Fulbright 2009-2010

[theone83]

I am from Jordan, the final decision has been made and am going to northeastern university. I will start with my visa application soon

[nemolover]

thanks for all the advice! i am going to take the job in India. i'm super excited about it! it's an energy research position, and i've been studying Hindi for 2 years, so this is pretty much perfect for me. if any of you India Fulbrighters will be based in Delhi, maybe i'll see you there!

also, i will definitely apply again to the Fulbright next year. does anyone know if there are any rules about applying from abroad?

[jacksondietrich]

Wow, the HK ETA people have been absolutely silent here today! I called Jonathan Akeley yesterday and confirmed that notification letters went out on Tuesday. But if the East Coasters still haven't heard yet, when are we West Coasters gonna find out?

[urbanite]

Wow, the HK ETA people have been absolutely silent here today! I called Jonathan Akeley yesterday and confirmed that notification letters went out on Tuesday. But if the East Coasters still haven't heard yet, when are we West Coasters gonna find out?

Nothing in the mail today for me on the West Coast. I'm really hoping that it will come tomorrow so that I can make a decision about a job or (more) school!

[rinairy]

I am from Jordan, the final decision has been made and am going to northeastern university. I will start with my visa application soon

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[kirebatt]

Nothing in the mail today for me on the West Coast. I'm really hoping that it will come tomorrow so that I can make a decision about a job or (more) school!

nothing for me in the south east. tomorrow or the next day i guess.

[boethian]

I was talking to my fulbright adviser and she said that she heard that there are as many alternates for the research grant as there are grantees. so, it would be really helpful to find out where you are on the list.

For Germany?

[suenteus]

For the Netherlands people, I just got an email from Linda Pietersen on receiving the NAF Fulbright grant. It sounds like they sent them out already, although I hadn't received anything but this email.

Good luck to everyone else!

I checked my email the morning after reading your post and found the same message in my inbox. Needless to say, I was speechless for the remainder of the day. I'm still in disbelief, because I had absolutely convinced myself that there was no chance I would receive the grant.

You see, this is my third time applying for a Fulbright grant. That's right.. three tours of this psychological endurance march. I applied back in 2005 right after graduating and even visited the Netherlands to spend time at the research institute I wanted to work with, we got along wonderfully but I didn't get the grant. I then broke my back in a serious accident and became so overwhelmed with medical bills and student debt that I had to give up my dreams of doing research to instead work full time at a number of menial jobs.

In 2007, after two years of working off my debt and starting to become more than a little jaded, a friend suggested I try again. I applied and this time was a finalist for 2008-2009. I was enthralled, and figured (wrongly) that this meant I was a shoe-in for the grant. Then in April I got a hell of a sting.

By this point I had become good friends with many of the folks at my research institute, secured housing in Amsterdam (because it's VERY hard to get), and taken a year of Dutch classes. It's said there is a point you reach where there's no going back, and to get there is the goal of anyone who really wants something. I was there.

I started saving (despite still having monumental debt) to fund my own research internship in the Netherlands. I applied again for the Fulbright this year, convincing myself that I would never get it to spare the mental anguish of the previous year and keep myself from letting the benefits that a Fulbright grant brings distract me from what was really the point - that I wanted to do research in the Netherlands.

I'm still in that mindset. Kind of a disbelief that what seemed like a hopeless bet actually came out in my favor.

I'm still in debt, but with Fulbright support I'll be able to funnel my savings into paying that off and finally be able to put my full energy into the things that fascinate me. I've had my shackles removed.

Anyway, I do want to make known how good it's been to have all the wonderful, courteous, and supportive people of this forum this go around. Everyone's input has been elucidating, not just in pulling the shroud off this arduous process, but also in reassuring me that I'm not alone in coping with it.

It should be noted that my project from year to year didn't change much. The only major difference was that I had taken Dutch classes... this leads me to think that 1) Your chances of getting a Fulbright depend GREATLY on the judging panel that year, and 2) Persistence is appreciated and rewarded by the folks at Fulbright... so apply again, and again, and again.. but don't stop living in the meantime. My two cents.

[Albanski]

I hope I hear something tomorrow (FRiday) because I really need to get on with my life and plan my next move.

ITALIA, let me know if you hear anything because most likely they send them both together!

Good luck to all of you and just remeber what someone once told me, "Get busy living or get busy dying"

[rinairy]

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oops, wrote that last post quickly between classes. let's try again, this time with fewer grammatical / usage errors.

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[theone83]

oops, wrote that last post quickly between classes. let's try again, this time with fewer grammatical / usage errors.

?????! ????? ?????? ??. ??????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ?????. ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ????????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ? ??? ? ??? ??????? ? ????????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???. ??????? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ????. ??? ????? ????????

????? ?? ????

so you are an American and going to study in Jordan?

[rinairy]

????? ?? ????

so you are an American and going to study in Jordan?

inshallah -- still waiting to hear back.

[hurricaneb]

I was talking to my fulbright adviser and she said that she heard that there are as many alternates for the research grant as there are grantees. so, it would be really helpful to find out where you are on the list.

There cannot be as many alternates as principal grants, because there are only 1.5-2 times the amount of grants recommended to the country. If there were as many alternates as grantees, then no one would be rejected.

[westvirginiatulsan]

For those looking for HK ETA information, keep your eyes peeled on the mailbox... I am in Tulsa and I just got it!

[hketafb]

For those looking for HK ETA information, keep your eyes peeled on the mailbox... I am in Tulsa and I just got it!

Congrats! I live in the Southeast and I too received my acceptance letter today. I can't wait to meet you in August. Any HK ETAs feel free to message me with your email/contact and we can get in touch.

[pace]

Has anyone heard anything from North Africa/Near East recently? Anything at all?

[Lisa]

For Germany?

Yes, for Germany

[Lisa]

There cannot be as many alternates as principal grants, because there are only 1.5-2 times the amount of grants recommended to the country. If there were as many alternates as grantees, then no one would be rejected.

[nemolover]

remember that sad post? well, i just got a phone call--they are offering me the job again! apparently the next person they offered it to turned it down. but now i don't know what to do. should i turn down the job to wait out the alternate thing, with the risk of having no plans for next year, or should i take the job and withdraw from the alternate list, giving up any chance i have at the Fulbright? i don't know what to do! (if i knew my position/number on the alternate list, this decision would be a lot easier to make.) what would you guys do in this situation?

now i found out that my alternate position is "either #1 or #2." but i'm scared to give up this job, because what if the second round of funding in May never happens and no Nepal principal grantees turn it down... but then again, #1 or #2 are the best possible alternate positions... if i apply again next year, i should have a pretty good shot, right?? i'm just nervous that the number of applicants to Nepal will continue to increase (there was a 65.5% jump in applications this year; i assume this is because of the (rocky, somewhat abrupt) transition from monarchy to 'democracy' in March - May 2008 that has led to the perception that Nepal is now safer), and then maybe my chances really aren't so great next year. should i still take the job if i know i have a good alternate position? i'm leaning towards yes...

[zacharylamel]

now i found out that my alternate position is "either #1 or #2." but i'm scared to give up this job, because what if the second round of funding in May never happens and no Nepal principal grantees turn it down... but then again, #1 or #2 are the best possible alternate positions... if i apply again next year, i should have a pretty good shot, right?? i'm just nervous that the number of applicants to Nepal will continue to increase (there was a 65.5% jump in applications this year; i assume this is because of the (rocky, somewhat abrupt) transition from monarchy to 'democracy' in March - May 2008 that has led to the perception that Nepal is now safer), and then maybe my chances really aren't so great next year. should i still take the job if i know i have a good alternate position? i'm leaning towards yes...

My vote: YES, DEFINITELY. Take the job, nemolover. Fulbright is not going anywhere but that job might never be an opportunity to you again.

[jadoreviie]

For those looking for HK ETA information, keep your eyes peeled on the mailbox... I am in Tulsa and I just got it!

I am in Boston and I received my acceptance today as well! No more agony!

[jacksondietrich]

^ I'm in L.A. and my family just got my letter. I think I got flat-out rejected. I need to go home tonight and read it. Not even an alternate, huh? Is it 'cause I applied at-large?

[urbanite]

^ I'm in L.A. and my family just got my letter. I think I got flat-out rejected. I need to go home tonight and read it. Not even an alternate, huh? Is it 'cause I applied at-large?

Why do you think you got flat-out rejected? I'm in SF and did not receive any Fulbright correspondence today... I know the mailperson came by because I received other mail... but really-- the dreaded lost envelope?

[jadoreviie]

^ I'm in L.A. and my family just got my letter. I think I got flat-out rejected. I need to go home tonight and read it. Not even an alternate, huh? Is it 'cause I applied at-large?

How do you know? Did they tell you what the letter said?

[jacksondietrich]

^ Yeah, they said I wasn't awarded the Fulbright in the letter. I asked my sister if she saw anything in the letter about me being waitlisted, and she said she didn't. That's why I'm gonna go home tonight and see for myself.

The most difficult part is that I've got less than a month now to quit my current job, pack up, and move to a new state for the program that I had been putting on the back burner all along to wait around for this.