crimsonengineer87

Does someone have the actual pdf they can send me or repost somewhere else? The link doesn't work. I'd also like to know more about the scoring process This year, I got E/G E/E E/VG I applied under Geosciences and my research involves modeling of nitrogen in agriculture. I completely agree that the process is arbitrary! Compared to the reviews from last year, the ones from this year were horribly written (grammar-wise, spelling, etc) and kind of looked like they just stated what I had successfully accomplished off a rubric. While I thought getting a Fulbright, beefing up my BI, and re-tooling my research statement would be reasons for potentially getting GRF, I think it was more that I clearly organized my statements moreso and just got different reviewers. Who knows ...

As as 2nd year grad student who also applied last year with nothing, and an offer now, I agree. My reviewers last year were actually quite constructive with their criticisms and positive with comments. They basically dinged me on Broader Impacts. I'd say the two things I really beefed up in my essays were: (1) Broader Impacts. I literally had a section of broader impacts in each of the three essays. While in the PS and previous research essays, I didn't label "Broader Impacts", they were definitely there ... they probably made up at least 1/3 of each essay. (2) I increased the methodology section of my research statement. I listed each one step by step with numbers. I'd have to say that readers really like things organized and labeled with clearly defined sections. But also, every year is a crapshoot with the reviewers. Two folks may like your app, then a third really hates it. I got that with EPA STAR last year. One guy put my app in the top 10%, another was like, "this isn't a problem anymore". Keep applying! It never hurts!

OMG. Completely caught off guard! I applied last year and I was expecting news in early April! Currently in Rome ... was checking my email ... checked the spam folder and saw this interesting NSF GRFP subject header. Knowing the tricks of the grade, I logged into Fastlane first b/c it would say "Dear Fellow" if you got it ... well ... that's what it said! To all those who still have a few chances, apply again! AND if you apply for some other prestigious fellowship like Fulbright, Mitchell, etc, I think it definitely helps your chances. As my German professor told me, "Money breeds money".

Hi there, I'm currently a Fulbrighter in Germany. I can't quite remember the process ... it was a long process. But I do remember going to the IIE website for my specific country, Germany, many times. Now in Germany, I am using the German Fulbright Commission's website more b/c documents and letters to the grantees are posted there, which I think is quite convenient. I think that the IIE country pages are helpful for the application process, while the country pages would be good for once the applicants are accepted. There it might be easier to post documents/information. Also, I can't remember if there is a link to every country's Fulbright commission on the IIE country pages. That would be helpful!

I just replied to all the PMs recently sent to me! Sorry! I completely forgot! But just a few things that I think everyone will want to know - 1. IF you are selected for a Fulbright, you should receive a large manila envelope from IIE. You will have three weeks from that date to make an appointment for a physical check-up, blood work, etc. Basically you need to have your doc fill out the Medical Authorization Form and so the State Dept will say you're good to go. 2. From what I know and last year's convos, Fulbright usually recommends 1.5 to 2x the number of allotted slots for full grants (not sure if this is the same for ETAs - might be). Then the commissions in each country actually decide on who gets the grants ,etc. I just emailed someone saying that the trend seems to be more allotment to the sciences/engineering for research projects (full grants). But that part is just my opinion ... Almost there! The Fulbright experience is most def once-in-a-lifetime and will probably be the best time of your life!

Wasn't too bad. I applied for NSF GRFP a 2nd time around and it was a little bit of a re-hash of that. But the whole app wasn't horrible, but it also wasn't my best. I was really pushed for time and just plain lazy. I see you also applied to all the biggies. Let's say you got them, which would you take? Isn't DOE CSGF the most? Lucky you are do something in CS ...

If I can just put in my two cents - Last year, I applied for both Fulbright and DAAD (and "got", received, was awarded) both. Most profs I talked to said to take the Fulbright as it was more prestigious. And since both paid the same amount of money, it didn't really matter. I was really surprised at how simple the DAAD app was - I copied and pasted my personal statement and statement of grant purpose into the DAAD one. Apparently that turned out to be a "much better essay" than the Fulbright - which was lame since I spent about 6 months on that Fulbright app! Anyways, I heard about DAAD like a month before Fulbright. I think I got an email from DAAD in Feb/March saying I was recommended for it and should get stuff in the mail. Then I heard from Fulbright early-mid March (if I recall ... it was during spring break). All I can say is that the wait sucks, but b/c you applied to Germany, you guys are usually the first to hear of anything! Best of luck!

As a current Fulbrighter in Germany (full grant), the German ETAs tend to dominate the discussion, including the Facebook group meant for all Fulbrighters to Germany! If y'all have any questions about the process, feel free to private message me! I just recently signed on this account after 6 months or something ... eek! Mit vielen Grüßen aus Bonn crimson PS - Remember - Der Weg ist das Ziel.

Hi all! I'm currently a Fulbright Grantee in Germany and was active on the 2011-2012 thread last year! I randomly went back onto this site (since I'm also a grad student still doing the whole fellowship thing, ugh) and just saw this comment. I was interested in when I heard back. And you are correct. I got an email on January 21st, while my FPA heard on the 20th. I actually emailed her on the 20th b/c I had heard from other scholars their FPAs told them (even though they aren't supposed to). Mine just said that she was "pleased with the results". And lo and behold, after refreshing my email for probably 12 hours that day, I got my email! Just wanted to say good luck! The waiting is the hardest ... crimson

Ach! Yes, I'll update yours right now! I have a backlog of who knows how many email from May. But I'm currently taking my qualifying exams, and this is my "break" for today ... I'll try to update the spreadsheet as a whole before the end of the month though! I leave for Germany in about 44 days! Thanks for letting me know!

Oh! I didn't even know this! Thanks for posting that so others know! Yeah, I didn't know there was a difference b/t what could be done with funds from the US Gov't and Fulbright Commissions from each gov't. Very interesting. But I guess this makes sense now. We've moved past the round when we deal with the IIE and US Dept of State and deal with Commissions of different countries, which may have different systems/rules of doing things! Thanks!

Is the booking with an American carrier if you are booking flights by yourself and not through an agency? I know for Germany we are basically "told" to go through STA travel who can book us any flight .. .and we can do it ourselves ... but they said that if something went wrong then at least we can blame STA or something But my flight is with Luftansa ... but I think it is different with each country ... but as with everything, you should ask and make sure before booking a flight if that is true. Or just to get more information ....

OH! Yes, for the Fulbright-Hays. But for the U.S. Student Program, I'm assuming that will continue. Something with a senator's name and with such large clout, wouldn't be cut, especially since there are so many Fulbright alumni out there. Too bad for the Fulbright-Hays. There is an NSF dissertation grant to go abroad for a year. I can't remember the name of it off the bat ... hmm ...

Exactly. Whenever someone asks me to describe my research, I always need to take a 10-sec pause. I might as well just say "climate change" or something. Lol. BUZZ WORDS! Where is your source? Was it really eliminated from the next FY budget? (I wouldn't be surprised ... but Fulbright is a major program ... but then again something did happen to the PhD one ... eek!) Senator Fulbright would probably be rolling around in his grave if he knew his program was being butchered considering how many US citizens and international students it has helped ...

I'm in civil engineering and applied for the Fulbright this year to Germany and got it (that is, the full grant for research). I'm doing stuff with hydrologic modeling with nutrient cycling. (Yeah, I know, exciting.) I'll have to write more later, since my brain isn't functioning this evening, but the proposal needs to be understood by a variety of disciplines (such as those in the social sciences). For example, I had my Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA) read my statement of grant purpose and she had to look up "anthropogenic". Especially in modeling, I can't just say "we're using a physically-based watershed eco-hydrologic model linked with a 3-D chemical transport model in order to better understand the effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on the terrestrial biosphere". I think that's a little too complex. So maybe breaking that down into two sentences or something. AND you need to answer the question "why there, why now". Basically, what makes your project necessary to do research in China at that moment? It also helps if you obtain an affiliation and have research that has global implications. But you have lots of time to think about this.