J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

What J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board does

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) is a U.S. federal government board established by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act, Public Law 87-256), signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. The Board is the independent, bipartisan oversight body charged with supervising the Fulbright Program, one of the U.S. government's flagship international academic and cultural exchange initiatives. Its members are appointed by the President of the United States, and it operates under the U.S. Department of State, with day-to-day administration handled by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

The Fulbright Program itself provides grants to students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and professionals to study, teach, conduct research, or pursue professional projects abroad, and currently operates across more than 160 partner countries. The Board's value proposition, as stated, centers on strengthening U.S. national security through improved foreign relations, supporting U.S. international leadership, and generating domestic benefits by building people-to-people ties and investing in American communities and host organizations.

The Board is funded through U.S. federal appropriations rather than commercial revenue, has a headcount of 251–500, is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and maintains public-facing communications through official social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn). It has no commercial pricing model, no private ownership or venture backing, and no disclosed subsidiaries, mergers, or product launches beyond its statutory program mandate.

Name

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

Legal name

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

Website

https://eca.state.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board is a federally chartered U.S. government board, established in 1961, that supervises the Fulbright international academic and cultural exchange program operated by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs across 160+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Educational Exchange Programs

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (923110), Administration of Education Programs (92311), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Government-Sponsored Scholarships & Exchange Funding (EDAIAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ), International Student Funding & Mobility Grants Administration (EDADAHAL), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)

Keywords

• International educational exchange
• Government scholarship programs
• Public diplomacy
• Academic exchange grants
• Cultural affairs programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board supervises the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange initiative. It oversees grants awarded to students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and professionals from the United States and over 160 partner countries to study, teach, conduct research, or pursue professional projects abroad. The Board ensures the integrity, selection standards, and mission of the program, which is administered operationally by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs within the U.S. Department of State.

Product overview

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) is the independent, bipartisan board that oversees the Fulbright Program, one of the world's most prestigious international educational exchange programs sponsored by the U.S. government. The Fulbright Program facilitates academic exchange between the United States and over 160 countries worldwide, providing grants for students, scholars, teachers, researchers, and professionals to study, teach, conduct research, or pursue professional projects abroad. The source content primarily describes the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State, which administers these cultural exchange programs including educational exchanges, professional exchanges, and cultural programs that strengthen foreign relations and national security.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fulbright Program

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Fulbright Association: The Fulbright Association is the official alumni organization for Fulbright Program participants, providing networking and advocacy that complements the FFSB's programmatic oversight.

Direct peers

• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): DAAD is the German government's primary international academic exchange agency, offering scholarships and fellowships comparable in mission and structure to the Fulbright Program for bilateral educational mobility.
• Erasmus+ Programme: Erasmus+ is the European Union's program for education, training, youth, and sport, providing government-funded international mobility and scholarships broadly comparable in scope and mission to the Fulbright Program.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): IIE is a U.S.-based nonprofit that administers portions of the Fulbright Program alongside other international scholarships and exchange initiatives, making it a direct operational and programmatic peer in government-sponsored international educational exchange.
• British Council: British Council is the United Kingdom's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, operating government-sponsored exchange and scholarship programs with global reach analogous to the Fulbright Program.
• Chevening Scholarships: Chevening is the UK government's flagship international scholarships program funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, comparable to Fulbright as a government-sponsored, internationally focused graduate scholarship offering.

Emerging players

• Rhodes Trust: Rhodes Trust administers the Rhodes Scholarship at the University of Oxford, a prestigious international postgraduate award with global selection comparable to Fulbright's elite, internationally recruited scholar model.
• Schwarzman Scholars: Schwarzman Scholars is a privately funded master's program at Tsinghua University targeting future leaders, comparable in mission to the Fulbright Program's leadership-development and international exchange objectives.
• Marshall Scholarships: Marshall Scholarships are British government-funded graduate awards for U.S. citizens to study in the UK, making them a direct counterpart to the inbound U.S.-funded Fulbright scholarships for foreign students.

Regional players

• Alliance Française: Alliance Française is a French government-supported international cultural and educational network that promotes French language and culture abroad, analogous in international cultural diplomacy function to ECA-administered programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eca_as
• Facebookfacebook.com/fulbright
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/doscareers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board