Prime Highlights
- The Departments of Education and State unveiled $80 million in new international education grants under a joint funding initiative.
- The new programs replace traditional Title VI and Fulbright-Hayes funding structures while expanding support for language training, international studies, and global education.
Key Facts
- $70 million will fund the Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CANN) program, supporting strategic language instruction, regional studies, research, and training.
- $10 million will fund the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange (MECE) program, providing overseas study and exchange opportunities for teachers and future educators.
Background
The Department of Education and the Department of State are making 80 million dollars available through two new international education grant programs, replacing funding previously offered under Title VI of the Higher Education Act.
Under a new interagency agreement, the departments announced a joint grant competition offering 70 million dollars for Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need, replacing the former Title VI competition, along with 10 million dollars for Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange programs, replacing the previous Fulbright-Hayes awards.
The Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need program will fund efforts to teach languages considered strategically important to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.
The program will also support instruction focused on critical world regions and back research and training in international studies. Individual awards are expected to range between 1.2 million and 1.4 million dollars for projects lasting 48 months. Applications for this program are due July 7, 2026.
The Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange program will support efforts to promote, improve and develop the study of modern foreign languages and area studies across U.S. schools, colleges and universities.
The program will fund visits and study opportunities abroad for teachers and prospective teachers. Awards under this program are expected to range between 2.55 million and 5.1 million dollars for 36-month projects, with applications due July 15, 2026.
Together, the two programs mark a shift in how the federal government structures funding for international education, moving away from the long-standing Title VI and Fulbright-Hayes frameworks toward a new joint approach between the two departments.
