Fifteen students from the University were awarded Fulbright awards for the 2010-2011 school year, putting the University among the top five public institutions with students who received the award.

“Our campus is sending 15 Fulbright student awardees this year. It shows that our students are not only motivated to have deep international experiences but have the academic excellence to make it through a highly competitive selection process,” said Wolfgang Schlör, interim associate provost for International Affairs at Illinois, according to the press release.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. It offers grants to study, teach English and conduct research in over 130 countries throughout the world beginning this fall.

The program also awards grants to American teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas.