFL, Duolingo, IELTS, and GRE, GMAT, LSAT) and university application fees. Budget for these costs in the proposed program enhancement budget.

• Maintain monthly stipend rates based on U.S. government cost of living statistics and recommend adjustments to ECA for approval prior to annual implementation. Share approved monthly maintenance rates with recipients for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar and other Fulbright Student Programs and/or with other international exchange programs, as directed by ECA/A/E.

program budgets. Include university tuition and fees, allowances and monthly stipends, health benefits, and travel costs as necessary. Provide estimates for any program enhancement activities. As directed by ECA/A/E, update budget projections a minimum of three times per fiscal cycle and, for finite activities (such as testing, university application fees, and enrichment), provide a final budget with actual costs at the close of the fiscal year.

• Describe a plan to maintain current participant data electronically, including individual grant amounts and fiscal year of funding. Required data fields for the electronic data system include, but are not limited to the following: first name;

middle name; last name; gender; race and ethnicity; date of birth; country of birth;

country of citizenship; country of residence; country of program; participant type;

field of study/research topic; degree objective (graduating senior/Master’s/Ph.D.);

home/host institution or affiliation; Fulbright Program category/subcategory; fiscal year of funding; award amount; home/host U.S. state; and U.S. Congressional district. Ensure data is accurate prior to submitting to ECA for inclusion in U.S.

Department of State statistical reports.

• ECA encourages the award recipient(s) to utilize established industry standards to ensure appropriate collection, use, maintenance, dissemination, and retention of PII. Proposals should detail internal protocols to ensure that the personal information of Fulbright applicants, grantees, and alumni is appropriately protected. Protocols should be applied to data submitted for inclusion in statistical reports, as well as any PII being transmitted between the award recipient and ECA or to and from Fulbright commissions or PDS. These protocols should fall within the parameters required by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as appropriate.

• In accordance with Federal, State Department, and Fulbright Program policies and practices, and in close consultation with ECA/A/E, the award recipient(s) should determine if any Fulbright candidates have disabilities for which they may need or want to request special accommodations in order to successfully complete their Fulbright program. In such cases, consult closely with ECA/A/E staff in completing, on a case-by-case basis, the necessary procedural steps for reasonable accommodations.

• Propose a plan to ensure that DS-2019s for new foreign students are produced accurately and in an efficient manner. As requested by ECA, discuss anticipated timelines for processing DS-2019s with Fulbright commissions and PDS in advance.

• Maintain a system for distributing and collecting all required program reports to be completed by foreign students. Any problems experienced by participants while completing and/or submitting reports must be addressed in a timely manner. The award recipient should ensure that participant reports are accessible to ECA/A/E staff, Fulbright commissions, and PDS, notifying each when participant reports are posted.

outcomes (including multiplier effect) from foreign student program alumni one year from the end date of their Fulbright grants; include recommendations for the long-term tracking foreign student alumni. Additionally, include methods for summarizing foreign student alumni data worldwide and/or by program or world region. Place special emphasis on surveys, software, and other data collection methodologies to determine the community outcomes and multiplier effect of FLTAs. Propose ways to utilize data from these survey findings to promote the

• Ensure staff training on key program areas including, but not limited to, Fulbright Foreign Student Program policies and J visa regulations, application review and placement practices, grantee monitoring and crisis management, and strategic communication.

• Participate in planning meetings with ECA, which focus on overall improvements in program administration, outreach, participant monitoring, evaluation, enrichment and follow-on activities, etc. Meeting notes should be shared with ECA in a timely manner and should outline any agreed-upon actions.

• In collaboration with ECA, identify appropriate current Fulbright participants or alumni, and organize their attendance at meetings, such as FFSB meetings or focus groups, to present their experiences or to discuss suggestions for program improvements.

• Submit required reports. (See Section IV on “Program Reporting” in this POGI for guidance on required statistical and financial reports.)

2. Application Screening and Placement

• Develop and/or describe resources for foreign student placement, including institutional relationships, field-of-study directories, college and university catalogs, etc. Actively seek U.S. college and university support for optimal cost-share for foreign students, note any special admission requirements, and detail how tuition awards and/or other university cost-share will be obtained through scholarships, tuition awards or reductions, and/or fee waivers for both fully- and partially funded participants.

• Detail an organizational approach to U.S. college and university placement for graduate level foreign students, highlighting differential strategies for self-placed and fully placed participants at a broad spectrum of higher education institutions.

Ensure that submission plans include a robust number of diverse U.S. institutions after assessment of placement possibilities and financial aid opportunities; and promptly notify ECA, Fulbright commissions, and PDS of universities to which foreign student applications have been submitted.

• Make efforts to maximize the diversity of foreign student placements, working to place students, where appropriate, at minority-serving institutions, state colleges and universities, military service academies, and other institutions of higher education located in underserved geographic locations, including rural and economically less advantaged communities.

• Distribute testing materials and fee waiver vouchers to PDS and Fulbright commissions.

• Open a placement file on each new participant and maintain electronic records.

• Provide and maintain a robust and stable online application system for the foreign student program by which applicant data is processed through application and selection phases of the program cycle, working together with the recipient for the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program and other Fulbright Student Programs. All application, selection, and individual award data should be entered and maintained in a sortable, searchable format/system that can be shared with ECA. The application system and/or application process must also be accessible to applicants with disabilities.

• Provide application resources, selection guidelines and related Fulbright materials to Fulbright commissions and PDS. Applicants who wish to administer the Foreign Student Program in the Middle East and North Africa should also submit a robust recruitment plan for Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. ECA reserves the right to request recruitment plans for additional countries as in-country circumstances allow and pending the availability of funds.

• Conduct a thorough technical review of applications for eligibility and completeness (biographical data, citizenship, transcripts, letters of recommendation, project/study plans, etc.), and obtain missing documentation from applicants before releasing applications to ECA and the FFSB.

• Detail methods for analyzing foreign student English language proficiency and recommend pre-academic training, if necessary, for those nominees whose English may not meet acceptable U.S. university admission targets and may be eligible for long-term English training. The award recipient(s) should actively coordinate with the ECA/A/E branches on the selection and placement of participants in intensive English language programs and consult with ECA/A/E to confirm selection and funding for short-term English participants.

• Describe procedures for critically evaluating applications for appropriate U.S.

college or university submissions; review academic credentials, participant profile and disciplinary interests, funding, and home country requirements; consult with ECA/A/E branches regarding high-cost programs and availability of institutional support.

• Follow-up with PDS and Fulbright commissions regarding participant profile, application details, and/or additional documentation as necessary.

• Detail organizational capacity to both fast track applications to academic programs across higher education institutions as well as facilitate the implementation of new ECA initiatives as needed.

• Submit applications to an adequate number of diverse U.S. academic institutions after assessment of placement possibilities and financial aid opportunities; and notify ECA/A/E branches, PDS, and Fulbright commissions of universities to which student applications have been submitted.

• Complete U.S. college or university applications as necessary; follow-up in a timely manner to confirm university admission.

• Observe submission deadlines and maintain ongoing communication with all program stakeholders at all stages of the placement process.

• Pay university application fees, obtaining fee waivers, when possible.

• Receive offers of admission, financial aid, and rejections; analyze individual admission data and forward placement recommendations to PDS and Fulbright commissions in consultation with ECA/A/E branches.

• Finalize admissions at U.S. colleges and universities after responses are received from PDS, Fulbright commissions, and ECA/A/E branches; ensuring foreign students meet any special admission requirements.

• Prepare and distribute Fulbright Foreign Student Program orientation information to PDS and Fulbright commissions.

• Propose an electronic system to collect, review, and track participant medical forms, in consultation with ECA.