The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has recognized 170 higher education institutions from across the United States with the highest number of candidates selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs in the 2023-2024 academic year.
2023-2024 Top Producers Represent the Breadth of U.S. Higher Education
Fulbright Top Producing Institutions are grouped by Carnegie Classification, and represent the range of institutions engaging with the Fulbright Program and ensuring its broad impact on American communities across the country.
The institutions with the highest number of Fulbright U.S. Scholars within their classification were:
- Doctoral: Pennsylvania State University
- Master’s: Western Washington University, California State Polytechnic University, Salem State University (Massachusetts)
- Baccalaureate: Middlebury College (Vermont)
- Associates: Kirkwood Community College (Iowa)
- Special Focus: Oregon Health & Science University
Fulbright U.S. Scholars are faculty, researchers, administrators, and established professionals who teach or conduct research in affiliation with institutes abroad.
The institutions with the highest number of Fulbright U.S. Students within their classification were:
- Doctoral: Georgetown University (District of Columbia)
- Master’s: University of North Georgia
- Baccalaureate: Bowdoin College (Maine)
- Special Focus: School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Illinois)
Fulbright U.S. Students are recent college graduates, graduate students, and early career professionals who participate in study/research exchanges or serve as English teaching assistants in local schools abroad.
Twelve institutions had the distinction of being a top producer of both Fulbright U.S. Students and U.S. Scholars: Arizona State University, Bowdoin College (Maine), the George Washington University (District of Columbia), Middlebury College (Vermont), North Carolina State University at Raleigh, Reed College (Oregon), Rollins College (Florida), School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Illinois), the University of Alabama, University of Maryland – College Park, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, and University of Southern California.
Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, commended the honorees: “Fulbright’s 2023-24 Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators, faculty, and advisors support students and scholars to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges through the Fulbright Program. We congratulate them, and all the Fulbrighters who are making a positive impact across the world.”
The wide range of institutions across the United States named as Fulbright Top Producers demonstrates that public and private colleges and universities of all types and sizes are supporting their students and faculty to share knowledge across communities through the Fulbright program.
Among the 170 institutions named as Fulbright Top Producing Institutions for 2023-2024, 99 were private institutions and 71 were public institutions. They represent a wide range of institution types: 68 Doctoral, 15 Master’s, 52 Baccalaureate, 17 Associates, and 18 Special Focus Institutions. One, Chief Dull Knife College, is a Tribal College. Among these, a total of 125 institutions were recognized as Top Producers of Fulbright U.S. Students, and 57 were recognized as Top Producers of Fulbright U.S. Scholars.
Notably, 15 of the Top Producing Institutions are community colleges with faculty members who received Fulbright Scholar Awards to teach abroad in 2023-2024, helping to share international perspectives and innovative curricula with the student populations these colleges serve.
Fulbrighters Make an Impact in STEM Fields
Fulbrighters and the Top Producing Institutions they come from represent the diversity of U.S. higher education. The individual students and faculty who are selected for the Fulbright Program come from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented in STEM research. When they return, they bring international and cross-cultural perspectives to their research and classroom teaching, and often help make international connections for their U.S. colleges and universities. Read about these Fulbrighters.
New Top Producers
14 colleges and universities, including six community colleges, are Fulbright Top Producing Institutions for the first time.
Doctoral, Master’s, Baccalaureate, and Special Focus Institutions
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Hampden-Sydney College
- Kansas City Art Institute
- Maine College of Art & Design
- Roseman University of Health Sciences
- State University of New York at Albany
- University of California, Riverside
- Ashland Community and Technical College
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College
- Community College of Allegheny County
- Genesee Community College
- Kirkwood Community College
- Oxford College of Emory University
- Pitt Community College
Top Institutions for Selected Fields of Study
Voices from the Field
Fulbrighters who are leading Top Producing Institutions
“We live in a global world and the exchange of ideas and experiences are essential for advancing humanity. The Fulbright program is one of the best mechanisms to accomplish this. It builds strong connections between universities, but also between countries. Recipients of Fulbright scholarships are more open to working for global companies and in government jobs after graduation. The experience that I had as a Fulbright scholar in Italy helped to bring Italian students to UConn and deepened the collaboration between faculty and students.”
President, University of Connecticut
2023-2024 Top Producing Student Institution
“The Fulbright program is a vital opportunity for students and scholars to advance cross-cultural knowledge and understanding through their teaching and research. It is completely consonant with Middlebury’s values as an institution committed to the exchange of ideas across international boundaries.”
Laurie L. Patton
President, Middlebury College
2023-2024 Top Producing Student and Scholar Institution
“Fulbright can be a life-changing opportunity. It certainly changed mine. My experience as a Fulbright scholar in Mexico enabled and supported the vital field research for my doctoral dissertation. It also set me on a path of global inquiry, learning and engagement that has shaped my entire career as a teacher, scholar and leader in higher education. I’m grateful for the global connections the Fulbright helped me forge, and especially for the global connections it provides our students of today and tomorrow.”
Strom C. Thacker
President, Pitzer College
2023-2024 Top Producing Student Institution