lkjl2007

Congrats! I guess it wasn't rejections first, then. Still no email on my end...waiting sucks!

I'm so sorry good luck with all of your grad school interviews--you've gotten interviews at some awesome places!

Congrats Molly--I hope I'm right there with you! I heard the notifications come out in the evening.

I didn't see that either! And I have to admit I've been obsessively following the #fulbright tag on twitter.

Apparently there are some issues with my application for the Austria USTA...which I was SO meticulous about! So frustrating that I would find this out today of all days...hopefully it'll be the only Fulbright-related negative of the day.

Congratulations! I hope I'm right there with you with the recommendation, and that we're both ETA-ing in Germany next year!

I had a horrible dream last night that I received an email from the commission saying something along the lines of "We made a mistake, we won't be telling you until the 40th of January". Obviously the 40th doesn't exist, but in the dream it was totally logical (and devastating). I just want to know already!

Everything she said.

You're probably right about the competitive edge--they'll see your German ability right off the bat. I didn't request a specific city or region as I'm honestly open to anywhere, though I loved Vienna and would love to teach there.

I also mailed my application for the Austria USTA. I think I saw somewhere that there were 80 positions available last year, but I can't for the life of me remember where I found that data. I couldn't find out how many people applied, though. I somehow get the feeling that it may be a little less competitive than Germany, simply because it is not an official Fulbright grant (though it's Fulbright funded and we mailed our applications to the commission...but whatever) and thus fewer people know about it or it is viewed as less prestigious. That's just my thoughts, though. @Molly, do you know if there's any kind of initial notification process for Austria? Will they let us know if they received our applications? Or do we just wait until we hear in the spring whether we've gotten it or not? Also, for your resume, did you send an American-style one, or a "Lebenslauf"? I went back and forth about it a lot but ended up sending an American resume since I completed my application and personal statement in English.

It's ok, I didn't realize it until I asked about my Monday hours at work and my boss looked at me incredulously and reminded me about it. Maybe there's a chance we could hear on Tuesday? I don't want to wait any more. If I am a finalist, I don't know how I will wait until potentially JUNE for the final selection...

Given that it is MLK day I'm going to guess not, federal holiday and all.

A friend of mine is in a master's in Critical Theory at the University of Sussex right now on a full grant.

Does that mean all of you have applied for Germany ETA, since you're responding to Molly? I wonder how many of us there were this year. Here's hoping all of us on here get it...I think it'll be an anxious week for me!

I'm currently freaking out at the idea that I could have a decision at any moment (here's hoping it's this Friday) but on the topic of Plan B's, I have a few. I applied for the Austria USTA in addition to the Germany ETA, so I guess that's kind of my back-up, since I just mailed my application yesterday and won't know anything until I'm accepted or denied. Beyond that I'm working with a teacher recruitment/placement firm to find interviews at private/independent schools, and am looking at possibly applying to a few Teaching Fellowship programs in the US at boarding schools and the like...haven't really made up my mind. I may also just take an au pair position in Germany and have another go at applying for the ETA, and also apply to graduate programs (MFA creative writing). Anyone else?

Are there any Germany ETA applicants (or anyone else) also applying for the Austria USTA?

Application is IN! I think the waiting is going to be the worst part.

I'm having the same problem when I try to log on to the website and I'm kind of freaking out--all I have to do is upload my transcript and then I'm ready to submit...so this kink better work itself out.

I am completing final edits on my application for ETA Germany before I submit it (for the first time) to my campus committee. I just read some advice regarding the personal statement and statement of grant purpose that said (among other things): "Avoid explicit statements of religious witness. The Fulbright Commission is a government agency, and cannot take religious affiliation into consideration. Your essay is short; do not waste space including things that the Fulbright Commission is not allowed to consider. " This totally makes sense. However, somewhat integral to my interest in Germany is the experience of modern-day Germany as an American Jew, and wanting part of what I bring back to the US after my experience as an ETA to be an ability to dispel some of the stereotypes and prejudices my community holds about Germany. You know, that whole cross-cultural exchange thing? I'm into it. But now I'm unsure if explaining that (and thus revealing my religious affiliation) is going to help or hurt my application. I discuss it briefly in my statement of grant purpose. Does anyone have any thoughts? Help--it's a bit urgent!

I am applying for ETA Germany, as well as the Fulbright-funded/administered USTA in Austria--since it's not officially part of the ETA program, you can apply for both. I'm not entirely clear on what I'll propose for my non-teaching time--will likely involve further German language study and writing projects, but I feel like I should come up with something more specific and probably more cross-culturally oriented. Anyone else for Germany?