The US State Department has temporarily suspended funding for study abroad programs, including Fulbright.

The US State Department is suspending federal funding for US government scholarship and exchange programs until February 27, sources said.

Students at the graduation ceremony at Harvard University, the top university in the US

According to the US-based International Education Forum, the US State Department on February 13 informed parties that the agency was suspending federal funding for 15 days for all grants in fiscal year 2025. The decision officially took effect from February 12 and among the affected parties are international scholarship and student exchange programs such as Fulbright, Benjamin A. Gilman, IDEAS...

"This is very worrying news. We are working to better understand this new situation and its possible impacts. No further details are available at this time and no reason has been given," the notice posted on February 14 said.

Among the affected programs, Fulbright is best known for awarding more than 2,200 scholarships each year to American students to study abroad, and attracting about 4,000 international students to the United States each year to study, teach, and conduct research. In Vietnam, the Fulbright Program was established in 1992 and is currently operated through the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.

In an interview with The PIE News on February 19, Melissa Torres, President of the International Education Forum, added that there was no indication that funding would be permanently suspended. However, the sudden suspension of funding has left American students and education administrators in a state of confusion. Torres also confirmed that the recipients of funding have been contacted by the US State Department, but the department has yet to make an official announcement.

“If funding is not restored immediately, it is likely that many international educators will be laid off, which will have an impact on local communities and economies,” she added. Because the grants not only go directly to students but also to pay staff who play a vital role in running these programs, according to Torres.

Vietnamese students listen to advice from US university representatives at an event organized by the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024.

The State Department’s lack of clarity on what it would do with the grants has also left program providers confused. Some Fulbright sites were told to suspend operations by their local embassies, while others initially suspended operations but have since resumed operations, she said. “It’s also unclear why some students received different instructions,” Torres said.

The International Education Forum is currently working with leading industry organizations such as NAFSA and the International Education Alliance to respond to this rapidly evolving situation, and is calling on affected parties to collect financial data and information on the impacts on learners, faculty and staff.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bo-ngoai-giao-my-tam-dung-cap-von-cho-cac-chuong-trinh-du-hoc-co-ca-fulbright-185250220114014081.htm