Fulbright 2012-2013

[travellite]

Hi all, just got the dreaded rejection email from Rachel. Definitely disappointed but also annoyed because of the numerous spelling and grammar mistakes in the email...haha. Best of luck to the rest of you, hope your news is better than mine!

Hey me too!

I'm officially UK Rejected. Holla.

Honestely, I was surprised I even made it past the first round for the UK. I applied At-Large, have been out of school for 9 years, and took one weekend to pull my application together. I am glad to finally know what's what, the waiting has been arduous, and will move forward with a plan B tbc. This forum (although it has been slightly anxiety provoking), has been really really helpful in a strange addictive refreshing email insanity kind of way. It's great hear everyone's perspectives, and to know you're not wandering alone in Fulbright wonder wonderland.

I can't say it feels entirely good, as my Ego is saying, yes see...you are stupid...you didn't even get selected for a Fulbright grant. It's a super ridiculous thought, as I do not think that about any of you recommended folks that have been not selected.

I applied, naively, to 6 PhD programs 2 years ago in an unrelated field, and got totally rejected all around. I was pretty depressed after that happened, and felt really really stuck, and questioned so much. But, in the end, I was happy, especially after seeing and living with close friends holed up, writing, and hating life in a similar field....It wasn't the track wasn't for me, clearly.

It's seems like academia is full of rejection letters, lighting the way to a really right path. Honeybunches, I really appreciate your perspective, and it's good to know you can always reapply for a Fulbright without having a red dot next to your name. And the best thing any of us can do is pick up and continue to walk forward.

Good luck to everyone out there!!!

Edited March 15, 2012 by travellite

[gcf34]

Can someone repost the link to the spreadsheet where notification dates from past years were listed? I was recommended for a research grant to Argentina and am reeeeeally antsy about hearing back.

Congrats to everyone who's been accepted so far, and for those who were rejected - you're still amazing for getting this far and I KNOW y'all will go on to do fantastic work.

[snowblossom2]

It's seems like academia is full of rejection letters, lighting the way to a really right path. Honeybunches, I really appreciate your perspective, and it's good to know you can always reapply for a Fulbright without having a red dot next to your name. And the best thing any of us can do is pick up and continue to walk forward.

Although I'm only a fourth year grad student, I have to say this is exactly what academia is like! Getting journal rejection after journal rejection can be heartbreaking (I cried the first time! lol) but this is the field I chose so I just need to build a thicker skin

Edited because "and" is not the same as "after"

Edited March 15, 2012 by snowblossom2

[Gardens]

I was rejected tonight as well. My sympathies to everyone who's in the same position. Good luck to all those who are still waiting.

[kgba]

It's not that Portugal isn't "popular", it's that there are only 5 grants to Portugal compared to 230 total to Germany or however many to the UK. I'm applying to Latvia (4 grants, hopefully!) and haven't seen another applicant on here for there either (but there is another Baltic applicant).

We're just applying to small countries with few grants (but also smaller applicant pools).

Yeah, you don't have to worry about host country time. The US either has or doesn't have the results by now. It seems like most of the emails are coming in the afternoon, right? Or maybe people just have the patience to not check them all day... or busy schedules. Not to mention, I don't think I will be finding out for a month.

Stay strong, Biz, I'm right there with you!

As far as recent news is concerned I can only echo the words of others: getting this far alone speaks volumes. Don't let anything take the hard work you've put in to make it to this point away from you. Good luck to all in your current and future endeavors!

[kbui]

I was rejected tonight as well. My sympathies to everyone who's in the same position. Good luck to all those who are still waiting.

I'm sorry to hear that... What country and grant did you apply for?

[redArcher]

For the Fulbright applicants to Indonesia - I just stumbled upon some information that made me happy and a little bit more confident about getting the award. Apparently, 40 to 50 ETA grants will be awarded instead of 35 (as stated on the main US website for Fulbright). Also, the start/end date for the grant is mentioned: 5 August 2012 to 13 May 2013, which is great to know since I mentioned in my work contract that I would leave early should I get the Fulbright (I was very optimistic!) if the dates overlapped (which they do, I end on 18 Aug...).

Here is the link: http://www.aminef.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=2&id=54.

I hope we find out soon and again, good luck! :-)

Also, why I am up at 521AM - roosters...

[Srunner]

The stress is getting to me. I've been up since 3!

[magiaepasta]

Honeybunches, travellite, and Gardens, thank you for all your kind words! I feel much better knowing that rejection is just part of the business and perserverance is really the key. I am sure you will all achieve great success in your fields and I wish you (and everyone else on the forum) the best in all your endeavors

[mkt123]

For the Fulbright applicants to Indonesia - I just stumbled upon some information that made me happy and a little bit more confident about getting the award. Apparently, 40 to 50 ETA grants will be awarded instead of 35 (as stated on the main US website for Fulbright). Also, the start/end date for the grant is mentioned: 5 August 2012 to 13 May 2013, which is great to know since I mentioned in my work contract that I would leave early should I get the Fulbright (I was very optimistic!) if the dates overlapped (which they do, I end on 18 Aug...).

Here is the link: http://www.aminef.or...e&catid=2&id=54.

I hope we find out soon and again, good luck! :-)

Also, why I am up at 521AM - roosters...

this is great news, you're a real detective my friend!

[KMJE89]

Hallo jeder! Also applying for Germany ETA. What if "relatively soon" means tomorrow and they're all sitting in their comfy offices cackling evilly?

Also, does anyone know about ETA placement? Do they stick close to what you request?

My school has had quite a number of Germany ETAs over the past few years, and for the most part they received 1 of their top 3 choices, but not always. All but one ETA in the past ~10 years from my school loved their placement. The other just had mixed feelings because the town was so small and the school never had a Fulbright ETA before.

[StephanieJ]

Hey guys...a friend just told me about this site and it's awesome.

I'm waiting to hear back about an ETA in Poland. So happy to know I'm not alone in this wait. I'm going CRAZY.

[Pantat]

For the Fulbright applicants to Indonesia - I just stumbled upon some information that made me happy and a little bit more confident about getting the award. Apparently, 40 to 50 ETA grants will be awarded instead of 35 (as stated on the main US website for Fulbright). Also, the start/end date for the grant is mentioned: 5 August 2012 to 13 May 2013, which is great to know since I mentioned in my work contract that I would leave early should I get the Fulbright (I was very optimistic!) if the dates overlapped (which they do, I end on 18 Aug...).

Here is the link: http://www.aminef.or...e&catid=2&id=54.

I hope we find out soon and again, good luck! :-)

Also, why I am up at 521AM - roosters...

This is awesome! My parents are both from Indonesia and were happy to at least figure out the possible cities for the ETAs. Still waiting patiently!

[bdoll]

This is awesome! My parents are both from Indonesia and were happy to at least figure out the possible cities for the ETAs. Still waiting patiently!

I am still laughing a little over "Pontianak" in West Kalimantan. That is worse than Kuching in Malaysia, I think.

(for non-Indonesian/Malay speakers "Pontianak" is something loosely translated like "the zombie vampire of a woman who died while pregnant". Kuching just means "cat")

[twobitrye]

Sometimes I wonder why I keep refreshing this forum when Jordan historically doesn't send out award notifications until MAY.

Either way, congratulations to all those who have received the good news.

[TPliske8711]

Man, Jordan! Do you have any fears what with what is going on in Syria? Any chance of things erupting in Jordan as well?

[rtlc06]

Sometimes I wonder why I keep refreshing this forum when Jordan historically doesn't send out award notifications until MAY.

Either way, congratulations to all those who have received the good news.

Haha - I know how you feel! I keep doing the same thing, even though I know that the Dominican Republic hasn't sent out letters until 3/25 at the EARLIEST and 4/27 at the latest. The wait is KILLING me, especially since I've been rejected for every other grant I've applied for. Oh, and did I mention that I didn't even get an interview for the most recent job I've applied for? Grad school is DEFINITELY an exercise in how to deal with rejection!!

[twobitrye]

Man, Jordan! Do you have any fears what with what is going on in Syria? Any chance of things erupting in Jordan as well?

Sure, there's always a chance. But compared to the rest of the region, Jordan has seemingly figured out a way to keep things quiet. I'd actually like to be there in a time of moderate unrest (though certainly not if it was on the scale of what is happening in Syria). My first choice was the West Bank ETA, but that got shut down last summer before the applications were even due. My biggest concern is what considerable unrest would do to the Fulbright program, as it doesn't seem like it continues to operate in unstable countries.

[Molly Rowland]

I doubt we'll receive word today ;( Maybe next week??? Argh....

[TPliske8711]

Yea, I had considered applying for a number of programs to take me to the Occupied Territories, but they are difficult to get, poorly funded and few and far between. I'm considering Birthright Unplugged (the counter-Birthright program) but you kind of have to put up pay for yourself for that. Still, though, best of luck. The Mid-East is definitely more exotic than where I applied, Germany.

[Molly Rowland]

How many ETA Germany finalists were there and what percentage do they actually take?

[KMJE89]

I doubt we'll receive word today ;( Maybe next week??? Argh....

I doubt we'll hear today too. I E-mailed Cara Doble just to see if she was still out of the office and sure enough I received the automated "out of the office on leave" response. I am also guessing she receives a lot of E-mails asking when we will find out because the E-mail included this:

"Please note: for 2012-13 applicants, notifications regarding selections will be made once IIE receives the following: 1) Country Decisions, 2) Budget confirmations and 3) Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (http://exchanges.state.gov/academicexchanges/fulbright/ffsb.html) approvals. The notification time for each country worldwide varies and can extend through April. We rely on your patience during this grant decision time."

How many ETA Germany finalists were there and what percentage do they actually take?

I wish we knew this sort of information!

[couscous90]

So... Finally after following this thread maniacally for months, I've decided to post! I kind of felt like I was going to jinx myself or something when posting here (like the Gods would shun me for even discussing Fulbright and not leaving it up to fate, I don't know, I'm paranoid...)

I've been recommended for a full grant to Morocco. Glad to see another MENA hopeful checking the forum knowing that our decisions still won't come out for a while. I finally broke down and e-mailed Jermaine for a timeline as to when Morocco candidates would find out (as if I didn't already have an idea from the spreadsheet... ) earlier this month, because I got accepted to an Arabic language fellowship in Qatar and wanted to see how all of my options would pan out. But of course, the time frame to find out about Morocco is mid-March to mid-April... And I have to respond to the Qatar program today. It'll be a no. I just feel like waiting for an answer from Fulbright is much more worth it than saying yes to a program because I'm too anxious about the next step in my life. SIIIIIGHHHH.... Oh Fulbright...

Sometimes I wonder why I keep refreshing this forum when Jordan historically doesn't send out award notifications until MAY.

Either way, congratulations to all those who have received the good news.

[tailoredbakk]

How many ETA Germany finalists were there and what percentage do they actually take?

I asked my advisor this a while back and scoured the internet; what I found was basically they take either a little over or under double the amount of spots. Aren't there around 140? If so then I believe 280 were recommended, so 50% chance! (While this info could be a shot in the dark, it's nice to have some figure to go off of!) GOOD LUCK! I'm tweaking out about this... I hope the email gets sent out today.

Edited March 16, 2012 by tailoredbakk

[HOBBS]

Well I got the email this morning. I am accepted as an ETA to Colombia. Exciting and frightening and eveything in between!