University of Michigan International Institute
Last updated March 21, 2025

What happened?

March 20: President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Secretary of Education to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely. Eliminating USED in its entirety would require action from Congress.

March 14: James Bergeron, Acting Under Secretary of USDE, released a letter with the following information: "The functions of IFLE will be assumed by the qualified Office of Higher Education (HEP) staff."

March 13: As of this date, some staff at the Institute of International Education (IIE) who administer programs on behalf of the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, including Fulbright Programs, were furloughed.

March 12: IFLE staff were unable to enter the workplace or send messages to any external emails.

March 11: Government employees at the International and Foreign Language Education Office (IFLE) in the US Department of Education (USDE) were notified that the unit and all associated positions would be abolished. IFLE administers Title VI awards to universities, including the University of Michigan.

What is Title VI and what does it fund?

Title VI refers to the section of the National Defense Education Act of 1958 that established a set of academic and fellowship programs. These programs were inaugurated in response to the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 and the U.S. government’s recognition that greater capacity in foreign languages and area studies was needed. Subsequently incorporated into the Higher Education Act and administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Title VI programs have been expanded over the past 50 years to address not only national security needs but also concerns related to global competitiveness and a more internationally competent citizenry. This program strives to develop the nation’s capacity in international studies, area studies, foreign languages, and international business education.

How does this affect the International Institute?

As a unit in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), the II relies for the continuity of its operations on a variety of funding sources, including the College, gift funds, and federal grants. The shuttering of IFLE affects only the latter, though this is potentially significant for the II.

The II has worked with IFLE to administer Title VI funding for National Resource Centers, FLAS fellowships, and certain Fulbright fellowships. We have relied on our contacts and program officers at IFLE for information, approvals, expenditures, fellowship processing, and grant administration. At present, we have no access to any of these vital functions. We are hoping they will be reinstated or reassigned to other agencies in government, but for the time being, we are monitoring the situation. We will update this space with any new information we receive.

Who else at U-M is affected?

We’re working with our partners across the university to ascertain the consequences of IFLE closing for students, faculty, and staff. We are concerned about the continuity of employment, instruction, and research (including research and language study abroad under FLAS and/or Fulbright). We join LSA in reaffirming our commitment to put people first, to maintain Michigan’s excellence in research and education, and to care for ALL members of our community.

What is the timeline?

Notification to IFLE officers from the DoE indicated that IFLE would be able to engage in “transition activities” until March 21. At present, we do not know what happens after March 21.

What does this mean for Title VI?

Even though IFLE has been closed, the elimination of Congressionally mandated Title VI and Fulbright-Hays would be an illegal act and there will be court battles if the Trump administration attempts this course of action. 20 states have already sued the Trump administration for effectively dismantling the DoE by laying off half of the staff, so we should expect a number of legal challenges going forward.

What does this mean for FLAS Fellowships?

Funding for the current grant year has already been approved by Congress and is being delivered. Funding for programs beginning August 15, 2025 is pending Congressional approval.

• University of Michigan students who have FLAS awards for the 2024-25 Academic Year have already been paid their full tuition and stipend payments through the end of the winter term.
• We believe that Summer 2025 FLAS awards will receive funding. We are waiting for information about who at DoE would approve special requests including overseas travel now that IFLE is closed.
• Award letters for FLAS 2025-26 Academic Year finalists are being sent on March 14, 2025. Award letters include the contingency  that Congress must approve this funding in the federal budget, and that DoE services must continue in order for these to be confirmed.

What does this mean for Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA)  and Faculty Research Abroad (FRA)?

Current grantees should continue their work as scheduled. IFLE has administered these Fulbright-Hays awards. With IFLE closed, the review and processing of new grants is currently stalled until and unless it is reassigned to a different government office. Applicants in the current cycle (for 2025-26 Academic Year awards) should expect notification delays.

What centers at the University of Michigan International Institute receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education?

The International Institute is home to six National Resource Centers (NRCs). These prestigious designations, earned in national peer-reviewed competitions, are awarded by the DoE Title VI program. This program strives to develop the nation’s capacity in international studies, area studies, foreign languages, and international business education. [Title VI Awards at the University of Michigan at-a-glance]

National Resource Centers

• African Studies Center
• Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
• Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies
• Center for South Asian Studies
• Center for Southeast Asian Studies
• East Asia National Resource Center (comprising the Center for Japanese Studies, the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, and the Nam Center for Korean Studies)

Six centers hold grants for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. These centers administer annual competitions to award undergraduate and graduate-level fellowships to support the study of foreign languages and area studies.

FLAS-Granting Centers

• African Studies Center
• Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
• Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies
• Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
• Center for South Asian Studies
• East Asia National Resource Center (comprising the Center for Japanese Studies, the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, and the Nam Center for Korean Studies)

How will this impact NRCs at the University of Michigan International Institute?

Currently, we are proceeding as normal, spending grants that have been appropriated through August 2025. This is year 3 of a 4-year funding cycle. If NRC funding is not renewed, there will be a big impact to these centers, which depend in varying degrees on Title VI to fund events, outreach, staffing, partnerships, and language instruction.

What can I do to advocate for continued funding of these programs?

• Reach out to your members of Congress to express concerns about the impacts of the cuts at DoE and across the federal government. Find your members here.
• Share how these programs have impacted your education, career, and community.
• Explore advocacy resources and opportunities through the Fulbright Association to support continued funding for international education programs.