Champaign, Ill. – The University of Illinois is among the top-five public universities in the nation for 2015-16 Fulbright U.S. Students, according to information recently released from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Fifteen students from the U. of I.’s Urbana campus won Fulbright awards for 2015-16, helping Illinois earn its top-five rank for public universities. The Illinois recipients include graduating seniors, master’s candidates, doctoral students and recent alumni from the colleges of Social Work; Liberal Arts and Sciences; Engineering; and Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences who are now conducting their Fulbright work throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia. This is the sixth consecutive year that Illinois has earned a place among the list of top producers.
"Although Illinois is well-known for having one of the largest international student bodies in the country, it’s really the caliber of our students and faculty that makes us stand out as a world-class global university,” said Reitumetse Mabokela, the vice provost for international affairs and global strategies. “Being a top Fulbright producer is a reflection of the fact that we not only attract the best and brightest, but also that we provide them the perfect academic environment in which to explore solutions to the most pressing issues facing humanity today. We are incredibly proud of our long-standing legacy of success with the Fulbright Program and applaud our students and faculty.”
The Fulbright competition is administered at the University of Illinois through a joint effort between the National and International Scholarships Program and the Office of External Fellowships. Students interested in applying for Fulbright awards commencing in fall 2017 are encouraged to participate in events surrounding Illinois Fulbright Week, which takes place April 14-20.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants – chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential – with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Over 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world. Lists of Fulbright recipients are available online.
The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.
The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.
For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit the website of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.