Federal grant programs / Department of State

Academic Exchange Programs - Special Academic Exchange Programs (19.011)

Also known as Special Academic Exchange programs include: Council of American Overseas Research Centers, Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship Program; National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, United States-South Pacific Scholarship Program; Tibetan Scholarship Program, United States-Timor-Leste Scholarship Program, among others

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$110 million
• Grant awards43
• Typical award$375,000
• Awarded in FY 2025$15.9 million
• Size rank786 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceCooperative agreements, project grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $22.3 million in fiscal 2021 to $15.9 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 786th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 16 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 6 states and territories.

What the program funds

As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) seeks to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange programs, including the exchange of scholars, researchers, professionals, students, and educators. ECA programs foster engagement and encourage dialogue with citizens around the world. Educational and cultural engagement is premised on the knowledge that mutual understanding, the development of leaders and future leaders, and the benefits of education programs influence societies and affect official decision-making almost everywhere in the world today. ECA programs inform, engage, and influence participants across strategic sectors of society – including young people, teachers, scholars, journalists, and other professionals – increasing the number of U.S. citizens having international experiences and of foreign individuals who have first-hand experience with Americans and with the values of freedom, representative government, rule of law, economic choice, and individual dignity, while building international knowledge and capacity among Americans and citizens of other countries. The purpose of Special Academic Exchange Programs is to provide targeted support for U.S. and foreign students and others who may not otherwise have the resources to pursue international exchange opportunities or who are in fields directly relevant to identified needs in their countries.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended (Fulbright-Hays Act) the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State awards grants and cooperative agreements to educational and cultural public or private nonprofit foundations or institutions. Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Organizations must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please refer to the Grants.gov or the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic) announcement for further eligibility criteria.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Special Academic Exchange Programs support participants in undergraduate, graduate, and/or non-degree professional development programs. They target underserved populations from the U.S., developing world or strategically important areas. These programs provide selected participants with the opportunity to participate in exchanges and develop international competencies and skills, which allow them to serve as leaders in their professions and communities. Funding is provided to non-profit organizations, colleges, and universities to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. American Overseas Research Centers (ORCs) are located in Europe; North Africa; the Middle East; Central, East, South, & Southeast Asia; the Caucasus, Latin America; and West Africa- and provide services to scholars, including assistance with research and publication. The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) is the umbrella organization that administers and manages the ORCs. FY 2023 ECA funding to CAORC is $5,000,000. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides approximately 3,100 scholarships for credit-bearing study or internships abroad to U.S. undergraduate students with significant financial need (Pell Grant recipients), broadening the U.S. student population that studies abroad by diversifying the pool of participants, as well as the destinations where they study.

Continue reading on SAM.gov

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

$375,000 to $16,870,000.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Nonprofits received 99% of the money, colleges and universities 0.1% and individuals less than 0.1%.

By state

4 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. They are New York, District of Columbia, Hawaii and Oregon.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.