Fulbright 2013-2014

[onelife]

Sorry if someone already answered this (takes forever to scroll down and see) but yes, it means you weren't recommended for further consideration of the actual Fulbright. But don't get too down on yourself--there are only a couple of "actual Fulbright ETAs" in France, and TONS of TAPIF grants (what you were recommended for). The program is essentially the same, it's just that the funding comes from a different source.

 

Best of luck for selection!

 

IKJl2007-- Than you for the reply and the wishes. It is really appreciated. 

[mbc262011]

Found out on Friday, but havent had a chance to post until today. Moved on to the next round for Mexico. I know Im supposed to have a Skype interview with Mexican officials some time in Feb. I have no idea how to prepare or what they will ask me. Anybody have advice? or know where I should look? Thanks.

[ladybarbaratic]

Well, I got the e-mail the other day outlining my rejection.. I was really bummed about it, and the worse part was that friends and family kept asking me about it on a daily basis (Everyone was really excited and supportive of it for me). ETA Morocco.

 

In my case, things probably turned out the right way. It took several days, and a lot of depressive thinking, but that's what I think now. My heart, honestly, was not 100% into the project. There were other countries I wanted to apply to more, and I chose something that made sense on paper versus something that carried in me a driving passion.

 

I decided that I am going to try again next year. My number one most elusive and wonderful desire is to go to Kazakhstan, but I do not have research or college experience in the country. I have an almost equal love for Mexico, as well as the linguistic background and the research to back it up.

 

A few questions for y'all (Let me know if this is an inappropriate place..I've just seen other questions on this thread): Is having a lot of ESL experience a bad thing? Like I've been an assistant before, and am currently teaching my own class - albeit for a non-profit. Will this hurt a future application?

 

My 2nd question concerns my longing to be an ETA in Kazakhstan (and my lack of confidence to apply there). My background is in education, language and teaching - all relevant for the gig - but I do not speak Russian or Kazakh. I started doing the U of A Critical Language Program online for Kazakh to learn the language. Let's say I keep doing that, and take a year worth of non-university Russian courses (or Uni if they'll let me). Will that be enough? Should I write independent research, volunteer, do something else?

 

My 3rd and final question (I appreciate the reading, or the polite passing): Bearing in mind I know this is a Grad forum, but have any of you applied for a full grant and been successful with only a BA? Is it highly uncommon?

 

Thank you for the time and Hello, hello from crowded Austin, TX.

[lls11]

Hola everyone. 

Applied to China for research, recommended. Woo!

 

Now my question to China applicants - who else proposed to do research related to an "ethnic minority"? I am curious to hear if anyone else was conflicted in writing the statement, since it's hard not to write about sinification of, say, Inner Mongolians without being negative towards the government, which in turn seems like a surefire way to get disqualified. It woud be interesting to hear how those intending to work with Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mosuo or whatever handled that thorny side of the China application. They do have a history of blacklisting researchers for writing critically about Tibet, Xinjiang, etc, after all. 

 

Furthermore, if anyone as an idea of trends in what kind of projects they like to choose, please share.

 

Hi there,

I applied to China too. My proposal is not related to ethnic minority groups, but it is related to a topic which could be construed as sensitive. I do understand where you are coming from-- sometimes the most interesting topics are the "sensitive" ones. I searched for info about this sort of issue a lot and found some useful information:

 

1) This is probably more directly relevant to you than it was to me-- an interview with a Fulbrighter who studied in Xinjiang:

 

2) Here is an old newsletter which goes into some detail about pitfalls for applications to China (note #2 "Feasibility")

http://newsletter.fulbrightonline.org/151.html

 

Lastly, many Chinese academics have come across the same concerns, perhaps even moreso for them as they are directly "in the system", as one might say. Learning how to conduct your research in a way that won't ignite sensitivities, while still producing meaningful work, is a really useful skill in China and the Fulbright proposal writing process is just the first part of that. I found it helpful to talk to professors who had studied in China as well as visiting scholars from China at my university to pick their brains about their experiences.

 

Of course, there's not much point in hemming and hawwing over these issues now, but I do empathize with the desire to! All we can do is wait and hope for the best

[Porshyen]

Well, I got the e-mail the other day outlining my rejection.. I was really bummed about it, and the worse part was that friends and family kept asking me about it on a daily basis (Everyone was really excited and supportive of it for me). ETA Morocco.

 

 

My 2nd question concerns my longing to be an ETA in Kazakhstan (and my lack of confidence to apply there). My background is in education, language and teaching - all relevant for the gig - but I do not speak Russian or Kazakh. I started doing the U of A Critical Language Program online for Kazakh to learn the language. Let's say I keep doing that, and take a year worth of non-university Russian courses (or Uni if they'll let me). Will that be enough? Should I write independent research, volunteer, do something else?

I am sorry to hear that! 

 

I have a friend who applied to Kazakhstan this year as an ETA.  However, I don't know if he has made it past the first round.  I would say learning Russian and Kazakh would be a plus, for sure.  I don't know if that will be the aspect of an application that will make or break you for getting the ETA, it all depends on what kind of experience and credentials you and your competitors/applicants have in any given year.  With regards to doing independent research and or volunteering - do what your heart feels it should do.  If you can show that you have a passion for the region and can perhaps explain that this opportunity in Kazakhstan specifically can help you in a future career, it will go a long way.  I don't know if this answers your question very well. Best of luck!

Edited January 22, 2013 by Porshyen

[secretlyismaili]

I applied to China too. My proposal is not related to ethnic minority groups, but it is related to a topic which could be construed as sensitive. I do understand where you are coming from-- sometimes the most interesting topics are the "sensitive" ones.

Thanks a lot for the response and for the video link. This is something that I would guess is an important factor in a lot of countries (especially ones with multiple "nations" like Turkey, Russia, the 'Stans, etc, or places with controversial environmental policies, or any number of things), and the Fulbright committees here in the States probably wrestles with the idea of having to accommodate other countries' national narratives, policies, and fears. For me one of the interesting things in reading Chinese scholarship about Chinese Islam has been like you said - the authors routinely demonstrate a way of understanding race and geography that represents a state story, but you can still tell sometimes that they are aware of the constraints and resentful of them. I think the "feasibility" section you point to is really important, since I've heard it can be a real problem getting unfiltered information which I totally agree is where the more interesting projects are, and maybe what is unspoken in all the paperwork is the fact that the researcher should use her/his own ingenuity to acquire information by means that might best be left out of an application going before the China review board. In that video, it's interesting to see how the woman's research focuses on an aspect of Uyghur culture that has been actively promoted by the state as an emblem of ethnicity in order to make it clearer that they are non-central - many of the "56 minorities" recently are the proud owners of these costume-y dance traditions that are performed in the diorama-like picturesque ethnic villages in Xinjiang set up for visitors. It would be cool to hear how she dealt with that.

I wish you all the best! I hope we will both end up at the orientation session.

[kbui]

I'm going to have a heart attack!!! Why don't my FPA or Fulbright just tell me the results?!?!

[moregraceful]

A few questions for y'all (Let me know if this is an inappropriate place..I've just seen other questions on this thread): Is having a lot of ESL experience a bad thing? Like I've been an assistant before, and am currently teaching my own class - albeit for a non-profit. Will this hurt a future application?

 

My 2nd question concerns my longing to be an ETA in Kazakhstan (and my lack of confidence to apply there). My background is in education, language and teaching - all relevant for the gig - but I do not speak Russian or Kazakh. I started doing the U of A Critical Language Program online for Kazakh to learn the language. Let's say I keep doing that, and take a year worth of non-university Russian courses (or Uni if they'll let me). Will that be enough? Should I write independent research, volunteer, do something else?

 

My 3rd and final question (I appreciate the reading, or the polite passing): Bearing in mind I know this is a Grad forum, but have any of you applied for a full grant and been successful with only a BA? Is it highly uncommon?

 

Sorry to hear about the rejection. I'll try to answer your questions for you.:

 

1. I do not think there is such a thing as having too much experience, but it might depend country to country. You might want to be wary of applying to a country that says: "No teaching experience is necessary" on their application. Sometimes they're looking for bright students with a passion for the country more than teachers with a great resume. But having teaching experience will probably never hurt your application, and I can only believe that it will prove beneficial during the application process.

 

2. I would take at least a year of Russian/Kazakh. (I looked it up and it says you need 1100 hours/44 weeks of study it to become proficient at Russian. Could not find Kazakh.) If you're proficient in one, having ANY extra abilities in the other will look awesome on your application. The Fulbright committee knows that you'll become near fluent in the language after spending a year in that country so don't worry about taking five years of study to become an advanced speaker. It also never hurts to volunteer/ do research, but I can't say which of these should be prioritized. 

 

3. The Fulbright committee likes to see a diversity of academic levels on their applications. This is especially true for ETAs. Another thing to look for on the country description is something like: "Applicants should be graduating seniors..." if you want to know if that country has a particular preference for BAs/MAs/etc. 

 

[Books2readme]

@Kbui, I know you must feel extremely stressed. The holiday is over; they should get back to work it should not take long now. 

Edited January 22, 2013 by Books2readme

[kbui]

:\ Not recommended.

 

I can't tell if I'm fast to accept this, or that I'm too shocked to really grasp what this means.

[Porshyen]

:\ Not recommended.

 

I can't tell if I'm fast to accept this, or that I'm too shocked to really grasp what this means.

 I am sorry to hear that! I was rooting for you! Best of luck in your other endeavors! 

[Porshyen]

I have a question that I hope somebody here can answer.

 

When I was writing my Fulbright essays, I mentioned that I would be taking a class in teaching English as a foreign language based on information given on my university's website.  Well, it turns out, that the university isn't offering that course in the spring! It is offering a similar course (I think!) called History and Structure of the English Language for Teachers that I could take - however, my schedule is already pretty full.  I wonder if I sent in my official transcript to Fulbright and it showed that for my courses in progress that I wasn't taking a related course if it would be detrimental? I emphasized my creative writing skills in my essay and how I wanted to bring creative thought to the classroom and am taking a writing course and creative writing course next semester.  Not to mention, I took linguistics and creative writing this past semester.  I am just concerned about what I specifically said in my essays do not match up with what I have specifically on my transcripts.  Does anybody have any insight? I applied for an ETA, by the way.

 

I have other teaching experiences outside of learning it in the classroom via various community service positions that I have also highlighted in my essays. 

Edited January 22, 2013 by Porshyen

[there'sanappforthat]

No it's okay, I understand. I think that is partially true, that I was too focused on the fact that I was very qualified for it. 

 

Also, I really don't want to talk to my FPA. She was completely unpleasant and rude to me the entire process. My current school, where I'm getting my masters, does not get many Fulbright applicants because it is a conservatory, so most people are not about to propose complex academic projects. My undergraduate university was very supportive and even helped me with my application even though I had to apply through my current school where I am getting my masters. She tried to convince me not to apply for no reason except that "I am going on vacation in July and won't have time to edit your application." She would take WEEKS to respond to my emails/requests and even told me the wrong location of my interview and I had to find out through one of my interviewers. 

 

She is known around the school for being a horrible administrator and extremely unhelpful, and because my school is so small (an administrative staff of about five people) she basically got the job of being the Fulbright advisor because she won many years ago. Sooo, long story short, I have zero interest in reaching out to her and asking what she thinks went wrong, because I'm sure she'll be really rude/horrible about it. She even said I was such a bad writer that she didn't believe my first language was English (I was an English major from Princeton, and my professors were so excited by my analysis/writing that they tried really hard to get me to get my PhD in English, and even said they'd help me get into Yale, soooo... yeah. I think that comment is a bit out of line.) 

 

Pardon my super long comment I'm in a bad mood right now lol 

 

 

Uggh. Your FPA sounds like a real peach. I'm really sorry to heat about your experience. That's really unfortunate that you have such a horrible FPA, I might suggest contacting someone in your honors department to proof your essays if you try again. Or maybe someone in a grant writing department?  There were three different contacts for me at my school, the FPA, the head of the Scholarships and Grants dept, and then an honors English professor who had been brought on to help by the head of the Scholarships department. The honors professor who helped me with proofing and rewriting my essays was SUPER helpful.

 

That really sucks that you had such a bad FPA. Had you had  a decent one who was dedicated to helping you with your application, I'm sure you could have made it past the first round! I would try again, see if you can't find someone else to help you the next time around.

[there'sanappforthat]

I was actually gonna say the same thing as there'sanappforthat (incl. disclaimer that I hope it doesn't sound mean). The biggest difference between this year and my previous two attempts was the mindset I had going in. The first two times I focused on selling my credentials, and why my project is the natural next step for me, and for my field.

 

This time I went into it with the following mindset (in brief, exaggerated form): they don't really care how great I am, and they don't really care why my project is important/interesting/essential from my standpoint. They want to know why my project is important/interesting/essential to the host country, how the project creates a dialogue between the US and the host country, and why I'm just the person to facilitate that dialogue.

 

It's a much different approach than most of us are used to, because for 99% of the applications we submit the idea is to sell yourself and your credentials.

 

That's my 2 cents, anyway...

You make some really good points! I'd say, my second time around, I went with the second example you gave..trying to sell my project as important from my standpoint. So if I don't make it past the next round, I will try and keep that in mind

[there'sanappforthat]

Not recommended. This was my third try. The first try, I was recommended and then chosen as an alternate. Second try and now third try, nothing. Grarg.

 

Congrats to those who made it!

I'm sorry to hear you didn't make it. KEEP TRYING!!. .. and.. YAY! Another Whovian!! High five!

Edited January 22, 2013 by there'sanappforthat

[there'sanappforthat]

For Germany ETA folks -- I know there will be more we have to fill out and send in; does anyone have an idea when we'll get that paperwork?

I'm going for the same; I have heard that you have to rewrite your essays in German as well. Not sure where that comes up in the time line though.

[Books2readme]

Rewriting essays... why?

[there'sanappforthat]

Rewriting essays... why?

To show your language proficiency.

[Torrid]

I'm going for the same; I have heard that you have to rewrite your essays in German as well. Not sure where that comes up in the time line though.

Have heard that as well. I just want to get all this as soon as possible because I'm going to be traveling a lot in February (four states in two weeks!) and won't have a lot of time =\ Although I did just get the email asking me to list my preference for Bundesländer so hopefully everything is coming soon

[Books2readme]

To show your language proficiency.

 

That's a bit excessive. 

[there'sanappforthat]

That's a bit excessive. 

It's a requirement from the German agency that works with Fulbright. They use it to gauge where we would be best placed; More proficient, I'd wager you'd be placed with younger students whose English is not so great yet. Just a guess though.

[there'sanappforthat]

Have heard that as well. I just want to get all this as soon as possible because I'm going to be traveling a lot in February (four states in two weeks!) and won't have a lot of time =\ Although I did just get the email asking me to list my preference for Bundesländer so hopefully everything is coming soon

Same here. Do know which Bundeslaender you will be putting down?

[Torrid]

Same here. Do know which Bundeslaender you will be putting down?

Not certain, but I'm thinking Hessen (studied abroad in Marburg), Niedersachsen (my boyfriend is from there/I'm familiar with it) and Hamburg (will visit for the first time in April, but I think it's a city I'd really like?). What about you?

[TUJFV2013]

I've been reading this post and thought i would share that i was recommended for a study grant to the U.K. 

AKA, i will spend the next few months praying!

 

Anyway, has anyone received advice about how soon you should apply for the degree program you are applying to abroad? I started the application but thought i would wait until i heard. Now i'm wondering if i should have done it earlier since i don't know the time frame they will give me to accept the award should i become a recipient? Oh, well, split milk... to the application i go.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Not certain, but I'm thinking Hessen (studied abroad in Marburg), Niedersachsen (my boyfriend is from there/I'm familiar with it) and Hamburg (will visit for the first time in April, but I think it's a city I'd really like?). What about you?

 

Same here. Do know which Bundeslaender you will be putting down?

 

Anyone looking at south Germany (Bavaria or Baden)? I'm not an ETA candidate (full grant in Tübingen), but I lived in Bavaria last year and it was so amazing. Thuringia would also be a great Bundesland, I'd think. But Bavaria is pretty unique in Germany because of it's history, and so has a lot of amazing cities (Nuremberg, Regensburg, Munich, Würzburg, etc.) disproportionate to its size - and is a hop away from Austria and Switzerland (for those Germanophiles).