Fulbright scholar Aubrey Lay was supposed to receive three months’ worth of payments from the U.S. government for his teaching assistantship at a school for Ukrainian refugees in Estonia.
However, he only received approximately one week’s pay, with no indication of when the rest of his grant would be disbursed, reports AP.
Lay is one of many scholars worldwide who rely on State Department funding to participate in long-standing programmes such as Fulbright. These scholars report that their payments were suddenly halted after being informed that their activities were under review. This decision appears to align with the White House’s push to significantly reduce government spending, a shift that has affected numerous federal agencies.
In the coming weeks and months, the government is set to undergo even more drastic changes. President Donald Trump has instructed agencies to develop plans for extensive layoffs, known as reductions in force, which will likely result in scaled-back operations at agencies delivering essential services.
The funding freeze has left thousands of scholars stranded outside their home countries, uncertain about the future of their programmes or how they will sustain themselves financially.
In February, the U.S. State Department temporarily halted spending to conduct a review of its programmes and activities, according to NAFSA, an association of international educators. This pause included initiatives such as the Fulbright, Gilman, and Critical Language international scholarships.
Since the spending freeze was implemented, scholars and advocacy groups have reported that grant payments have stopped, with no communication from U.S. officials regarding whether the situation will change.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press for comment on the funding suspension.
Lay expressed frustration over the lack of communication from U.S. officials. He also worried about the future of a programme that his grandmother had taken part in decades ago. Established in 1946, Fulbright has become a flagship initiative for the U.S. government’s cross-cultural engagement efforts. However, his biggest concern is the impact on his students if he is forced to leave prematurely.
“I don’t want to be yet another source of instability and uncertainty in their lives,” Lay said. “That thought is unbearable to me.”
Lay said he could manage for another month, but he feared for participants who lacked financial savings.
“The only clarity I have is that nobody knows what’s happening,” he said. “Every time I ask someone, they have no answers and are just as confused as I am.”
According to the Fulbright Association, a nonprofit comprising programme alumni, thousands of scholars are in situations similar to Lay’s. In a newsletter email, the association reported that the funding halt affects “over 12,500 American students, youth, and professionals currently abroad or scheduled to take part in State Department programmes over the next six months.”
Beyond U.S. citizens, the Fulbright Association noted that the pause had also cut funding for U.S.-based programmes that host over 7,400 individuals.
Halyna Morozova, a Fulbright scholar from Kyiv who teaches Ukrainian at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, had just endured an exhausting day at the airport on 28 February. That same day, President Trump had harshly criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a highly unusual Oval Office meeting, leaving Morozova deeply worried about the future of her country and her family back home.
Then, she received an email from the Institute of International Education (IIE), which administers the Fulbright scholarship.
“IIE is currently authorised to send you a partial stipend equivalent to one week of your anticipated upcoming stipend payment,” the email stated. “We will provide updates on future payments as soon as possible.”
Morozova panicked. Typically, she received $750 per month. Now, she had to stretch just $187.50 to cover her expenses.
“It was terrifying—not only because I am stranded in another country,” she said. “We have no idea if we will receive another stipend here, or even if they have the funds to buy our tickets home. So much is uncertain.”
Olga Bezhanova, a professor overseeing Morozova and two other scholars, said the exchange programme had been an integral part of her university’s language education for nearly two decades. Now, she is exploring whether the university can supplement the scholars’ lost funds. If that is not feasible, she admitted she was unsure of what else could be done.
“I have to look into the faces of these brilliant individuals as they ask me, ‘Is this really America? What is happening?’” she said. “This is an absolute mess.”
