Fulbright 2009-2010

[summernights77kt]

If we do get accepted....does anyone know where our orientation will be?

[graduatingsoon]

to address yet another degree of uncertainty-

when do people who are accepted find out about the CLS option? Does this usually come with this initial acceptance, or later on?

[nemolover]

summernights -

there is a pre-departure orientation in Washington DC sometime in the summer, and probably an in-country orientation once you arrive. my understanding is that there are several different weekends of orientation in DC, from the beginning of June to mid-July, and each weekend hosts a different group of countries. i'm assuming they tell you which weekend pertains to your country in the acceptance packet. but since i haven't been notified of a decision yet, i don't really know... someone correct me if i'm wrong!

[Albanski]

let me explain the process to my understanding:

for example country Y only hands out 2 fulbrights a year and this year 50 people apply

IEE sends out 4 applicants to country Y

Country Y selects 2 out of the 4

IEE in NY sends letter of admissions or rejections.

They send more than 2 because the country has to make a decision as well, since the U.S has had the priveledge of cutting down the applicant size. It should also be noted that some years more grants are given. From what I heard additional grants can sometimes be awarded to countries, that is why you see the change in the number of grants during the years. let me clarify this point better for you. Lets say the Balkan region hands out 25 awards a year and raditionally albania and macedonia each recieve 2. However in this peculiar year macedonia only gets 1 applicant, and albania gets 53 applicants. What happens as a result is that Albania is given a third award because macedonia has not used it. This only happens in regions not wolrdwide. So that is why in some cases the managers are saying that they are confirming budgeting, because some countries may be getting more awards.

I hope this has been helpful to all of you

[MTrice]

I think those that have applied to Europe will recieve some information the next week. I mean it looks good. I really think that what the program manager for europe said was true that for Europe they mail out acceptances on Wednesdays

This is a good website to calculate the day best to check your email. http://postcalc.usps.gov/ just type in regular envelop and put your zip code and their zipcode is 10017

I was bored one day and I thought this might be a good way to pass the time.

I wish everyone the best of luck, since I kno that this is a anxious time!

I hope you're right, but as of 5 CST this Wednesday, the FSB hadn't even confirmed UK decisions. With luck, maybe it gets out next Wednesday for an early April arrival. We shall see. I just need it by the 13th to be able to tell my primary stateside chocie a decision before the school's deadline.

[Dreams]

summernights -

there is a pre-departure orientation in Washington DC sometime in the summer, and probably an in-country orientation once you arrive. my understanding is that there are several different weekends of orientation in DC, from the beginning of June to mid-July, and each weekend hosts a different group of countries. i'm assuming they tell you which weekend pertains to your country in the acceptance packet. but since i haven't been notified of a decision yet, i don't really know... someone correct me if i'm wrong!

This is correct. The orientations are grouped by region. And IIE covers the roundtrip transportation and hotel (really nice hotels at that) for the applicants.

[Dreydenn]

Graduatingsoon: Do you mean the Critical Languages Enhancement Award or the Critical Language Scholarship (from the USG but unrelated to the Fulbright)? Assuming you mean the former, my impression is that notification is separate from the notification of the Fulbright award. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[waitingtohear]

This is correct. The orientations are grouped by region. And IIE covers the roundtrip transportation and hotel (really nice hotels at that) for the applicants.

However, not all countries have pre-departure orientations in DC. Some just have orientations once you arrive in the country.

[aireater]

Your acceptance packages might not have info on orientations, because 1) they're waiting to hear back about your medical status to officially confirm that you're can receive the grant, hence the forms with the acceptance, and/or 2) IIE is waiting to confirm all the acceptances so that they can plan the orientations around regions, etc. There is no sense in booking hotels and giving out orientation information if there is a chance that you might not get final medical clearance.

Can someone describe the medical forms? Is it like something that you take to your doctor for a physical checkup? Or is it something that you fill our yourself?

[waitingtohear]

Can someone describe the medical forms? Is it like something that you take to your doctor for a physical checkup? Or is it something that you fill our yourself?

The medical forms are really detailed and need a Doctor's visit and I think a blood test and what not, it's really thorough and not something you can fill out on your own. I dont think they send you anything else until you send in the medical form.

[Dreydenn]

Does anyone have any idea of how the in-country decisions are made? Does the Program Officer do it? Is there an in-country board? What are their criteria? Thanks for your responses, and best of luck to all.

[aireater]

The in-country decisions vary by country. Larger countries participating in the Fulbright program - Germany, UK - have actual Fulbright Commissions that oversee the Fulbright program both US-Country and Country-US. However, smaller countries - like those in sub-Saharan African for example - leave the decisions to the US Embassy in their country. And for countries without an Embassy, I believe the decision is made by that country's office of cultural affairs or some equivalent. In all the countries, the supervising agency contacts your affiliation to ensure the feasibility of your project, logistics, etc. I believe I read somewhere that the host country ranks the apps also with the top being recommended to get the grant, and a few selected as alternates.

[Dreydenn]

Thanks for the info! China doesn't have a commission... I believe that the decision is made by the in-country IIE office. I was wondering because I've been in contact with the chief Program Officer there and wondered how much bearing her positive remarks about my affiliation and project have on my application.

[abrahamlincoln]

YO! Just got a letter from south korea from ETA I'm in. it was a dhl packet delivered through mail etc... Thanks for everyone's info here!

[Albanski]

I have a feeling that people who applied to European countries should hear something either today or tomorrow. Make sure you check your mail!!!!!!!!

[midonnelly]

first off, abraham, congratulations! very exciting!

second, mkurti... dare I ask where you get this hunch from?

[Albanski]

well I called Rachel Holskin monday and I asked her about the Fulbright to Albania, and she said she was waiting on the final approval. I asked her when should I expect something in the mail and she said that they ONLY mail out acceptances fo Europe on Wednesdays. She clarified further that if they agree lets say Friday they still wait till next wednesday. If you look at my previous posts I included a postage calcuator that you can use to estimate when the envelope will come, depending on your proximity to NYC. Since people who live in NY, NJ, CT, VT live fairly close and if decisions have been made they should expect something within today or tomorrow. However, if nothing comes, the best best is always thursday and friday (AGAIN DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION BETWEEN NYC AND WHERE YOU LIVE) I am so anxious, I can't even study for the GRE. I will be so devestated if I get rejected, because all of my eggs and even my loan deferements are in the Fulbright Basket.

Why doesn't everybody list all the countries that they've applied.

I'll Start

Albania (Europe)

[Dreydenn]

For those of you interested in China, the latest word is 2-3 before notification. Cheers all, and thanks for your input.

[urbanite]

For those of you waiting to hear back from HK, I heard that the final notification letters have not yet been sent out and they will likely not go out before mid-April. The notification letters are sent in hard copy form to the current address that was listed on the Fulbright application.

Is anyone else worried about not meeting the deadline to respond to graduate programs by April 15th? I am wondering whether there is a tactful way to encourage the Fulbright notification process...

[Anastasoula]

Good idea!

Why doesn't everybody list all the countries that they've applied.

I'll Start

Albania (Europe)

Greece (Europe)

[summernights77kt]

Yea...the wait is pretty frustrating. I need to let my job know whether or not I'm staying for next year ASAP so it would be good to hear back from Fulbright soon. I don't think I can wait until Mid-April. On top of that, I can't concentrate on anything else either because I'm so anxious. I really with Fulbright would speed up the process.

[MTrice]

I'm trying to get an extension at my main stateside school. No clue if I can do it or not.

I know for certain that the FSB has not confirmed any UK applications yet. Rachel hopes they'll be out by mid-April.

How bad is it to accept a spot at a university and not show up? A part of me wishes I could just know what the country decided. I'd roll the die on being approved by the FSB, but not so much if I don't whether the country put me forth as rejected, alternate, or accepted. Tough process.

[water_rabbit]

Good idea!

Greece (Europe)

Nepal (South Asia)

[irishdunne77]

Ireland

Good idea!

Greece (Europe)

Ireland

[Dreydenn]

China