Fulbright Scholarships in Africa

In 1945, Senator J. William Fulbright introduced a bill in the United States Congress that called for the use of surplus war property to fund the "promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science."

On August 1, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the bill into law, and Congress created the Fulbright Program.

From its inception, the Fulbright Program has fostered bilateral relationships in which citizens and governments of other countries work with the U.S. to set joint priorities and shape the program to meet shared needs. The world has been transformed in ensuing decades, but the fundamental principle of international partnership remains at the core of the Fulbright mission.

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) was created by Congress to supervise the Fulbright Program. This 12-member Board, appointed by the President of the United States, works in cooperation with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, the bi-national Fulbright Commissions and Foundations, and the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies abroad, to administer the Program. The FSB sets policies and procedures for administration of the Fulbright Program, has final authority for selection of all grantees, and supervises the conduct of the program both in the United States and abroad. Click here for a complete list of current FSB members.

The Fulbright Program has provided more than 307,000 participants, chosen for their leadership potential, with the opportunity to observe one another's political, economic and cultural institutions, exchange ideas, and embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world's inhabitants.  Approximately six thousand grants were awarded in 2010, at a cost of more than $322.3 million, to U.S. students, teachers, professionals, and scholars to study, teach, lecture, and conduct research in more than 155 countries, and to their foreign counterparts to engage in similar activities in the United States.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide.  The program currently awards approximately 1,800 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. Fulbright U.S. Student alumni populate an entire range of professions and include ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers. Bose Corporation founder Amar Bose, actor John Lithgow, composer Philip Glass, opera singer Renee Fleming and economist Joseph Stiglitz are among notable former grantees.

The United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) sponsors the Fulbright Program under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) and in cooperation with bi-national Fulbright Commissions and the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies abroad.

As the administrative and executive arm of the Fulbright Program, ECA has fiscal responsibility for the preparation of an annual budget request to Congress and makes decisions on funding allocations to participating countries. Under policies established by the FSB, ECA also holds primary responsibility for the administration of the program, together with the assistance of cooperating non-profit organizations.  The U.S. Student Program grant numbers are subject to the availability of federally-appropriated funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, numbers of awards, terms of agreement, and allowances.

Within a U.S. Embassy abroad, exchange-program activities are the responsibility of the Public Affairs Section. In many countries, at least one of the Foreign Service Officers from this section is a member of the local bi-national Fulbright Commission and maintains liaison with the Commission on policy and program matters on behalf of the ECA. In countries without a Fulbright Commission, the Public Affairs Officer or Cultural Affairs Officer administers the educational exchange programs.

Sub-Saharan Africa Program Information

Regional Program:

Selection for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of South Africa, will be made based on the quality of the applications, rather than per-country quotas. Distribution of awards to countries in the region will vary annually according to the caliber of the applicants.

Teaching Assistantships:

Teaching Assistantships are available to Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. See country summaries for details.

Multi-country proposals:

No multi-country proposals are permitted for the Sub-Saharan Africa Region.

Unlisted Countries:

Applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis, but for dissertation research only.

Grants not available to:

Angola, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan or Zimbabwe.

The countries listed are those in which it is anticipated that grants will be available for the 2012-2013 academic year. If the country in which you are interested does not appear, please check with IIE before filing an application.

Dependents:

The basic amount of the Fulbright grant is increased by US$200 per month for grantees with one accompanying dependent and by US$300 for two or more accompanying dependents. The countries listed are those in which it is anticipated that grants will be available for the 2011-2012 academic year. If the country in which you are interested does not appear, please check with IIE before beginning the application process.

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) was created by Congress to supervise the Fulbright Program. This 12-member Board, appointed by the President of the United States, works in cooperation with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, the bi-national Fulbright Commissions and Foundations, and the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies abroad, to administer the Program. The FSB sets policies and procedures for administration of the Fulbright Program, has final authority for selection of all grantees, and supervises the conduct of the program both in the United States and abroad. Click here for a complete list of current FSB members.

The Fulbright Program has provided more than 307,000 participants, chosen for their leadership potential, with the opportunity to observe one another's political, economic and cultural institutions, exchange ideas, and embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world's inhabitants.  Approximately six thousand grants were awarded in 2010, at a cost of more than $322.3 million, to U.S. students, teachers, professionals, and scholars to study, teach, lecture, and conduct research in more than 155 countries, and to their foreign counterparts to engage in similar activities in the United States.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide.  The program currently awards approximately 1,800 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. Fulbright U.S. Student alumni populate an entire range of professions and include ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers. Bose Corporation founder Amar Bose, actor John Lithgow, composer Philip Glass, opera singer Renee Fleming and economist Joseph Stiglitz are among notable former grantees.

The United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) sponsors the Fulbright Program under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) and in cooperation with bi-national Fulbright Commissions and the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies abroad.

As the administrative and executive arm of the Fulbright Program, ECA has fiscal responsibility for the preparation of an annual budget request to Congress and makes decisions on funding allocations to participating countries. Under policies established by the FSB, ECA also holds primary responsibility for the administration of the program, together with the assistance of cooperating non-profit organizations.  The U.S. Student Program grant numbers are subject to the availability of federally-appropriated funds. The United States Department of State reserves the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, numbers of awards, terms of agreement, and allowances.

Within a U.S. Embassy abroad, exchange-program activities are the responsibility of the Public Affairs Section. In many countries, at least one of the Foreign Service Officers from this section is a member of the local bi-national Fulbright Commission and maintains liaison with the Commission on policy and program matters on behalf of the ECA. In countries without a Fulbright Commission, the Public Affairs Officer or Cultural Affairs Officer administers the educational exchange programs.

For more information, please visit: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries/selectedregion/23