The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program has provided approximately 300,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. LASPAU administers a part of the Fulbright Program which provides grants to individuals from Latin America and the Caribbean for graduate study in the United States. Grants are awarded for Master’s and PhD programs in a variety of fields of study.