Exchange Programs
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
"Man's struggle to be rational about himself, about his relationship to his own society and the other peoples and nations involves a constant search for understanding among all peoples and all cultures -- a search that can only be effective when learning is pursued on a worldwide basis."—Forward from The Fulbright Program: A History
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is an international scholarship program sponsored by the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The Fulbright Program, named for the late Senator J. William Fulbright, was established by the U.S. Congress in 1946 "to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries." Nearly a quarter of a million individuals have participated in the Fulbright Program since it began in 1946.
Under a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of State, AMIDEAST administers the Fulbright Program for students from the Middle East and North Africa. Students from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, the West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen are placed in graduate programs at universities across the United States. Since the early 1970s, AMIDEAST has brought more than 1,000 Fulbright students to the United States.
AMIDEAST headquarters staff in Washington, DC works with AMIDEAST field office staff to provide in-country assistance to Fulbright applicants, grantees, and alumni. In coordination with the United States Department of State, as well as binational Fulbright Commissions and host-country officials, AMIDEAST field office staff guides Fulbright nominees through the selection and predeparture process. AMIDEAST field office professionals advise candidates on university placements; administer appropriate examinations such as the TOEFL®, GRE®, and GMAT®; provide document translation services; and conduct predeparture orientation sessions in coordination with Commission and U.S. Embassy personnel. Field office staff also facilitates activities planned by, and for, Fulbright alumni.
AMIDEAST headquarters staff places nominees at U.S. universities and monitors their progress throughout their grant period. To ensure timely completion of academic requirements, headquarters staff meets personally with grantees, their faculty, and other university representatives each year during campus visits. Toward the end of their grant period, AMIDEAST Fulbright grantees are invited to Washington, DC for a three day workshop hosted by AMIDEAST. This "reentry" workshop is designed to prepare grantees for the cultural adjustment they will undergo as they return to their home countries.
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