Washington – The Trump administration failed to lift the 15-day pause of all State Department grant disbursements on February 27, leaving Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) programs without funding or a clear future and upending the lives of thousands of Americans at home and around the world. The following are statements by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Alliance for International Exchange, and the Forum on Education Abroad:
“The freeze on State Department grant programs threatens the survival of study abroad and international exchange programs that are essential to U.S. economic and national security,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. “Halting inbound and outbound exchanges shuts the United States off from a vital flow of ideas, innovation, and global understanding and influence, creating a vacuum that could easily be filled by competing nations. These are programs for which Congress has authorized and appropriated funds. We urge Congress to use its authority to intervene. Restoring this funding immediately is absolutely in the country’s national interest.
“Paralyzing ECA-funded exchange programs endangers the health, safety, and future of the more than 12,500 Americans who are either abroad right now or soon will be and damages our relationships with current and future leaders from around the world,” said Mark Overmann, executive director of the Alliance for International Exchange. “The many U.S. organizations that support these programs and its participants are now in a dire financial position, putting thousands of American jobs and livelihoods at risk. Approximately 90 percent of the State Department exchanges budget is spent on Americans or in America. ECA exchange programs absolutely fulfill Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s goal of making ‘America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.’ Suspending them would only have the opposite effect.
“Study abroad programs like the Gilman and Fulbright Scholarships provide opportunities for students who might not otherwise have a global education,” said Melissa Torres, president and CEO of the Forum on Education Abroad. “The Critical Language Scholarship and IDEAS programs build the language skills of U.S. students and broadens their access to destinations where American engagement is particularly important. These experiences help prepare students for a globally connected workforce. Without federal support, the cultural competency of our domestic population and in turn, U.S. global competitiveness, will take a huge step backward.”
About the Funding Freeze of the State Department’s ECA Programs
On February 13, recipients of State Department grant funding were informed of a 15-day temporary pause on all disbursements, effective as of February 12, 2025, and applying to all current and future grant payments scheduled during this period. The pause was set to expire on February 27 and yet no federal action has been taken to lift it. This effectively suspends international education and exchange programs including academic exchanges like Fulbright, Gilman, and IDEAS; professional exchanges like the International Visitor Leadership Program and young leaders initiatives; youth exchanges like YES, FLEX, and CBYX; virtual exchanges like the Stevens Initiative; and more. NAFSA, the Alliance for International Exchange, and the Forum on Education Abroad have launched advocacy campaigns (NAFSA campaign; Alliance campaign) urging Congress to restore funding for these programs immediately. More information is at nafsa.org/ECAFundingFreeze and alliance-exchange.org/47th-presidential-administration/.
About NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest and most comprehensive nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. NAFSA promotes policies that ensure the continued growth and impact of global learning, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding through study abroad, international student services, and campus internationalization. With a network of over 10,000 professionals in the field at more than 3,500 institutions in 150+ countries, NAFSA is committed to fostering a more globally connected and peaceful world.
About the Forum on Education Abroad
The Forum on Education Abroad is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, membership association recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad. The Forum provides training and resources to education abroad professionals and its Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad are recognized as the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs may be judged. The Forum’s mission is to cultivate educators who champion high quality education abroad experiences that ignite curiosity, impact lives, and contribute to a better world.
About the Alliance for International Exchange
The Alliance for International Exchange serves as the only collective public policy voice for the U.S. international educational and cultural exchange community. The Alliance represents more than 90 U.S.-based organizations and companies that facilitate life-changing inbound and outbound exchange programs, including Department of State programs. The mission of the Alliance is to promote the growth and impact of these exchange programs and the effectiveness of its members.