Herbie

Yikes! And totally appropriate emoji.

I was a first-time applicant for the 2017-2018 application season and began writing my statement in February 2016. Prior to that, I had already established contacts for institutional affiliation. So by the time May arrived, I was on my second draft already. I think the best process is to know what you can do to kick yourself in the ass to produce a solid, clear and convincing statement. My writing generally has lots of inactivity, so starting early was my best decision. I also attended my Uni's Fulbright info session and met with the Fulbright advisor with my second draft once. That helped build a familiar rapport where I took critiques less personally during the internal submission process. That said, I am a PhD candidate already, and I'll honestly say I don't know the competition statistics and whether x, y or z person's given more weight for research scholarships. We may be more competitve, but I'd assume we're competing with each other more than a recent BA or MA. I'd love to see the figures, though - it could be different. The application process most certainly contributed to clearer proposal writing and I found it invaluable, personally rewarding and it probably helped my other successful applications. Good luck to everyone this 2018-2019 season. Don't let things hold you back unless you must - I'm definitely going to stand out in my host country for lots of identity reasons but this is an experience worth having!

Maybe leverage the Fulbright as a way to ensure future employment if it's a career job? If it's just for wages, take the job and then give them a 2-month notice before you leave. Life happens, make sure you take care of yourself. I don't know if every letter is different, but I had to verbalize to my contact through email that I am accepting the award. I was also given a deadline to do that. The portal's additional information to turn the wheels faster.

May I gently request if we could slow down about the "what to do next" phases, so as to patiently allow the season to roll out for everyone? Those notified far earlier would have made my heart skip too many beats. It's 9AM on my side, daumen gedruckt on my side, and doubling everyone's message to persist through the pain if it occurs!

Gerne, ya'll! Leider nicht Berlin, sondern ich in Frankfurt wohnen wird. Aber wir haben viele Zeit, um in Berlin zu treffen!

Uh, don't die Horb! I mean, that defeats the entire purpose...... Congrats! I also received a happy award letter for independent research in Germany. Germany Fulbrights: after everything calms down and we support the good and bad that comes with application seasons, let's plan in PM for a meetup sometime.

Soooooo.... you want to meet up for a bite or alcohol or something if we're within 1hr of each other? I'll PM you if you're interested! I'm here, too!

I hadn't thought to post until I read the state department news. Given our personal and professional interests, we should be joining others in fighting for the reality we want. Our elders did, our parents did, and our generations can. I'm humbled that life will be a neverending battle for humanity, ethics and morality. I'm attending one of the marches for detainees in the airport. Time to get even more energized and social since walking in the women's march! Hell yeah to those who marched or wanted to, as well! I'll be at my location for others who cannot make it and for others who say it isn't worth it, because it is. I also urge you to call your representatives. It literally takes seconds. I've never practiced bureaucratic protest before, so it will be interesting developing this shrunken muscle of political engagement. I've been able to not focus on the fellowship season by redirecting my energy this way (and other things, like baking ❤).

Congratulations to you too! And your post made me cackle so hard. I'm in the same boat.

I'm not sure! I'm leaning on you @Dilemma1 (edit: & @McGhee, and everyone else) for comfort because I want to be hopeful!

I'm concerned about how Trump's presidency impacts everyone this application season. Senior staff just quit from the Department of State; Trump currently has a hiring freeze for everything but natl security, military and public safety; isolationism stands in stark contrast to the internationalism upon which the program was founded. The good news is Fulbright entities are still congratulating semi-finalists, but that's not warming me at night. Oh, by the way: semi-finalist, research in Germany.

If it's February 1st, count your blessings. I was notified in March as an applicant a couple years ago.

Full disclosure & I'll be frank: learning the language will only reflect positively on you as a scholar and student. Perhaps there are scholarships, but your question is far too general: what field are you, where are you academically, is your pursuit of the degree for working in the country or returning to the US, etc.? Keep re-applying to the DAAD. Apply for a Fulbright. Don't attend graduate study on your own dime if possible, and if you do hopefully you're informed about the returns. Assuming that your 2017-2018 academic season is unfavorable, attend a summer language program, Goethe Institut course. I don't mean to understate the difficulty in learning a language, but you can B1 level in German after Middlebury's intensive language program or good home practice+course-taking. Middlebury provides language study scholarships, too. The time spent looking for English-funded graduate study in Germany could be best spent learning the language. And to try to answer your question, instead of resisting it, perhaps you should re-enroll at your existing college for some complimentary or postgraduate study and attend a study abroad program in Germany. That way you can receive funding from your own school and establish better leads.

Programs that fund their MA students aren't cash cow schools. University of Del treats the financial situation of MA students well. Also look into Tufts University. I attended Boston University for my MA, so if you'd like to chat with me, just let me know. The others I don't know about! If they have a directory, you could e-mail someone at the program. Yep.

Many of the schools at the forefront of program formations of the mid20thc in the Humanities, like sociology, archaeology, African/Asian/Islamic/etc studies programs, have -great- programs for those focusing in what we blanket as "Non-Western" art history programs. Many of thess are, in fact, state schools: UCSB, UTA (Latin/Chicano/a, etc.), University of Michigan, Indiana University, UCB, University of Wisc-Mad, Washington University (German Studies), and the list can actually keep going on. And there are plenty of great private unis like this as well, like Columbia. Many faculty members at well funded universities like Higginbotham @ UV seem to come from such institutions that are accepting more future researchers concerned with identity formation, exclusion, "minority and foreign artists," religious studies, etc. And I would only expect for individuals who have attended a university with a great history of art and target studies program to really put individuals at a better advantage not only for employment, but also networking. "Interdisciplinary," @ its best with complimentary programs and faculty! Anyway, I agree with everyone. If it's a "safety," you really don't want to waste your time or money just going to school because you think you should be in it. Heck, I've heard of some museum interviews where grads who've been cooped up researching and not stepping out into this thing called "world" (... I should start crying) get the can. Grad school is perhaps, a time of divine narcissism (sprinkled with a pleasant personality), and you want to work with who wants to work with you. And being accepted doesn't.. specifically mean that, hence touring the campus and meeting individuals. Best of luck to you.