University of St Andrews student receives a place on the prestigious Fulbright Summer Institute to the US

Alex Hygate, a student from the University of St Andrews, has received a place on a Fulbright Summer Institute to study at Georgetown University, in Washington D.C.

Created by treaty in 1948, the US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship programme, offering awards and summer programmes for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK University. Created in the aftermath of World War II, the Fulbright programme was conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Award recipients and summer programme participants will be the future leaders for tomorrow and support the “special relationship” between the US and UK.

Alex was born in the Isle of Scilly and is in his first year of studying Physics at the University of St Andrews. Elected as the Member of Youth Parliament for the Isles of Scilly, Alex continues to participate in representation as a member of the Universities Physics Student Staff Council.

Commenting on receiving a place, Alex said “I feel very privileged to be given the chance to participate in such a highly respected programme, and have greatly valued my study experience in the United States. As a Fulbright Summer Participant, I have been given the possibility to experience, first hand, life, culture and education in the United States.

Notable alumni of the Fulbright Commission include: Ian Rankin, novelist; Milton Friedman, economist and Nobel  Prize Winner and John Lithgow, actor.

Each year the Commission supports around 50 UK and US undergraduate students to undertake a demanding academic and cultural programme at leading institutions in the US and UK. Approximately 15,000 UK nationals have studied in the US and nearly 12,000 US nationals have studied in the UK on the educational programmes.

The Commission is partly funded by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills in the UK and the US Department of State, with additional support coming from a variety of individual and institutional partners.

Note to editors

Issued by the Press Office, University of St AndrewsContact Victoria Herd on 01334 462530 or [email protected]

Ref: (Fulbright 170811)