Educational Exchanges
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US Embassy Fulbright Program assistant Mareka Chabedi with a student at the South African PhD Project Conference, May 6, 2009. Embassy’s Fulbright Program personnel discussed US exchange programs with over 300 interested South African students.
J. William Fulbright Program
The primary goal of the Fulbright Program is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of South Africa through educational, cultural and professional exchanges. Since 1953 more than 1,500 South Africans and Americans have participated in the Fulbright exchange program. The Public Affairs Office of US Mission in South Africa administers thirteen (13) programs for both American and South African citizens to whom grants are given for research, teaching, curriculum development, and Masters and Doctoral studies in a wide variety of fields.
The Fulbright Program South Africa
The main goal of the Fulbright program in South Africa, in accordance with the worldwide Fulbright mandate, is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of South Africa, through educational, cultural and professional exchanges.
The primary source of funding of the Fulbright scholarships to and from South Africa comes from the US Government. Higher education and research institutions in South Africa and the United States support the exchange program through shared costs or non-monetary contributions.
The Fulbright Program offers invaluable opportunities for intellectual, professional, and artistic growth. It also enables grantees to meet and work not only with people of the host countries, South Africa and the United States, but also with nationals from around the world in classrooms, libraries and social environments. Fulbrighters share daily life as well as professional and creative insights. The Program thus promotes cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding on a person-to-person basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom.
Program History
The worldwide Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Senator J William Fulbright of Arkansas. Approximately 250,000 “Fulbrighters”, 94,000 from the United States and 156,000 from other countries, have participated in the Program since its inception more than fifty years ago. Fulbright Alumni around the world include heads of state, prime ministers, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, ambassadors, artists, professors, scientists, astronauts, journalists, Supreme Court Judges, and corporate directors.
Program History in South Africa
Since 1953, more than 1,500 South Africans and Americans have participated in the Fulbright exchange program. Over these fifty years, the Fulbright program in South Africa has produced exceptional leaders, many having come from the disadvantaged communities of the apartheid era who today are in prominent positions in government, parliament, educational institutions and the non-profit and private sectors.
Contact Us
SA students & scholars
Mareka Chabedi
Tel: (012) 431-4155
Fax: (012) 431-4618
chabedimm@state.gov
US students & scholars:
US students: Irene Marais
Tel: (012) 431-4218
Fax: (012) 431-4618
maraisix@state.gov
US scholars, teacher exchange & intl leaders: Keisha Lafayette
Tel: (012) 431-4213
Fax: (012) 431-4618
lafayettekk&state.gov
General Information
Marjorie Julies
Tel: (012) 431-4189
Fax: (012) 431-4618
juliesme@state.gov
General email: fulbrightprogram@state.gov
