Aubrey Lay, a Fulbright scholar, was supposed to receive three months' pay from the U.S. government for his work as a teaching assistant at a school for Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. However, he only received about one week's pay and has no information on when he will get the rest of his grant.

Lay is one of many scholars worldwide who rely on State Department funding to take part in long-standing programs like Fulbright. However, their payments were suddenly stopped after receiving a notice that officials were reviewing their activities. This decision seems to align with the White House's plan to significantly reduce government spending, which has impacted numerous federal agencies. The government is set to undergo major changes in the coming weeks and months. President Donald Trump has instructed agencies to prepare for widespread layoffs, known as reductions in force. This will likely lead to limited operations in agencies that provide essential services.

Meanwhile, a funding freeze has caused panic among thousands of scholars who are stuck outside their home countries. They are uncertain about the future of their programs and are struggling to secure the financial support they need. In February, the US State Department temporarily stopped spending to review its programs and activities, according to the Association of International Educators, formerly the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA), an association of international educators. This affected programs like Fulbright, Gilman, and Critical Language international scholarships. Since the pause began, some scholars and advocacy groups have noticed that grant funds have stopped, but US officials have not provided any updates on whether this will change. The State Department did not respond to the Associated Press when asked about the funding freeze over the weekend.

Lay found it troubling that US officials had not communicated about the issue. He also wondered about the future of the program, which his grandmother had joined many years ago. Since its launch in 1946, the program has been a key part of the US government's efforts to promote cultural exchange. What worries him most is how it will affect his students, especially if he has to leave earlier than expected. “I don't want to be one more thing that is changing and uncertain in their lives, Lay said. I can't bear that thought." Lay stated that he will be OK for another month, but he worries about participants with no extra money saved. “The clarity that I've gotten is that nobody knows what's going on?" he said. The clarity that I've gotten is that every time I've asked anybody, they don't know what's happening, and they are just as confused as I am, as we all are.” According to the Fulbright Association, a nonprofit group of alumni, thousands of scholars are in the same situation as Lay. 

In an email newsletter, the association stated that the funding pause affects over 12,500 American students, young professionals, and others who are either currently abroad or were set to take part in State Department programs within the next six months. In addition to U.S. citizens, the association also mentioned that the pause has stopped funding for U.S. programs that host more than 7,400 people. Halyna Morozova, a Fulbright scholar from Kyiv teaching Ukrainian at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, was at the airport on February 28 after an exhausting day. Earlier that day, President Donald Trump had harshly criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a tense Oval Office meeting. Concerned about her country's future and her family back home, she felt overwhelmed.

As she waited, she received an email from the Institute of International Education (IIE), which manages the Fulbright scholarship. The email stated that IIE could send her a partial stipend covering one week of her upcoming payment. It also mentioned that they would provide updates on future payments as soon as possible. “It was very scary, I would say, not just because I am lost in another country,” she said. “We don't know if we will ever get another stipend here and if they have enough money to buy our tickets home. So there are a lot of things that are not clear and not certain.”

Professor Olga Bezhanova, who oversees Morozova and two other scholars, said the exchange program has been a mainstay of their language education for almost 20 years at her university. She has begun looking to see if her university will contribute to the money that the federal government is withholding. "I don't know what else can be done if that doesn't work out," she remarked. “I have to look into the faces of these wonderful people, and they're asking me: Is this America? What is this?” she said. “This is a mess.”