189 Pakistani students have been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to pursue advanced studies and research at leading U.S. universities.
The awardees will start their higher education journey at 82 universities this fall in various disciplines, including environmental studies, energy management, and social sciences.
The 2022 Fulbright cohort is one of the largest ever for Pakistan, with students from 47 public and private universities representing all regions of Pakistan.
This year, 125 Master’s and 64 PhD (31 Fulbright PhD and 33 Fulbright-HEC PhD) students and 7 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) fellows were selected for these awards. Half of the grantees are women.
The scholarship covers travel, living stipends, health insurance, and tuition for the entire study period.
This year’s 189 students attended a two-day pre-departure orientation organized by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) in Islamabad to prepare for the journey, their exchange programs, life on university campuses, and American culture.
U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome congratulated the grantees on their achievement. “Pakistani Fulbrighters have solved social problems, written new laws, advanced policies to ensure equal access and voices to all, and so much more. They do this all for one purpose: to create a better, safer, and more prosperous Pakistan. In this goal, the United States and Pakistan are united,” Ambassador Blome said.
He further stressed that the United States invests in education because it strengthens the American relationship with Pakistan, builds regional stability, and leads to shared economic prosperity.
Fulbright is the flagship scholarship program of the United States Government, operating in 160 countries. Pakistan has the most extensive Fulbright program in the world regarding U.S. government contribution, with $18.44 million dollars this year to support 189 students.
Since the program began in Pakistan in 1951, 4,100 Pakistanis have received the Fulbright award to study, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
“The Fulbright Exchange Program represents a life-changing opportunity for its recipients, providing a top-tier academic experience and exceptional cultural and social enrichment,” noted USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar.
“It is also a great contribution to both countries more broadly. Americans benefit from the experience and insight of Pakistan’s brightest young scholars, and Pakistanis benefit from the contribution these Fulbrighters make when they return with all their new knowledge and experience. More than 2,000 Fulbright alumni already returned and currently working in Pakistan are proof that Fulbright is a great investment in the future and a key component in building mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States.”