Since 1948, the US-Italy Fulbright Commission has been managing the scholarship program known as the Fulbright Program, named after its creator Sen. J. William Fulbright. The first agreement between the US Government and the Italian Government was signed on December 18, 1948. The second agreement was signed in 1975 and ratified by Italian law on June 12, 1980.
The US-Italy Fulbright Commission is governed by a Board of twelve members: six US members nominated by the Ambassador of the United States to Italy, and six Italian members nominated by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of the United States are honorary presidents of the US-Italy Fulbright Commission.
The US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate for Cultural Promotion and Cooperation and General Directorate for the Americas ensure financial coverage and jointly manage the program.

The Fulbright Commission:

• promotes study, research and teaching both in Italy and the US through a program of scholarships for Italian and US citizens (70 scholarships every year);
• provides an information service on Fulbright scholarships for study in the US at the Fulbright headquarters in Rome and in collaboration with EducationUSA at the consular office of the United States in Naples;
• promotes cultural and academic activities and events of national and international importance.

The US-Italy Fulbright Commission collaborates with the following private agencies
appointed by the US Government:

• Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York, for projects belonging to the Graduate Studies category.
• Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) in Washington, DC, for the Lecturer/Research Scholar category.