I received a save-the-date pre-departure orientation email today but no grant notification yet:
"You were recently notified that you have been recommended for further consideration for a Fulbright Student Award. In the event that you are selected as a grantee, you will be required to attend a mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) in Washington, D.C.
The Fulbright Pre-Departure Orientation for grantees to the Middle East and North Africa will be held from June 12-14, 2015. Please keep these dates free in order to attend this important event which is a critical component of your grant, should you be selected. Please note that attendance at the PDO is mandatory. Selected candidates who fail to attend the orientation without explicit exemption from the Department of State, or who fail to participate fully in all of the required sessions will have their grants withdrawn.
The Fulbright Pre-Departure Orientation will equip Fulbright grantees with vital and practical information on health and safety abroad, Fulbright grant administration, as well as cultural and country-specific details to assist in the successful implementation of their Fulbright project. It will also provide an opportunity for Fulbrighters to build relationships with their colleagues and peers as well as meet with staff from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), the Institute of International Education (IIE), and in some cases, Fulbright Commissions and U.S. Embassy staff.
Selected candidates will receive an official invitation and registration instructions later this spring. The costs associated with travel and accommodations for the length of the orientation will be covered by the U.S. Department of State. We look forward to welcoming selected candidates to the Pre-Departure Orientation in June 2015."
Such a tease.