How I went to Norway

An introduction to the Fulbright Program and grantees to Norway

Maybe you’ve heard of the Fulbright program, but maybe you haven’t! Read about the program below.

U.S. Fulbright Program

The Fulbright program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational and cultural exchange program. Operating in 160 countries, Fulbright gives passionate and accomplished individuals the opportunity to study, conduct research, teach, and exchange ideas. The purpose: increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.¹

Fulbright is seen as one of the most competitive international fellowships; about 1,900 U.S. students are selected annually. The program has a reputation as one of the most prestigious (though not elitist) exchange programs in the world.² Fulbright is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State.

History of Fulbright

The Fulbright program was conceived in 1945 by Senator J. William Fulbright. His vision was to sell the government’s surplus war property to fund international exchange. The program would be a ‘promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science.’ ³

Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations.

– J. William Fulbright, 1983

President Harry Truman signed Senator Fulbright’s bill into law on August 1, 1946, thus creating the Fulbright program. On the heels of World War II, there was a renewed focus on international peace and partnership. The Fulbright program fits well into this frame; its existence is binational in nature. The United States and countries around the world set joint priorities and craft a program that meets the needs of both countries. Since its inception in 1946, more than 380,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the program.⁴

Fulbright Norway

The Fulbright program in Norway began in 1949. For over 70 years, the program has exchanged students, scholars, and educators between the United States and Norway. All grants are administered by the U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation, an independent binational commission. Funding comes from the Norwegian government (~70%) and the U.S. government (~30%).5 The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Oslo are four key stakeholders who make the program possible.

For 2019–2020, there are 30 grants to Norway:

• 3 English Teaching Assistants
• 3 Roving Scholars
• 1 Arctic Chair
• 11 Graduate Students
• 13 Scholars

Meet the Fulbrighters

Fulbright Commitment and Rebrand

In May 2019, the program rebranded with a new visual identity and a renewed commitment to its mission: “to forge lasting connections, counter global misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.”⁶ The program’s messaging will continue to reinforce mutual understanding and exchange of knowledge and solutions to tackle complex global problems.⁷

Some references:

1. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/frequently-asked-questions
2. “A New Look for Fulbright.” Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. https://eca.state.gov/highlight/new-look-fulbright
3. “Overview and History.” Fulbright U.S. Student Program. https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about
4. Ibid.
5. “2018 Annual Report.” U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation for Educational Exchange. https://fulbright.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Annual-report-2018-web.pdf
6. “A New Look at Fulbright.” Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. https://eca.state.gov/highlight/new-look-fulbright
7. “Announcing: New Logo.” Fulbright Association. https://fulbright.org/2019/05/23/announcing-new-logo

Originally published on October 16, 2019. Paul Nolan was a Fulbright grantee to Norway for the 2019–2020 academic year. Views and information presented are his own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.