CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the top university and college producers of Fulbright student grant recipients in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which announced the 2023-24 awards.
“It is a great point of pride for us to be recognized continually as one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright students,” said Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones. “The global experience we open up for our students is one of the reasons why so many of the best and brightest choose Illinois for their college education.”
Fifteen students from the Urbana campus were offered Fulbright awards for the 2023-24 academic year (two declined), a selection rate among the top five public institutions in terms of numbers of students offered grants. David Schug, the director of the National and International Scholarships Program at Illinois, said the U. of I. has been included in the top-producing student list for six of the past seven years.
“The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is committed to providing a truly dynamic global learning environment by bringing different cultures, disciplines, geographies and worldviews together on our campus,” said Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, the university’s associate chancellor and vice provost for global affairs & strategies. “We are very proud that so many Illinois students have been offered Fulbright Awards to pursue teaching and research abroad and build on the momentum of their Illinois education.”
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United State and the people of other countries.
The Fulbright competition is administered jointly at Illinois: The National and International Scholarships Program helps undergraduates and recent alumni apply, and the Graduate College Office of External Fellowships focuses on graduate student applications. The offices have begun working with future candidates, as applications will open this spring for students and recent alumni interested in pursuing studies, fine arts, research or English teaching assistantships under the Fulbright program in the 2025-26 academic year.
Fulbright is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program.
Editor’s note: For more information about the program, contact David Schug, National and International Scholarships Program director, 217-333-4710; topscholars@illinois.edu.
