Fact: the first Fulbright program anywhere took place in China.
According to IIE’s U.S.-China Educational Exchange, the program was established by a formal agreement between the U.S. and Chinese governments in 1947. By August 1949, 27 American scholars and students and 24 Chinese students and scholars had taken part in the program, though the exchange between the two countries was soon shutdown with the founding of the People’s Republic in October 1949. The program was not reestablished until 30 years later, in 1979, and today is one of the largest Fulbright exchanges in the world.
I though this was an interesting tidbit to learn while in China, and reminder that the Fulbright program is a respected and well-established way to get significant and in-depth abroad experience. More about the program and application details here and here.
