RusPNI

Good luck, Belafish! You have more self-control than I!

Thank you! Good luck to you! In case someone feels like updating the spreadsheet, some missing info is that I am a graduate student in neuroscience.

Look out fellow Russia applicants. I'm a full grant winner! I found out 13 minutes ago by email. It feels so good! I have been planning this for literally 5 years.

As a Russia full applicant, I have not received a save the date email. I was worried about this, but then I found out that there is no DC orientation for the Russia Full grant. So...there is no date to be saved.

It does suck. I really need to know to make plans for the Summer. I am supposed to collecting data for a PhD thesis and I cannot make plans if I don't know where I will be for a year.

Fellow Russia applicants, I just got a response from Rachel Holskin. Her best guess is another one or two weeks for notification.

[quote name='belafish' timestamp='1333209464' post='1057836584' "A virtual Pre-Departure Orientation for U.S. Fulbright Scholars and Students selected to receive grants will be made available later this spring via a U.S. Department of State website. Selected scholars will be notified via email when the Website is available" http://www.cies.org/...rs/orientation/

Thanks, Pelevinfan! I am just wondering what goes on at these FSB meetings...They are probably more mundane than I imagine.

I actually am busy enough that I don't think about the Fulbright toooo much. But my boss, family, and friends constantly asking me about the results drives me bananas. As if I wouldn't post on facebook the following: AAOOOOOOOGA! FUUUUULBRIGHT WINNA!!!!!!!!!

I got intermediate/advanced Russian. There are institutes in Vladimir, Ufa, and Kazan. I guess I am hoping for Kazan because it is in Tatarstan. I would happy at any of the three locations since I have not spent time in any of the three cities. It all might be moot, as it is looking like I will have to decline.

I had my telephone interview for the Russian Research Fellowship. I am pleased by how it went, but it's amazing how short it was. I suppose they do have a lot of candidates to evaluate. Now for 2 more months of waiting - just glad that there is nothing more I can do until then. There is no hurdle to prepare for.

What do the Fulbright advisors do now? Mine has been mum since I submitted an application. Is that normal? (I'm recommended for Russia)

Did anyone else read "In the meantime, it is important that you advise us immediately if there are factors that could preclude your accepting the grant," as "please give us a reason to reject you so that our job can be easier?"

Woohoo! Recommended for a full grant to Russia! I am amused that my application will be forwarded to the FSB. Apparently the FSB is the Foreign Scholarship Board. They are not to be confused with the Federal Security Bureau, the modern version of the dreaded KGB.

"Only" 50%?! 50% is a very high chance in the world of grant applications. I can't say that I can forget about the Fulbright application. I have had to make plans based on the assumption that I will receive the fellowship. I am in graduate school, and my mentor needs to know whether I plan to be gone for a year or not.

This process takes soooooo long. I guess it's understandable since there are so many "moving parts." I don't really like that my campus advisor will know before I do either. Oh well, this still is not as nerve-wracking as waiting for the results of my qualification exam. My job was on the line then.

Thanks, Franzis. I have different career goals in mind, but I your point about framing this in terms of the long-term is well taken. Apparently, my monetary support from the department runs out about the same time as the language program would begin. That may be convenient after all...

Heh. Well, it's very high pressure in research science. College programs want you to graduate as soon as possible, principal investigators pay your salary and expect you to be available to them. My advisor is among the most understanding. Most science researchers would not even entertain the thought of such fancy as learning a foreign language in the middle of your graduate "career."

So I made it past the first round for the Critical Languages Scholarship in Russian for 8 weeks of government-funded study in Russia during the Summer. I am doubtful my graduate advisor (I am in research science) would let me go. Does anyone have any tips to persuade her? I don't think I am generally a persuasive person and could use some help.

I get the Fulbright Program's facebook updates. Today they posted that they will have some "exciting news" for us tomorrow. Not cool. It had be better that everyone who applied for a Fulbright, gets one. "Fulbrights for eeeeeeverryone!"

You have a right to complain. That's very annoying. Unfortunately, you might as well complain to Congress because they set the budgets. I had a hard time understanding how the Fulbright and the CLEA work together for Russia. Russia seems to be a special case (you must do language training concurrently with the Fulbright) because of visa idiosyncrasies.

I would be working on a project involving the immune system's effects on the brain in a model of early life stress. I also want to look in the laboratory's archives to study the history of the research in the field. I chose Russia, because there in other choice! I studied Russian in college, and lived in St. Petersburg for about 8 months. It's a lovely city, and I desperately want to return. I'd also love some more time to travel around Eurasia after the end of the fellowship. Relatedly, does anyone know about extending the Fulbright fellowship? I suppose it's rarely allowed, but under what circumstances is it allowed? Russia, may have its own complications because of visa regulations... Belafish, I have not been to Kazan. But I have heard many good things about Tatarstan from otherwise skeptical people. Are you worried about any political sensitivities from the Russians about your proposal?

I am! I had been trying to put together an application for several years, but could never find a letter of affiliation until now. I am applying for the research fellowship, in biology. This process takes way too long, and I imagine that's part of why Fulbright has trouble recruiting applicants in the sciences. Belafish, which city do you expect to be placed in? I expect to be in St. Petersburg!

It's worth remembering this when you go the ballot box: President Obama and fellow Democrats are trying to save Fulbright from catastrophic cuts that the Republican House wants so badly. If you think it cannot happen, you would be wrong. The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Awards were COMPLETELY canceled this year because of cuts initiated by Republicans in the House.

Hello, friends and competitors. I am applying for a full grant to Russia in the natural sciences. The Fulbright application is very challenging and difficult to complete. I have been trying for several years to put together a complete application, but this year is my year. I finally have a letter of affiliation. I learned from Rachel Holskin that the length of the grant is strictly ten months and begins in September. Apparently visa regulations make for inflexible dates. Once question I have been afraid to ask: how much is the stipend for Russia. Yes, I know it varies depending on the location within Russia. Can anyone ballpark it? Good luck to everyone, and thank your lucky stars that Fulbright funding is still intact. The poor Title VIII applicants were hung completely out to dry this year by Congress. Not a single applicant will be funded.