Fullbrighting It

[downrabbithole]

Hey all,

I was accepted to two foreign institutions that I am very interested in attending for a PhD program. I spoke with the advisers, and we've decided it's best for me to, instead do an MA program and then go on to the PhD program. I'm planning to do that and then would like to enter in the fall of 2012 as a PhD candidate. I know deadlines are something like a year in advance, but do I have to have already been formally accepted by the school to apply? I don't mind reapplying, however I haven't really ironed out my dissertation, which I'm planning to do during my MA year. Is it possible to apply to Fullbright without having been unconditionally accepted to the school's PhD program? I was accepted conditionally for 2011, but, as I said, my dissertation wasn't ready and we're pushing it back a year.