ED-GRANTS-061526-001: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE):Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.021C
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Department of Education notices from 2026.
Department of Education offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 4 awards worth $10.2 million in total. Applications closed on July 15, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 15, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Total funding$10.2 million
- Expected awards4
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | June 15, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 15, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 14, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Consistent with Sec. 104(e)(1) of the Fulbright-Hays Act, eligible applicants are public or private nonprofit foundations, educational or other institutions. Note: “Public or private nonprofit foundations, educational or other institutions” include the following: • Public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education (IHEs);• State departments of education (including State Education Agencies and State Higher Education Agencies);• Public or private nonprofit educational organizations; and• Consortia of such public or private nonprofit IHEs, State departments of education, and public or private nonprofit educational organizations. Note: An applicant that is a nonprofit organization may, under 34 CFR 75.51, demonstrate its nonprofit status by providing:1. Proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;2. A statement from a state taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual;3. A certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or4. Any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (72% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Program Description: In coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (State), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) program. The purpose of the program is to promote, improve, and develop the study of modern foreign language training and area studies in U.S. schools, colleges, and universities by supporting visits and study in foreign countries by teachers and prospective teachers. The program provides opportunities for teachers and prospective teachers to improve their skill in languages, their knowledge of the culture of the people of other countries, and finances visits by teachers from those other countries to the United States for the purpose of participating in foreign language training and area studies in U.S. schools, colleges, and universities. Assistance Listing Number: 84.021C Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions and Information for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.
Who has won Overseas Programs - Group Projects Abroad grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Overseas Programs - Group Projects Abroad (84.021) awarded $15.2 million across 100 grant awards, an average of $152,339 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona | Arizona | 9 | $2.2 million |
| American Councils for International Education: Actr/Accels, Inc. | District of Columbia | 7 | $1.6 million |
| American Institute of Indian Studies | Illinois | 4 | $936,707 |
| The Regents of the University of California | California | 3 | $660,000 |
| University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. | Georgia | 4 | $630,622 |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is ED-GRANTS-061526-001 still open?
No. It closed on July 15, 2026.
Who can apply for Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE):Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.021C?
Department of Education accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE):Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange (MECE) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.021C?
Closed July 15, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
About $10.2 million in total across about 4 awards.
Who has won Overseas Programs - Group Projects Abroad grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of Arizona, American Councils for International Education: Actr/Accels, Inc., American Institute of Indian Studies. The program made 100 awards worth $15.2 million in that time.
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