Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious scholarship programs worldwide. It refers to bilateral treaties and agreements alone and the world on academic exchange in and out of the United States.

• 4.1 Notable Alumni

Objective

When Fulbright program (after the U.S. spelling sometimes Fulbright Program) is a 1946 based International exchange program between the United States of America and now (as of 2013) 155 other countries, of which 51 with private Binational Fulbright Commission or total more than 180 countries worldwide. Named after U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright (1905-1995), whose bill goes back to set up the program, the Fulbright Program promotes the bilateral exchange through scholarships to students and academics (including professors ) for further university studies, research visits and language teaching in secondary schools. Unlike other scholarship is the goal of the program explicitly not only the promotion of academic performance, but also the cultural exchange and mutual understanding. The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious scholarship programs worldwide. 45 Fulbright alumni received Nobel Prizes.

After the signing of the American Fulbright Act ( Fulbright Act ) on August 1, 1946 went 1948, the first scholarship to China. 1961 all U.S. laws on academic exchange in the Fulbright Hays Act were summarized. Since its inception, the program has supported over 318,000 scholars worldwide. Every year there are currently about 8,000.

Description

Today, the program is administered in over 50 countries from national Fulbright commissions; other countries have joint committees or organize the scholarships without Commission. The program is often funded by the U.S. State Department as well as the national government; In some cases, however, pays either the U.S. State Department, or only the national government. To some extent - for example in Switzerland - private sponsorship money will be used on a larger scale. In Germany, scholarships for polytechnic students from Germany alone, whereas in fact contribute to the costs for university students in half the U.S. State Department.

The requirements for a Fulbright scholarship to study in the U.S. are very different. In some countries, degree and professional experience requirement are ( postgraduate studies ), while most of the fellows are advanced students especially in Germany.

Most Fulbright programs promote as studies in the U.S. Masters Courses and rare promotions ( obtaining a PhD ). Research stays for academics take in all programs usually only a few months.

Individual national programs

German program

Founded in 1952, The German -American program has long been the largest international program and now has over 40,000 Fellows encouraged. This went on the one hand, the interest of the U.S. government back to expose as large a number of German citizens the influence of an American academic year and on the other hand was made ​​possible by the financial strength of the German government. Programs in the German - American exchange have a normal period of one academic year; only very basic services are provided (health insurance, maintaining the visa) with extensions. Recently, German can also apply for scholarships for two-year master programs. At German applicants about 55 per scholarships currently awarded to students of universities and colleges each year. In addition, there are 20 teaching assistant positions at colleges for finished teaching students with English as a subject, which will be awarded in cooperation with the Pedagogical Exchange Service. German, who have obtained a scholarship by American College can apply for a travel grant, which also includes the support given by the Commission as the "normal" fellows. PhD scholarships, which are used for six to nine month research at U.S. universities (even at several ), exclude enrollment in the States. They apply to doctoral students who are beginning their research. In Germany, the promotion is exempt pursuant to § 3 No. 42 of the German Income Tax Act.

Program for Austria and Switzerland

The Austrian and the Swiss program are smaller. The Austrian program promotes each year about 20 students and ten Austrian Austrian teaching assistants at American institutions, as well as German American Bachelor graduates and scientists from both nationalities.

The Swiss program was reintroduced in 1999, with initially 13 to 20 fellows per year, financed by Swiss and U.S. companies. It is handled by the U.S. Embassy in Bern.

Pakistani program

Meanwhile - listed as an example - the Pakistani program, due to the interests of U.S. foreign policy, with about 100 master students and 50 doctoral students per year, the largest program in the world; the total cost of the program is 157.5 million U.S. dollars for the first five years. Since the founding of Pakistan's program in 1951 more than 1,700 Pakistanis have already received a scholarship.

Fulbright Alumni

In many partner countries, the Fulbright Program Fulbright Alumni associations exist the. The German Fulbright Alumni Association was founded in 1986 on the initiative of the former director of the German program unit, Jürgen Mulert. The alumni also assign your own scholarships through membership fees and donations for the diversity initiative of the Commission to award additional scholarships for the participation of high school graduates with an immigrant background in Summer Schools American universities. The club initiated by Jürgen Mulert Award is awarded annually to an alumnus or alumna of a project, the " peace through understanding" is nominated by William Fulbright goal of a. The association cooperates with the Commission and with the other alumni associations, the European Network of American Alumni Associations ( ENAM ) and with other U.S. America -related institutions and associations. The association is divided into regional chapters, which in turn maintain local contacts. The Austrian Alumni Association and the Swiss Fulbright Alumni Association are recent and still under construction.

Notable Alumni

Fulbright alumni have occupied in the past key roles in government, academia and industry.