Academic Exchange Programs - Special Academic Exchange Programs

As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) seeks to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchan

Special Academic Exchange Programs support participants in undergraduate, graduate, and/or non-degree professional development programs. Special Academic Exchange Programs support identified populations from the U.S., developing world or strategically important areas. These programs provide selected participants with the opportunity to participate in exchanges and develop international competencies and skills, which allow them to serve as leaders in their professions and communities. Funding is provided to non-profit organizations, colleges, and universities to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. Funding supports publicity and recruitment, screening of applications, communication with participants, monitoring of participants, payment of participant costs, and the provision of enrichment activities for both participants and alumni. American Overseas Research Centers (ORCs) are located in Europe; North Africa; the Middle East; Central, East, South, & Southeast Asia; the Caucasus, Latin America; and West Africa- and provide services to scholars, including assistance with research and publication. The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) is the umbrella organization that administers and manages the ORCs. FY 2023 ECA funding to CAORC is $5,000,000. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarships of up to $5,000 for credit-bearing study or internships abroad to U.S. undergraduate students with significant financial need (Pell Grant recipients), broadening the U.S. student population that studies abroad as well as the destinations where they study. Since the program's inception in 2001, more than 50,000 Gilman scholars from all U.S. states, and Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories have studied or interned abroad in over 170 countries. Developed under the framework of the State Department's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) provides awards of $5,000 to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid. The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) works to increase the number of persons with disabilities participating in international exchange, and to support their exchange experiences. Specifically, the Clearinghouse: 1) provides information to the disabilities community about exchange opportunities, and encourages persons with disabilities to participate; and 2) gives technical assistance, advice, information, and materials to international exchange organizations and institutions, colleges and universities, and other exchange program practitioners to assist them in increasing the number of persons with disabilities participating in their exchange programs and better serving these program participants. The United States South Pacific Scholarship Program provides scholarships for academically talented individuals from xx sovereign island nations of the South Pacific to pursue bachelor's and master's degrees at U.S. institutions in fields important to the region's development. The Tibetan Scholarship Program (TSP) provides the opportunity for talented young Tibetans who are living in the refugee communities of India and Nepal to pursue master's degrees at U.S. Institutions in fields of importance to their home communities. The goal of the program is to educate future Tibetan leaders, build the participants' leadership skills , and to foster mutual understanding. United States Timor-Leste Scholarship Program provides educational opportunities for academically talented future leaders from Timor-Leste to pursue undergraduate degrees at U.S. institutions in priority fields that are directly relevant to development needs in Timor-Leste. Special Academic Programs include several other academic programs.

Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended (Fulbright-Hays Act) the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State awards grants and cooperative agreements to educational and cultural public or private nonprofit foundations or institutions. Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Organizations must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please refer to the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcement for further eligibility criteria.

Beneficiaries include recipient organizations, educational institutions, other non-government organizations (NGOs) that meet the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3), as well as sponsored participants, and the American people and the people of participating countries who interact with the international participants.

Special Academic Exchange Programs support participants in undergraduate, graduate, and/or non-degree professional development programs. They target underserved populations from the U.S., developing world or strategically important areas. These programs provide selected participants with the opportunity to participate in exchanges and develop international competencies and skills, which allow them to serve as leaders in their professions and communities. Funding is provided to non-profit organizations, colleges, and universities to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. American Overseas Research Centers (ORCs) are located in Europe; North Africa; the Middle East; Central, East, South, & Southeast Asia; the Caucasus, Latin America; and West Africa- and provide services to scholars, including assistance with research and publication. The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) is the umbrella organization that administers and manages the ORCs. FY 2023 ECA funding to CAORC is $5,000,000. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides approximately 3,100 scholarships for credit-bearing study or internships abroad to U.S. undergraduate students with significant financial need (Pell Grant recipients), broadening the U.S. student population that studies abroad by diversifying the pool of participants, as well as the destinations where they study. Since the program's inception in 2001, more than 41,000 Gilman scholars from all U.S. states, and Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories have studied or interned abroad in over 160 countries. Developed under the framework of the State Department's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the Gilman-McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families provides awards up to $5,000 to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid. The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) works to increase the number of persons with disabilities participating in international exchange, and to support their exchange experiences. Specifically, the Clearinghouse: 1) provides information to the disabilities community about exchange opportunities, and encourages persons with disabilities to participate; and 2) gives technical assistance, advice, information, and materials to international exchange organizations and institutions, colleges and universities, and other exchange program practitioners to assist them in increasing the number of persons with disabilities participating in their exchange programs and better serving these program participants. The United States South Pacific Scholarship Program (USSP) provides scholarships for academically talented individuals from sovereign island nations of the South Pacific to pursue bachelor's and master's degrees at U.S. institutions in fields important to the region's development. The Tibetan Scholarship Program (TSP) provides the opportunity for talented young Tibetans who are living in the refugee communities of India and Nepal to pursue master's degrees at U.S. Institutions in fields of importance to their home communities. The goal of the program is to educate future Tibetan leaders, build the participants' leadership skills, and to foster mutual understanding. United States Timor-Leste Scholarship Program (USTL) provides educational opportunities for academically talented future leaders from Timor-Leste to pursue undergraduate degrees at U.S. institutions in priority fields that are directly relevant to development needs in Timor-Leste. Special Academic Programs include several other academic exchange initiatives in which the U.S. Congress has particular interest. Please refer to Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) for further information.

Determined in NOFO.

As stated in the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic).

As stated in the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcements.

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed/validated by an authorized Grants Officer, and sent via the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) to the recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau's Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the recipient's responsible officer identified in the application.

As stated in the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcements.