Hina

InnovativeL, welcome to the forum and congrats on the amazing opportunity!!! So if you submit your Fulbright application in October, you will find out if you made it past the first round in January 2015. If you do make it past the first round, your application will be sent to the US Embassy in your host country, and they will decide if you are selected, if you are an alternate, or if you are a non-select. Depending on the country, this process could take several months (some people are STILL waiting from the 2014-2015 cycle). If you are chosen, I'm not sure exactly when you would be able to start using the funding, but I would guess it would be shortly before your start date (and many countries start date is the January of the NEXT year). From South Africa's Fulbright page, it seems their grant period starts anywhere from July 2015-March 2016. I would guess you would be able to start using the funding shortly before the date you would begin in that date range. Hope that helps! Good luck with your research...it sounds very interesting!

dec9327, that sounds tough! Thankfully, I didn't have too much trouble finding an affiliation last year. I e-mailed about 5 individuals I wanted to work with and one responded back. Maybe you could try using your current contacts (professors, past employers, or other individuals in your field) and see if they know of any organizations/professors in your host country that might be willing to work with you. If that doesn't work, you might just have to keep cold e-mailing professors and orgs :/ someones bound to say yes!

Hi Namber! wow, Rwanda or S.Korea are very different...what made you choose those countries? I have not started working on my personal statement or grant purpose yet, but that's because I haven't completely decided on my research or country. I was a finalist for research to Bangladesh for the 2014-2015 cycle, but just found out I didn't get it. Now I'm trying to figure out what strategy I want to take this coming cycle. However, whichever way I do go, I will likely use bits and pieces of my current personal statement. Have you started on your personal statement or grant purpose yet?

Aw man, I didn't know that India had issues with Bangladesh as well. That sounds like a hard situation for your friend. Your research project sounds very interesting! Which Indian epics are you thinking about using?

EmilyIRL, thanks for the suggestion! I was actually just looking at India's page on the Fulbright website. I've never been to India, but from what I hear it does seem like a prime location for the microfinance research I'd like to conduct. My only big worry worry is that I will have a hard time getting a visa. My first job offer out of college was actually in Chennai, and I fought for 6 months trying to get a visa, but in the end I was told (by one of the individuals that worked at the Consulate) that I was likely having a hard time because I was born in Pakistan And I ended up having to look for a new job. I'm just scared to go through the whole Fulbright process and then have a tough time getting a visa. I see you're applying to India. Are you applying for research or ETA?

Hi everyone! I see a few familiar faces here I just got the NS for research to Bangladesh. Will be giving it another go in the 2015-2016 cycle, but might change my country to a different country in South/Central Asia.

That's a great idea! I feel like most of my friends and family have already looked over my essays, so starting a writing group would be very helpful. Have you started it yet? Also, to those who are reapplying, are you keeping your topic the same and just refining your essays, or changing your topic altogether? I'm even considering changing countries at this point :/

Thanks TeraFirma and Mozartgirl53 for your kind words. I've been feeling pretty down lately, as expected, but I know I am very blessed and lucky to have a job that I love to fall back on. Mozartgirl53, I'm looking at grad school for a dual degree in International Development and an MBA. Ideally, I'd want to work for an intergovernmental agency starting new programs (microfinance or the like) targeting the extreme poor in South Asia (where I'm originally from). I worked for NGOs abroad for the last few years, but am now doing more local economic development for a state agency in TX. I was hoping to get Fulbright as a way to get back into the field of microfinance and international development, but it's ok, maybe next year!

Aw thanks, Huma. I appreciate that. I've been pretty sad all day but you're right, all the traveling was draining and it's nice to be in one place for a bit with a job that I enjoy. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you though! Hope you get good news soon!!

NS It's ok, it happens. At least I tried and got this far. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, and maybe it's just not the right time for me to be moving abroad again right now. I had been moving around to different countries for the last two years and a tiny part of me wasn't completely ready to move again right now. I just started a new job in January and kinda wanted to stay here for a while before I move abroad again. Anyway, I'll probably be reapplying this coming cycle and apply for grad school as well. Olioliwoo, I think I'll join you and start the application process again now. CONGRATS to everyone selected!!!

I can't imagine why you would wanna leave such a sexy job ( ) but maybe you can try contacting the PM for your region? She might not know the exact start date, but maybe she could give you a ball park based on previous years. Worth a try!

Oh lawd...lets cross our fingers and hope we don't have to see a day when you say "happy june!" to those still waiting.

Add a computer into this image and this was me pretty much all day (even though I'm at work and should be doing actual work haha oops).....and so the wait continues...

I'm with ya! Come onnn notifications! Today is gonna be the day!!

CONGRATSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAY FOR As BECOMING Ps!!!!

Mozartgirl53, I hadn't thought about it that way...that it might actually be a good thing that they didn't need an interview from me to gather more information. When I was interviewed by my alma mater, they too didn't have too many comments to give me, but assured me that it was a good thing and that my application was strong. Anyway, at least now I know that the decisions have been made and it's likely at the state dept at this point... so I should be finding out very soon!! eeeek :/ Also, I am SO excited that you got it!!! You definitely deserve it.

Ah thanks, GnosisExchange. That makes me feel a bit better. I applied for a research grant, but hoping its the same deal where not getting an interview isnt a bad sign.

AH ... so just called the US embassy in Bangladesh and the woman I spoke to said "oh, we already processed the applications, conducted interviews and sent our results back to IIE in the US"....which is all great and fine, EXCEPT THAT I DIDNT HAVE AN INTERVIEW. So of course I start to freak out, and try my hardest to casually ask this nice lady if they interviewed everyone. She says they only interviewed those candidates that they needed further clarification from regarding their project. Not sure if she just said that because she could sense the panic in my voice, or if that's really the case. In any case, needless to say, I'm slightly freaking out. :/ Was anyone else in this situation? Where other people from your country got interviews but you didn't? Is this a horribly bad sign?

CONGRATS!!!!!! so great to see alternates getting accepted!

Thanks for telling us about your experience. I'm gonna take your suggestion and contact the embassy in the country I applied to. better to be safe than sorry, that's for sure. Thanks for sharing!!

That's actually really interesting, miri1776. When I was considering applying for my research grant to Bangladesh, I was worried about the time I had spent there as well (about 3 months doing research). I asked the Program Manager for my region who told me more than 6 months in the country (excluding study abroad) is frowned upon. And while listening to the webinars, it seemed like they emphasized they didn't want you to have had too much experience in the country. But as you said, your contact seems like a very reliable source, esp if he's on the screening committee. Just weird there's mixed info coming from the Program Manager/webinars and a member of the screening committee.

Bangladesh still waiting... and I agree, I think the previous years dates don't mean much at this point. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for a long wait boo

That sounds like an amazing project as well!! And very relevant to the current situation. I really hope you get the chance to make it happen! Hopefully having UNCHR backing you will hold some weight as well. It's pretty amazing you're going to potentially be going back to your homeland. I'm Pakistani-American, and wanted so badly to do my research in Pakistan, but of course it's closed off to Fulbrighters (rightfully so). If I do end up getting Fulbright, I'm hoping to go to Pakistan after I complete my research to do a pilot with an organization I have ties with there. I've only been to Pakistan once since I was 3, so I would definitely love the chance to not only see my culture first hand, but to also work on women's issues there. Well it's so great to meet someone with the same goals! I'll definitely be rooting for you!

Anahid, I applied for research to Bangladesh. My project is geared towards constructing a micro-finance graduation program for single women in the urban areas (doesn't have to do with education as the name might suggest, it's geared towards "graduating" families out of poverty). I was in Bangladesh a couple of years ago for a short time, and am SO excited for the prospect of going back. What is your project about? Keeping my fingers crossed we hear back veryy soon!

haha very good question. one of my friends recently told me he assumed i didn't get it because it's been so long since we got recommended and i haven't mentioned it since. i'm just trying to keep my mind off of it. it's not working. oh lawd, neeeeed to find out soon.