International Fulbrighters Fall2011

[lil kiwi]

It seems the Fulbright system in NZ is a bit different to what everyone else has been posting.

I applied in August and was interviewed in September, found out I was successful soon after.

I was then put in touch with someone at IIE. I had already looked around a little bit at various schools and had a number of programmes I was keen to apply to. My contact at IIE then gave me information about a handful of others for me to consider and we chose a list of 6 from the ones I was interested in. I applied to two others myself.

Along the way, the IIE person has chased up slow responses for me and also passed on any/all acceptance or rejectance information as it came in. I've also been telling her about what's been happening with the applications I sent in so the lines of communication have been good.

I've heard back officially from all of the applications now. She's been super helpful, and made the application process really quite painless.

[Kathiza]

Wow, you were allowed to apply to other programs besides the ones chosen by the IIE?

In my country, IIE chooses 5 programs (4 for Master's applicants) and you are not allowed to apply to any other schools yourself.

[pegasusdi]

Honestly, I now envy how the process works in NZ.

[matilda]

I have to say, I am checking this site like zillion times a day, and it helps when you people share a slight bit of what is going on...that gives me the strength to wait...and not going crazy.

And yeah, I hope that this will all end soon so that I know what is my next move

[LongGone]

I have to say, I am checking this site like zillion times a day, and it helps when you people share a slight bit of what is going on...that gives me the strength to wait...and not going crazy.

And yeah, I hope that this will all end soon so that I know what is my next move

I was so impatient that I wrote to one of the schools :> They replied that they admitted me but are settling the details with IIE. So that means that IIE knows that I have been accepted but they won't inform me until they have all the details. That is frustrating a bit But maybe the same is happening for other people, and we should just wait, in silence and patience...

Edited March 21, 2011 by LongGone

[matilda]

I was so impatient that I wrote to one of the schools :> They replied that they admitted me but are settling the details with IIE. So that means that IIE knows that I have been accepted but they won't inform me until they have all the details. That is frustrating a bit But maybe the same is happening for other people, and we should just wait, in silence and patience...

Well, as I wrote somewhere, it was the same for me...still is, actually. They are bargaining. I know I have to be patient, but when I see all of those " I got accepted".."I got this kinda envelope..."...A little bit of drool must have showed while reading other people's acceptances:(

[jdh]

It seems the Fulbright system in NZ is a bit different to what everyone else has been posting.

I applied in August and was interviewed in September, found out I was successful soon after.

I was then put in touch with someone at IIE. I had already looked around a little bit at various schools and had a number of programmes I was keen to apply to. My contact at IIE then gave me information about a handful of others for me to consider and we chose a list of 6 from the ones I was interested in. I applied to two others myself.

Along the way, the IIE person has chased up slow responses for me and also passed on any/all acceptance or rejectance information as it came in. I've also been telling her about what's been happening with the applications I sent in so the lines of communication have been good.

I've heard back officially from all of the applications now. She's been super helpful, and made the application process really quite painless.

Agreed, it was much the same experience for me (also from NZ). I think I was informed about it late September, and heard from IIE not much more than a fortnight after that. I applied to a few universities as well as having IIE apply to 4 - I've heard back from most of them now (mixed results, as expected). The woman from IIE was quite helpful in recommending places based on funding options - a number of universities give tuition waivers to Fulbright grantees. The cost of tuition is obscene and hence I have no possible way of self-funding an MSc, so she advised me on which would be more likely to grant waivers (as an alternative to an RA/TA). As I've found, it doesn't help to get into a university if they don't tend to give research assistantship positions to Master's students in their first year.

I find it bizarre how the process seems so different elsewhere...

Edited March 24, 2011 by jdh

[Fulbrighter]

Dear All,

I would love to get some feeedback as to which criminal justice policy program should I opt for,I ve been selected by Fulbright for the following PhD progrmas in Public Policy

Northeastern university-Law,justice and society

American University-Law,polic and justice

Florida International university-Public adm. with concentration criminal justcice

Virginia Commonwealth university-same as above

Portland state university-same as above

Would love to get some feedback from Fulbrighter or anyone already in these schools

cheers

[Fulbrighter]

Dear All,

Ive been confirmed that Ive been made a principal candidate from alternative and have secured admission in Portland state univ.,oregon, to which I have to reply by 15th April,However no news from other univ.I would love to get some feeedback as to which criminal justice policy program should I opt for, if am selected by Fulbright for the following PhD progrmas in Public Policy

Northeastern university-Law,justice and society

American University-Law,polic and justice

Florida International university-Public adm. with concentration criminal justcice

Virginia Commonwealth university-same as above

Would love to get some feedback from Fulbrighter or anyone already in these schools,also living and finances wise.Ive heard DC and Boston are quites expenseve,cheers

[1CoriDeHumo]

I have to say, I am checking this site like zillion times a day, and it helps when you people share a slight bit of what is going on...that gives me the strength to wait...and not going crazy.

And yeah, I hope that this will all end soon so that I know what is my next move

International here! A friend told me about this forum and I just registered. It's great that I've found you guys in the same situation. My IIE advisor literally said that I should expect news during Spring (March-April-May? I don't even know when Spring is for her lol!)... What I've heard from the rest of us (7 total in my country for Masters' degree) only 1 has received his acceptance letter, the rest of us are still waiting. Another advisor said the response could come until June! But anyways, I've been doing what the rest of the fulbrighters I've met had recommended: "keeping myself busy". I've been swimming, working few hours, going to the gym and making plans to travel and meet some friends before school.. Getting rid of people who ask a lot of questions and really don't know what we've been going through, had helped me. I remember when I had my interview they asked me if I had any hobbies... That question makes sense now. The answer will come eventually, hopefully it will be positive but if not, I am working on another plan.

[Maankamaanka]

Thanks everyone who has made place warm witg waiting. I cn imagine Fulbright process email/internet on phones! LoL, anyways am very happy with both my IIE and Local fulbright officer. They have done a gret job so far at first b4 I checked out the schools esp. the programs I was nt very keen bt nw am happy. Ofcourse the waitin is killing me, I think patience is the best option. I hav direct link with 2 of the 4 schools bt wont use it until I knw. The only question is r the fulbright told at the same time or as decions are made by IIE? Am frm Zambia and all the best to all.

[beanbagchairs]

Accepted to U-Mich but still cannot afford the school (they offered no tuition waiver of any other means of funding)

I am just curious. Why cant you use your Fulbright scholarship to pay for the tuition at umich? I thought a fulbright scholarship entails full tuition waivers and living stipends. I am not too familiar with Fulbright, sorry for asking banal questions.

[Kathiza]

As far as I know, for most countries Fulbright is a grant with a fixed sum of money. For me it's up to 25,000. But only for one year. So you can use that 25,000 as you want (for tuition if you didn't get a waiver by the university, for living costs etc.) - but for the second and following year(s) you need funding just like any American student needs funding.

Master students can extend their grant and can use a small proportion of their grant sum for the second year. But PhD students can't.

I have the same problem. I got admissions to three schools together with tuition waivers. BUT: What shall I do the second and third year? Also my visa doesn't allow me to work for an employer other than my university. So if they don't give me a job or a stipend that covers the cost of living for years 2 + 3, I can't accept, even though I have the Fulbright....

[remyxomatosis]

it is the same for me, up to 25,000. that is what you get. there are a lot of schools with tution exceeding this amount. however, they told us that with phd studies, you will typically get a waiver after the first year (the way the put it was, if you dont get the waiver they dont want you).

I´m really uneasy now, having been rejected by 2 of my 5 choices, with 3 applications still pending. at least one acceptance would ease my mind a LOT. Anyways, good nerves for all the others waiting out there!

[Kathiza]

it is the same for me, up to 25,000. that is what you get. there are a lot of schools with tution exceeding this amount. however, they told us that with phd studies, you will typically get a waiver after the first year (the way the put it was, if you dont get the waiver they dont want you).

My local Fulbright officer just told me that she heard on a webinar (with over 40 other Fulbright officers from around the world) that the situation this year is worse than it has ever been before. Usually PhD students got fully funded, which means a tuition waiver + a stipend to cover all costs of living. This year they see many offers without funding or without sufficient funding (i.e. only a tuition waiver without a stipend or a TA/RAship to cover living expenses). Endowment at private universities has decreased by 93 % (!!!) and public universities have been facing budget cuts for some time now.

Did anyone of you got more funding than a tuition waiver? I didn't and it really makes me question if I can afford to study in the U.S. I have the Fulbright grant to cover for my living expenses in the first year, but what about years 2 + 3 (+4, depending on the program)? It's really sad... I'll have to do a lot of thinking until April 15, unless some great offer from the two schools that didn't announce admissions or funding info yet comes in... Keep your fingers crossed for me, please ;-)

[Annette]

Well, as I said earlier, we are barely told anything by IIE, so I don't know if there is a fixed amount of money for each student, but some people in my country have already started to receive final offers from them, and some got into CMU, UC, Fordham, which I gather are all quite pricey, and they have everything covered, there's even a possibility to arrive a couple of months earlier to attend some English courses, which are also paid for. That's why I'd like to believe there's still hope for me to get a decent offer But of course I'm a master, so I don't have to think about staying for the 3rd and 4th year.

Kathiza, I hope everything works out for you as well!

[beanbagchairs]

Thanks for the explanation. Here's hoping that ALL of you get a great funding package .

[matilda]

It si April...whn will we get the chance to know something? This whole "I got accepted" from US students is making me nervous, and I am kinda tired and anxious from all this waiting process ....

[artzkiv]

It si April...whn will we get the chance to know something? This whole "I got accepted" from US students is making me nervous, and I am kinda tired and anxious from all this waiting process ....

yeah... tell me about it

[Annette]

Just got an offer from IIE to go to UMass, now I have some serious thinking to do...

[matilda]

Just got an offer from IIE to go to UMass, now I have some serious thinking to do...

dear Annette, could you please provides us with some details, where are you from, and about your program? Did you get it by e-mail or mail?

[Annette]

dear Annette, could you please provides us with some details, where are you from, and about your program? Did you get it by e-mail or mail?

I'm from Russia, semi-finalist for the foreign Fulbright Graduate Program. I got an e-mail from the local Fulbright coordinator who forwarded me information from IIE and some additional information about what to do if I decide to accept or reject the offer.

[matilda]

That is some great news Anette! I think that you are the first one that got an actual offer on the forum. All of the others didn't get and official e-mail...at least I think not.

[Annette]

That is some great news Anette! I think that you are the first one that got an actual offer on the forum. All of the others didn't get and official e-mail...at least I think not.

Thank you, but it is not such a great news for me, because I don't really want to go to this school, I've read several articles in Boston Globe saying it's really bad and also many negative reviews from students. So I'm still in doubt whether to accept

[matilda]

Thank you, but it is not such a great news for me, because I don't really want to go to this school, I've read several articles in Boston Globe saying it's really bad and also many negative reviews from students. So I'm still in doubt whether to accept

When is your deadline to decide? Did they tell you anything on medical clearance? UMass is a great place to be! You might be surprised of the program.

Did you have any word to say which school would be your top-choice? Or IIE and your local Fulbright coordinator chose for you? I am not acquainted with the whole Fulbright process in Russia...