chethedoctor

I completely understand where you are coming from. I am contending with the same dilemmas. My BA is in Political Science and my Masters (the one I am working on now here in the UK) will be in IR. Until a few weeks ago I was very interested in the FS but now it is only one of several areas that I am considering. Much, if not all, will depend on funding. If I manage to find other funding sources other than the three fellowships (Rangel, Pickering and Payne), then I will most certainly go the Public Policy/Affairs route. In which case I will apply to places like Kennedy and Wilson. I plan to apply for the Soros but I hear it's even more selective than Fulbright UK. Of the three, Payne is my favourite. If I do get it, then I will probably do ID or Global Development. Then SFS and SAIS come into play. There is even a chance that I may forget all this and go with the UN language program since I speak a few languages. Conflicted and crazy does not even begin to cover it!

@mrs12 You are right. We can brainstorm. First, I need to get the dissertation out of the way. Not to mention the GRE. It appears it's going to be a busy year. What schools will you be applying to?

@mrs12 I echo the sentiments of @kbui. @kbui and the rest: I think I will also give the Pickering and especially the Rangel a shot. Having applied for these scholarships, could you please paint a picture of the application process? I am mostly interested in the mental state, what needs to be prioritized in the essays/statements and if there are things the people administering these fellowships are 'looking for'. How should I approach these fellowships? Thanks!

If I remember correctly, it was days after the deadline for submissions. So a week and half. Makes sense given the amount of paperwork involved. You are an alternate, aren't you?

@kbui Most likely Georgetown SFS.

@kbui more lucky than amazing but thank you very much for your kind words. I will let you know if I apply for the Payne. Will you be attending the Kennedy School?

I am a current recipient of the Fulbright (UK). Applying to a super competitive research scholarship offered by the Qatar Foundation. Given the profile of the current and past scholars, I am not really expecting much. Thus the interest in the Payne.

@Dilemma1 I think it is a good idea to remain positive. I know someone from a previous cohort who was moved up after a principal declined the offer. Yes I know it is just one case but it does happen some times and who knows lady luck might decide to shine on you! In case you are not elevated, I suggest that you re-apply. Good luck!

Congratulations @kbui I think you will make one hell of a fellow and USAID foreign service officer. If I don't get a research grant that makes it possible for me to do research in the Middle East, it is more than likely I will head back home and apply for the Payne fellowship and a couple other scholarships. If I do, could I get in touch to pick your brains? Once again congrats!!!

Thank you @ZebraFinch and @mrs12. I will keep this wonderful advice in mind as I consider the Payne. Good luck to you @ZebraFinch with your studies and the journey to the State. Good luck to you @mrs12 as well with your academic and professional goals.

Dear @ZebraFinch @kbui @mrs12 First, congratulations to all of you for your successes this year. You folks are amazing! So I need your advice. I am considering the Payne for next year or the year after. I am a current UK Fulbrighter, speak two of the so-called critical languages and have 5 years of experience working in the developing world. So as far as 'qualifications' go, I like to think I am relatively competitive. However, I am hesitant because I am concerned about the security clearance. I have lived outside the country for a significant amount of time. Given how much work goes into these applications, your experiences with the clearance system, and the threat of debt, would you advise me to give it a shot? Good luck to all of you!

Hey I am really liking it here in the UK. I was initially applying to Leicester but during the process I changed my program and now I am in Aberystwyth. Are you applying to the same program as my friend Jason is in now?

Oh hey I remember you from last year! I am really happy for you! How's your Swahili coming along? Excited about going to Kenya and doing what you love doing? Your project is really interesting! Is there anyway I can follow the journey? Like a website or a blog? Safari salama!

Hello there, It's really difficult to say. Once you are awarded the fellowship, there's no discussion of the application. Having said that, in speaking to the person who interviewed me (which I'm told is very rare) and other people at a reception in London, here's what I learned*: 1. For competitive countries like the UK, it pretty much comes down to the twin questions of why the UK and why a particular university/institution. Whoever makes the strongest and most concise case addressing these two questions has the advantage. Almost every paragraph in your statement of grant purpose must somehow speak to aspects of the two questions. Personally, once I researched every aspect of my program, I made a specific detailed outline for the two questions and then used it to write the essay. Some of the things in the outline were: the work of two specific scholars at the program I was applying to, specific modules, specific fora, how the program might (comparatively, that's) prepare me for my chosen career etc. 2. Something some of us did (it was quite a surprise because I thought I was the only crazy person doing it) was research the program of the competition. You can find out about the competition by reading the profiles of previous winners for your program. Knowing about the competition is helpful because you can approximate their sgr essay. It's a bit like going to war. The more you know about the opposition, the better. 3. There's a correlation between the ranking and the interview process. Unless the highest ranked person totally bombs the interview, they always get the award. In other words, the main objective of the interview is just to put a voice to the app. Is the applicant able to adumbrate without regurgitating what the interviewers already know? I don't know about you but my interview wasn't brutal at all. Other members of the cohort say the same. 4. From # 3, that would also explain why some are not interviewed. 5. The personal statement is not as important as the statement of grant purpose. That doesn't mean one should take it lightly but just that it doesn't have the same weight as the sgr. I'd say put 70% of your effort into the sgr. I hope this was helpful. If you have questions, do let me know. I stop by gradcafe every so often to see what others are saying about a fellowship I'm thinking of applying. Are you applying in the 2017-2018 cycle? * This is what I gleaned from conversations I've had with others.

Hello Everyone! Current UK Fulbrighter here. What a great resource this forum is! I just wanted to stop by and wish you all the best as you wait. If, after the recommended/not recommended phase, any of you wants to talk to me about the next phase of the process, please feel free to drop me a line. Once again, best of luck!

I think you are onto something here. The trickiest thing about the Fulbright is making the case for a particular university or a particular country. It seems you have the reasons for the country pretty much locked up. Couple that with an articulation for the program at the university you have in mind and you could be looking at a strong project. I agree with miracle18. I think you should go for it. You already have experience writing Fulbright essays and you know what to expect from the interviewers.

First, let me volunteer to look at your proposal and give you my two cents. I lived in Kenya and I have some familiarity with the work of the Kenyan Wildlife Service and its partners. As has already been pointed out, there's a great deal of conservation that takes place in Kenya. Tourism is a lifeline in Kenya and they have been putting in a lot of effort to ensuring that national parks are protected. It's such a shame that terrorists and poachers are creating chaos in that country these days. If you feel strongly about your project, then one option is to try other countries in the region. Tanzania comes to mind. The DRC too but it's not safe there. You may even want to consider Southern countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Compare projects in different countries and see if you can spot gaps. This is not to suggest that your current proposal cannot bring new dimensions or contribute to existing projects but there seems to be consensus that Fulbright has a bias towards novelty. That's why I was so concerned about my project since it appeared that something similar was done the year before but at the end they felt there was enough nuance to merit funding. Another option is maybe, just maybe, tweaking your project by concentrating on another animal. I always felt that beyond the dramatics the annual wildebeest crossing of the Mara River is an understudied phenomenon. I think a lot needs to be done to ensure the safe migration of those graceful animals. Finally, the other project sounds both feasible and awesome. There is great need for health care in rural Kenya. When I was in deprived Turkana, I was amazed by how little the government cared about some of its citizens. Village after village, I saw no sign of health care facilities. The boda boda and the mobile phone are revolutionizing rural Africa and if you can find put together a project that makes the case for ways to improve motor cycle-based health care delivery, then I think it may interest someone.

UK grantees: so y'all got an email from Marla Mazer today, right? She talks about a participant consent form that we've to upload. I am assuming this is the same as the participant release form on the SSP. Is there anyone who thinks the two are different and if so where does one find the consent form?

Naona unajua kuongea Kiswahili. How cool!

Thank you very much. I see that you are applying to Kenya. I worked there for some time and I found the people to be amazing. Hopefully you get selected so that you can enjoy the fabled hakuna matata lifestyle!

Dbloom, I know it's disappointing but don't let one rejection cloud your judgment of yourself. Obviously you are a talented individual and you are destined for great things in life.

Thanks #miracle18. Congratulations Rosy! What a start to the week!

Just got notification that I have been selected for the UK Fulbright. The "P" is in the subject line and the email came at 7:57pm Central Time. Fingers crossed for other UK applicants.

This had me giggling like a buffoon in a crowded bus! Thank you for I needed that. I just wish folks at my alma mater stop sending me emails reminding me of events and stuff.

So I had an email exchange with the FPA at my alma mater today. Her emails suggest she knows something but wouldn't say it. At least that's how it came across to me. Do you guys know whether the FPAs are informed before applicants or vice versa? I contacted her because the wait is really getting into me and now I'm even more frustrated. What's the big idea UK?