The Fulbright Program

Long regarded as the world’s premiere academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program attracts exceptional students and scholars from across the globe.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 with an ambitious goal — to increase mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Over the last 75 years, more than 400,000 alumni have participated in the Fulbright Program, creating meaningful global impact with a focus on action, community, and connections. 57 Nobel Laureates, 82 Pulitzer Prize winners, 70 MacArthur Fellows, and 16 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.

While its origins can be traced to Senator Fulbright and the U.S. government, today’s Fulbright Program is a complex public sector-private sector partnership active in more than 160 countries. The Fulbright Program is all about investing in our collective future, about knowledge transfer, and about competition in the global marketplace.

In 1990, Canada joined the prestigious Fulbright exchange program with a treaty being signed between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States, officially establishing the Fulbright Program in Canada. Thirty years later, more than 2500 students and scholars from across Canada and the United States have had the opportunity to formally enroll in universities, conduct research in their fields, engage with local communities and explore the continent.

The scope of the Fulbright program in Canada continues to grow. Fulbright Canada has introduced a number of new programs, and expanded existing programs for our scholars, students, and professional grantees. Excellent examples of this growth and our innovations include the growing research chair program in Canada and the United States and various youth-centred programs — both highlighted in this report.