Kexin Renlei

I just received what looks like the "stand by for cash" email and I think I might throw up.

OOF! That would leave only 2 weeks to revise and resubmit! Please don't be that way, Wenner-Gren.

Just got promoted! Back in May I was made an alternate for a full grant to Zambia, and two months later I get the good news. Better late than never I guess! Wow! So excited!

Got promoted to conduct research in Trinidad! Dreams do come true! Yuuuup.

Fulbright alternates, take heart! After suspension for a year, the Fulbright-Hays doctoral dissertation research grant was reinstated May 15, due June 14, for announcement soon thereafter, grants to begin as early as October. Many, many PhD student Fulbright awardees should be currently applying for this, as it provides more financial support than the Fulbright. Don't give up before Fulbright-Hays awards are announced!

Fulbright alternates, take heart! After suspension for a year, the Fulbright-Hays doctoral dissertation research grant was reinstated May 15, due June 14, for announcement soon thereafter, grants to begin as early as October. Many, many PhD student Fulbright awardees should be currently applying for this, as it provides more financial support than the Fulbright. Don't give up before Fulbright-Hays awards are announced!

Fulbright alternates, take heart! After suspension for a year, the Fulbright-Hays doctoral dissertation research grant was reinstated May 15, due June 14, for announcement soon thereafter, grants to begin as early as October. Many, many PhD student Fulbright awardees should be currently applying for this, as it provides more financial support than the Fulbright. Don't give up before Fulbright-Hays awards are announced!

Sounds like all this waiting drove you crazy.

I applied for the 2011-2012 cycle and did not even get selected as a finalist, and this year received the full grant. During the year, I wrote other grant applications as well and did more background reading so my project changed dramatically, so my 2012-2013 was a completely new proposal. I also switched the country I was applying for (which I understand not many people can do) but since my project has a transnational focus I was able to do that. The best feedback I got were from the two professors that interviewed me at my university the first time around. They told me what worked in my first application, and what needed work. Additionally, what i think made my application stronger the second time around was I made personal contact with my host institution(s) (i had two the second time around instead of one) and they wrote me very personal letters of affiliation, which I think made a big difference. I first made contact in July, and asked them for letters at the end of August, so they really knew me and my project by the time they were writing in support of my application. I also started the application in June and had numerous people read it and tweak it before the September deadline. The first year, I must admit, was much more rushed. I hope this helps!!!

Full grant to China! Am I correct that this is the first year notification has come by email rather than snail mail? Definitely an improvement, and all the more pleasant when you're not expecting it at all!

I've never created a facebook page in my life but I nominate one of you young whippersnappers to create one and post it here!

What a relief - looks like I get to finish my PhD without taking loans out after all! Thanks, everyone on this forum - even when you all didn't even know it, you were all there for me during the nail-biting and the soul searching.

Full grant to China! Am I correct that this is the first year notification has come by email rather than snail mail? Definitely an improvement, and all the more pleasant when you're not expecting it at all!

I've never created a facebook page in my life but I nominate one of you young whippersnappers to create one and post it here!

What a relief - looks like I get to finish my PhD without taking loans out after all! Thanks, everyone on this forum - even when you all didn't even know it, you were all there for me during the nail-biting and the soul searching.

Just received an acceptance email from Theresa Granza to China (finally!!).

Thanks to everyone on this forum for making the wait bearable... and good luck to those still waiting for notifications!

If you pass your medical review now, but then deteriorating health conditions make you unable to leave for your grant period, there is nothing anyone can do to fault you for it. Mental health IS health! You wouldn't be declining the award, but you would be categorizing yourself as ineligible due to a health condition that arose.

If you've already booked your travel before you decide to decline, I'd guess you'd have to work out with the airline how to cancel the ticket and I would also guess that Fulbright wouldn't refund you any amount that you lose from cancelling the ticket. (I don't know for sure.)

Have you thought about asking Fulbright to push back your grant period? I know some people have succeeded in beginning their grants several months late, say in January instead of September.

It sounds like you know what you need to get better, and that's really commendable. It's hard to be away from a support system and in a foreign country, especially while fighting depression. I hope you're healthy enough to leave in September. Best wishes!

FWIW, I don't think there's any financial or legal obligation if you never leave the country. Especially if the reason has to do with health issues of any kind. In the alternate e-mail it said people often officially accept the award and then turn it down for a host of reasons, leaving a spot open for an alternate, so I'm sure its come up before. Besides, I can't see them forcing someone who doesn't feel well to uproot their lives and move to a foreign country for a year.

lol. it just goes to show how dependent we've become on the support. the camaraderie is comforting in times of growing impatience!

Found out on Thursday morning-- I was promoted from alternate (Germany) to full ETA!

FULBRIGHT FULL GRANT SCHOLAR!!!! Togo, West Africa (next to Ghana!)

Principle for a full grant to Kenya! The wait is finally over....

Good luck to the rest of you!!

Don't worry, Kexin, I know how you feel! The Baltics are about a week past their notification dates from 2011 and 2010, and I just can't imagine what is taking them so long!

Thanks oa0176! Maybe I am look for consolation more than advice. I really wanted to go Turkey and I also was looking forward being part of the Fulbright community. In any case, I think I did make the right choice since I have also been working towards a job with the Park Service for many years.

I got the full grant to Kyrgyzstan.

My heart is beating so fast. There is a tiny pocket of joy in Cubicle-land today. I literally cannot believe it. I keep checking the email to make sure it's real.

(Thanks to whomever updates the spreadsheet -- I'm KyrgyzRepublicApplicant.)

For all the China Fulbrighters still waiting (which is all of the China Fulbrighters), I received this today from the folks in Beijing:

Unfortunately we still don’t know when notifications will go out. Understand that it is difficult to wait, but appreciate your patience.

One of the handbooks linked earlier indicated that people with medical conditions requiring prescriptions should bring more than what the expect to need during the course of their time abroad. So it is certainly not the case that they sweepingly disapprove anyone requiring prescription medication from getting medical clearance. I also strongly believe that ADHD would not be grounds for withdrawing a Fulbright offer. Email your program manager! I feel confident that they'll put your mind at ease about this issue.

I have good information that the IEE is in direct talks with none other than Oprah Winfrey. I believe the talks are culminating into a statement that should end up with something like the following:







/meh

ACCEPTED FOR ARMENIA ETA!!!!!!!!! :D :D Email came at 6:18am Pacific time (yay Oregon!)

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! I am rooting for each and every one of you! Thanks for the AMAZING support the past few months...knowing we were all on this together made a big impact. And definitely PM me if you're in the area and wanna swap contact info!!