The U.S. State Department has announced a decision to cut $100m in study abroad programs.
It was gathered that the recent funding cuts target at least 22 cultural exchange programs previously approved by Congress for FY25.
Announced on August 13, 2025, this decision has sparked concern among educators, students, and international exchange advocates.
This comes as the affected programs, including the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, Mandela Washington Fellowship, and TechWomen, support over 10,000 students and professionals annually.
The decision to cut $100m in study abroad programs was made known in a directive to State Department regional bureaus.
The directive informed the bureaus that government officials would work with them to “pull down” the affected programs with the least possible disruption.
The directive explained that the programs “were lower funding priorities in the current fiscal environment, so they are being removed from FY25 Funding”, according to communications from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
Although the full list of the impacted programs remains sketchy as of press time, below are some of the confirmed programs;
• Community College Administrator Program (CCAP)
• Community College Initiative Program (CCI)
• Community Engagement Exchange (CEE, Leahy Initiative on Civil Society)
• Council of American Overseas Research Centers
• English Access Scholarship Program
• English Language Fellow Program
• Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
• IDEAS Program
• International Center for Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue (Hollings Center)
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) and YES Abroad Program
• Leaders Lead On-Demand
• Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
•.Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program
• National Clearinghouse for Disability and Exchange (NCDE)
• Professional Fellows Program
• Survey of International Educational Exchange Activity (IEEA) in the United States
• TechWomen
• The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative
•.U.S. Congress-Korea National Assembly Exchange Program
• U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship Program (USSP)
• Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship
• Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI)
• Professional Fellowship Program (PFP)
Reacting to the development, Mark Overmann of the Alliance for International Exchange, argued that these U.S. study abroad funding cuts threaten the legacy of programs like Fulbright and could lead to furloughs, layoffs, and even closures of organizations dependent on these funds.
Overmann said: “These organisations will now suddenly lose funding they’ve long anticipated and been promised, and this will likely result in furloughs, layoffs, and even organisational closures.
“Cancelling $100 million in programs that impact 10,000 students is devastating on many levels.
“It means students’ plans and dreams are impacted… it means layoffs and financial disruption at the many fine cultural exchange organisations.
“These folks have worked tirelessly to make the world a better place.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that this is the latest development under the administration of United States President Donald Trump.
Since his inauguration in January 2025, Trump has been overseeing funding cuts across the board notably the shutting down of the USAID.
