Academic Exchange Programs - Graduate Students

Active

Assistance listing
19.400
Agency
Grant awards
268 $1,995,183,774 in federal obligations

Program facts

Also known as
Graduate Students
Assistance types
  • Cooperative Agreement
  • Project Grant
Treasury account
  • 19-0209-0-1-154
More information

Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.

About this program

The Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the Fulbright Program's graduate and international student exchange activities under CFDA 19.400, with the most recent grant award made on August 18, 2026.

This program supports the administration and delivery of four core Fulbright exchange initiatives: the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which sends approximately 1,908 U.S. students and early-career professionals annually abroad to conduct research, teach English, and pursue academic study; the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, which brings approximately 2,150 foreign participants from roughly 160 countries to U.S. colleges and universities for degree study and research; the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, placing recent graduates in overseas educational institutions; and the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program, hosting early-career foreign educators in U.S. post-secondary institutions. Funded recipients are nonprofits that design and administer these programs, manage logistics including recruitment, screening, participant communication, funding disbursement, and enrichment activities. The program has operated continuously since 1999.

Over the past five years, award cadence has declined sharply—from 15 awards in 2022 to only 2 in both 2025 and 2026—suggesting tighter focus or reduced competition. Cooperative Agreements dominate the portfolio at 76 percent of awards (205), with Project Grants comprising 24 percent (63). The Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds 223 awards representing $1.74 billion in federal obligations, accounting for 99 percent of awards and 87 percent of all federal dollars. Secondary funders include the Department of State general (24 awards, $250.5 million) and regional State Department bureaus (19 awards, $184 thousand combined). Total federal obligations across 268 awards reach $2 billion, with recipients contributing $310 million in non-federal match.

Recent awards reflect the program's dual structure: two major cooperative agreements—IIE's FY 2026 Fulbright Student Program award ($54.99 million) and AMIDEAST's FY 2026 Foreign Student Program for the Middle East and North Africa ($7.16 million)—anchor large-scale administration; concurrent small project grants fund specific initiatives such as EducationUSA advising expansion in The Gambia ($6,000) and women's leadership programming ($11,000). The most recent posted opportunity, FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program (SFOP0010354), closed on July 8, 2024, targeting 501(c)(3) nonprofits and higher education institutions as cooperative agreement applicants. No currently open solicitations appear in recent posts.

Objective and description

Objective

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

Description

The flagship international exchange program sponsored by the United States Government, the Fulbright Program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Funding is provided to non-profit organizations to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. Funding to those organizations supports activities such as publicity and recruitment, screening of applications, communication with participants, payment of participant costs, and the provision of enrichment activities. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program, an element of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, places recent college graduates and young professionals as English teaching assistants in primary and secondary schools, universities, and language-learning institutions overseas. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides scholarships to foreign graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad, enabling them to study or conduct research in all academic fields in the United States for one academic year or more. Students and professionals in the Fulbright Foreign Student Program study at U.S. universities, where they experience education and culture in the United States while promoting mutual understanding through sharing their own cultures with the Americans they meet throughout the program. The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program brings early career educators from all over the world to the U.S. to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States while engaging in non-degree studies at accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions. The Fulbright-National Geographic Award, an enhancement of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, provides Fulbright U.S. Student researchers with mentorship and training from the National Geographic Society to pursue a storytelling project using a variety of media tools. Please refer to the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcement for further information.

Eligibility

Applicant eligibility

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.

Beneficiary eligibility

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.

Uses of assistance

The flagship international exchange program sponsored by the United States Government, the Fulbright Program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Funding is provided to non-profit organizations to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. Funding to those organizations supports activities such as publicity and recruitment, screening of applications, communication with participants, payment of participant costs, and the provision of enrichment activities. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program, an element of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, places recent college graduates and young professionals as English teaching assistants in primary and secondary schools, universities, and language-learning institutions overseas. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides scholarships to foreign graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad, enabling them to study or conduct research in all academic fields in the United States for one academic year or more. Students and professionals in the Fulbright Foreign Student Program study at U.S. universities, where they experience education and culture in the United States while promoting mutual understanding through sharing their own cultures with the Americans they meet throughout the program. The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program brings early career educators from all over the world to the U.S. to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States while engaging in non-degree studies at accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions. FLTAs teach or assist in the instruction of language courses, supervise language labs, and lead language table discussions and may also act as resource persons and cultural representatives, as they represent their language and culture in the United States. The Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship, an enhancement of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, provides Fulbright U.S. Student researchers with mentorship and training from the National Geographic Society to pursue a storytelling project using a variety of media tools. Please refer to the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcement for further information.

Length and time phasing of assistance

As stated in the Grants.gov announcements.

How to apply

Criteria for selecting proposals

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

Award procedure

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.

Time to approval or disapproval

As specified in NOFO.

Renewals

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

Grant opportunities

Opportunity Status Posted Applications due
FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program SFOP0010354 Closed
FY 2020 Fulbright Student Program SFOP0005700 Closed

Grant awards

Award Recipient Federal obligations Awarded
To expand gambian students ' access to accurate educationusa advising and strengthen pathways to U.S.-linked higher… SGA10026CA0005 Cube - The Gambia $6,000
Outreach campaign that connects gambian youth and innovators to american technological leadership, ultimately… SGA10026CA0001 Cube - The Gambia $4,300
Amideast is hereby awarded with a federal award to administer the fulbright foreign student program for the middle east… SECAGD26CA0003 America-Mideast Educational And Training Services, Inc. $6,813,665
IIE is hereby provided with a federal award to support the FY 2026 fulbright student program, pending the… SECAGD26CA0002 Institute Of International Education Inc. $54,773,653
IIE is hereby provided with a federal award to support for the FY 2025 fulbright U.S. And foreign student programs… SECAGD25CA0005 Institute Of International Education Inc. $75,925,263
Amideast is hereby awarded with a federal award to administer of the fulbright foreign student program for the middle… SECAGD25CA0009 America-Mideast Educational And Training Services, Inc. $9,228,773
This program fosters US-namibian ties by introducing a sports initiative for people with disabilities. SWA80024GR0016 Inclusive Cycling International $10,000
Project Grant SAG10024IN0064 — $2,101
Project Grant SAG10024IN0063 — $2,088
Project Grant SAG10024IN0060 — $1,317

Latest 10 of 268 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.

Top recipients by federal obligations

8 of 33 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.

Federal obligations by fiscal year

Fiscal year Federal obligations
FY2026 $40,871,027
FY2025 $85,146,555
FY2024 $92,162,429
FY2023 $97,619,319
FY2022 $93,675,119
FY2021 $91,197,084
FY2020 $82,040,246
FY2019 $85,797,305
FY2018 $86,609,696
FY2017 $89,269,304
FY2016 $123,243,106
FY2015 $72,700,961
FY2014 $102,328,332
FY2013 $109,408,773
FY2012 $107,759,125
FY2011 $90,228,249
FY2010 $103,173,144
FY2009 $128,273,939
FY2008 $80,378,100
FY2007 $90,522,266
FY2006 $4,591,198
FY2005 $56,163,622
FY2004 $15,250,035
FY2003 $43,700,573
FY2002 $6,842,194
FY2001 $10,900,344
Show all 26

Quick answers

What is Assistance Listing 19.400?

Assistance Listing 19.400 is Academic Exchange Programs - Graduate Students, a federal grant program run by Department of State.

What is the CFDA number for Academic Exchange Programs - Graduate Students?

Its CFDA number is 19.400: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.

How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.400 awarded?

268 grant awards under 19.400 have obligated $1,995,183,774 in federal funds to 33 recipients.

Who receives the most funding from 19.400?

The recipients obligated the most under Academic Exchange Programs - Graduate Students are Institute Of International Education Inc. ($1,645,694,178), America-Mideast Educational And Training Services, Inc. ($171,222,150) and Laspau Inc. ($17,175,107).

How much did 19.400 obligate in fiscal year 2025?

Grants under 19.400 obligated $85,146,555 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.

Are there open grant opportunities under 19.400?

No opportunity listed under 19.400 is open now. The latest, FY 2025 Fulbright Student Program, was posted on May 9, 2024.

On GovTribe

See this program's full record

  • Every grant award and opportunity under it
  • Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
  • Alerts for new opportunities
  • Ask GovTribe AI about this program