Fulbright 2014-2015

[sirmixalot]

Hello Sub-Saharan applicants!!

 

I just called IIE and decisions are in! He is putting in the database now, and will try to send it out by the end of the day or early in the morning!

 

Best of luck everyone! I hope we all get it!! 

 

That's amazing news. Can't wait to see all the SSA acceptances when I check again at 5:45pm! 

[SmarteyMartey]

Always good to read that there will be notifications coming in! All the best to the Sub Saharan people!

[wolk]

Thank you so much for your help, Secret_Ninja! This was very helpful. I'll call the US consulate later today.

 

And good luck to all SSA folks! The waiting will be over soon!

 

 

I can answer this! 

You need to do two things. First, contact the US consulate for your country of interest and ask them what vaccines they require proof of in order to obtain a research visa (or whatever visa you need). Make sure you ask about ALL tests. For example, many countries require the G6PD test.  They should be able to give you a list. I just got off the phone with the Indonesian Consulate and they were very helpful. Second, contact a travel physician. Our university has one on call so maybe most others do? There are also "travel physician offices" that you can get in touch with. They will use the CDC website to determine what vaccines you should have. 

 

 

Since I have had all my vaccines for Indonesia already, I went ahead and submitted proof of all of these. Now - these are "suggested" as opposed to required. But each country is different and you need to contact yours specifically. In addition, they may require some crazy genetic testing. The big question to ask is: Once you find out from your consulate what is required, do you have to wait to turn in the form until all these tests are completed? My thought would be yes. 

 

Side Note - Indonesia does NOT require the G6PD. But take this advice at your own peril - you should call yourself and make sure. 

[raymondnorth]

Colombia applicants:

 

I got the below email from Paola Morales this afternoon - just FYI, the context for her emailing me was that I sent her an email two weeks ago on Friday 4/11 just asking for any general information about where on the timeline the selection process was going since at that time I thought I would need to make my grad school funding decision by Tuesday the 15th.  As it turns out, she was out of the office all week last week (I should've known as it was semana santa) and I got an auto-reply, and sort of tried to forget about it since I was given more time to decide by my grad director.  At any rate, the good news is below:

 

Dear Eliot,

 

Thank you for your e-mail. We have made a decision. However, following the protocols IIE is in charge to notify the status of selection. Once they do so, I will contact the selected candidates. I'm waiting for IIE permission to contact the selected candidates. I hope it is today.

 

Best regards,

 

Paola Morales

 

So yeah, there's that.  I don't want to spark up a firestorm (although I know this info already has my excitement/anxiety levels up a few notches), but I did want to share the information.  That being said, as we all know very well by now, it's in IIE's hands at this point to do the notifying, and the country committees have no inside knowledge about when that will happen, BUT at least we know that in Colombia's case it looks like the ball is in the State Dept.'s court.

 

Good luck everyone, the time is nigh!

 

EDIT: Sorry, it may not have been clear that Paola Morales is on the Fulbright Colombia committee, and I decided to email her because she is listed somewhere as the Program Manager for the ETA program and was one of the people that I interviewed with.  

Edited April 21, 2014 by raymondnorth

[meupatdoes]

Hello Sub-Saharan applicants!!

 

I just called IIE and decisions are in! He is putting in the database now, and will try to send it out by the end of the day or early in the morning!

 

Best of luck everyone! I hope we all get it!! 

 

Oh my god...I am pretty sure I am having heart problems at the moment.  My blood pressure and heart rate just spiked!!! I am soo freaked out now about this email.  I can't believe today or tomorrow will be the day.  The actual day. 

 

Good luck to everyone!!!

 

I think I will go to the store and get a cake or something... Otherwise, I am just sitting here waiting for that email.

Edited April 21, 2014 by meupatdoes

[rosecoyote]

I wonder if anyone can answer this question about the medical form:

 

The form asks if I'll be covered by insurance while abroad.  My current insurance will be ending when I take a leave from my job, and so I will get travel insurance - but I don't have it yet.  I'm confused about what to put on the form.

 

Also - does anyone know of cheap travel health insurance?

 

Thanks!

[GnosisExchange]

If SSA announce today, good luck everyone (esp. Mozartgirl--She is way to cool/sweet/dedicated not to get it)! Fingers (and maybe even toes) crossed!

[raymondnorth]

Just found out I was not selected for the Fulbright ETA to Colombia.  To all my fellow applicants, I am very sincerely rooting so hard for all of you.  It may very well be fate - I have been in Bloomington, Indiana for the past few days visiting my future home for graduate study, and I've fallen in love with the campus and the faculty and students in my department.  I can't deny the fact that I'm heartbroken by the fact that I won't be spending the next year in a country that's captivated my mind for a long time and that I've completely obsessed over for at least the past 10 months, but I will absolutely find another way to travel and do my research there in the future.  

 

So long, and thanks for all the fish!  

[Cynti]

Colombia applicants:

I got the below email from Paola Morales this afternoon - just FYI, the context for her emailing me was that I sent her an email two weeks ago on Friday 4/11 just asking for any general information about where on the timeline the selection process was going since at that time I thought I would need to make my grad school funding decision by Tuesday the 15th. As it turns out, she was out of the office all week last week (I should've known as it was semana santa) and I got an auto-reply, and sort of tried to forget about it since I was given more time to decide by my grad director. At any rate, the good news is below:

Dear Eliot,

Thank you for your e-mail. We have made a decision. However, following the protocols IIE is in charge to notify the status of selection. Once they do so, I will contact the selected candidates. I'm waiting for IIE permission to contact the selected candidates. I hope it is today.

Best regards,

Paola Morales

So yeah, there's that. I don't want to spark up a firestorm (although I know this info already has my excitement/anxiety levels up a few notches), but I did want to share the information. That being said, as we all know very well by now, it's in IIE's hands at this point to do the notifying, and the country committees have no inside knowledge about when that will happen, BUT at least we know that in Colombia's case it looks like the ball is in the State Dept.'s court.

Good luck everyone, the time is nigh!

EDIT: Sorry, it may not have been clear that Paola Morales is on the Fulbright Colombia committee, and I decided to email her because she is listed somewhere as the Program Manager for the ETA program and was one of the people that I interviewed with.

Thanks so much for sharing!!

[Secret_Ninja]

I wonder if anyone can answer this question about the medical form:

 

The form asks if I'll be covered by insurance while abroad.  My current insurance will be ending when I take a leave from my job, and so I will get travel insurance - but I don't have it yet.  I'm confused about what to put on the form.

 

Also - does anyone know of cheap travel health insurance?

 

Thanks!

I just spent hours on the phone last week dealing with all of this stuff, so I have a suggestion for this too. Fulbright told me officially that I should only put the information I have. My insurance will be different when I leave (my university will switch me over to a travel one). On top of this, they are changing companies and have not posted details yet, so I don't have the info. For my section I wrote the information I did have. Of course - nothing has cleared yet so it may be beneficial to call Fulbright and ask to confirm. 

 

As for travel insurance - Allianz is a great company - i have used them before while overseas. For various reasons, I will be using them, Fulbright, and the "real" insurance provided by my university. But be forewarned - Allianz is a "reimbursement" service similar to Fulbright. I cannot offer a solution for "real" travel insurance. 

[rosecoyote]

I just spent hours on the phone last week dealing with all of this stuff, so I have a suggestion for this too. Fulbright told me officially that I should only put the information I have. My insurance will be different when I leave (my university will switch me over to a travel one). On top of this, they are changing companies and have not posted details yet, so I don't have the info. For my section I wrote the information I did have. Of course - nothing has cleared yet so it may be beneficial to call Fulbright and ask to confirm. 

 

As for travel insurance - Allianz is a great company - i have used them before while overseas. For various reasons, I will be using them, Fulbright, and the "real" insurance provided by my university. But be forewarned - Allianz is a "reimbursement" service similar to Fulbright. I cannot offer a solution for "real" travel insurance. 

Thank you so much, Secret Ninja!  I spoke with someone from GeoBlue, and their policies seem reasonable, but I will have to get some kind of gap insurance between when I leave my job and when I leave the country.    Otherwise, the rates jump up a couple hundred dollars.

 

Who did you call at Fulbright?

 

Thanks again.  Dealing with the insurance stuff is such a headache!

[papertiger311]

I got a Fulbright to Colombia! Full research. Congrats to those others selected, and my very best wishes to those who will be pursuing other avenues next year. 

[Secret_Ninja]

Thank you so much, Secret Ninja!  I spoke with someone from GeoBlue, and their policies seem reasonable, but I will have to get some kind of gap insurance between when I leave my job and when I leave the country.    Otherwise, the rates jump up a couple hundred dollars.

 

Who did you call at Fulbright?

 

Thanks again.  Dealing with the insurance stuff is such a headache!

Ohhh actually I think I had GeoBlue once through my university. I never had to use it though, so I don't have any opinion. Definitely get yourself gap insurance. 

 

I called the number that was on the information page for current Fulbrighters. It is the link in the email they sent when they told us the medform was ready. 

 

Insurance stuff IS a headache. I am happy to help as much as I can.

[Hina]

So like the rest of you who haven't heard back yet, I'm getting super anxious so I decided to e-mail the Program Manager for South and Central Asia, Cara Doble. I got an automatic e-mail back saying she's out of country on Fulbright business till Wednesday

 

Just thought I'd let you guys know for anyone who was considering contacting her. 

 

 

Hang in there everyone, hopefully we'll be finding out soon!! 

[Maliyazi]

I just spent hours on the phone last week dealing with all of this stuff, so I have a suggestion for this too. Fulbright told me officially that I should only put the information I have. My insurance will be different when I leave (my university will switch me over to a travel one). On top of this, they are changing companies and have not posted details yet, so I don't have the info. For my section I wrote the information I did have. Of course - nothing has cleared yet so it may be beneficial to call Fulbright and ask to confirm. 

 

As for travel insurance - Allianz is a great company - i have used them before while overseas. For various reasons, I will be using them, Fulbright, and the "real" insurance provided by my university. But be forewarned - Allianz is a "reimbursement" service similar to Fulbright. I cannot offer a solution for "real" travel insurance. 

 

For those who are looking for 'real' travel medical insurance, check out HTH Worldwide. It included full medical insurance with no deductible and most cases they pay the hospitals directly. I got sick in East Africa and I was able to go to one of the major hospitals and I didn't pay a single cent out of pocket.

[sweater]

Does anyone want to claim the Ivory Coast acceptance or Ethiopia alternate on the spreadsheet? I'm going bonkers after that last SSA update!

[meupatdoes]

I was not selected... NS is in the subject.

Edited April 21, 2014 by meupatdoes

[eatyourgreens]

Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile... come on Peru!

[Neurovivor]

Dates on the spreadsheet are all out of whack... Someone will probably have to reset it, and then we'll lose the Sub-Saharan Africa / Colombia updates grrr.

[jstranberg]

I just saw this on Buzzfeed--a gift for the other Korea ETA's:

 

A Photojournal in which Fulbright ETA's asked their student to write signs expressing their thoughts.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kevintang/photo-project-korean-students-speak-their-mind 

 

Hahahha, this started at my school! The ETA right before me is the one who started it, and we message each other from time to time. Now that I think about it, I'm probably typing this from the same computer where KSS started. 

[alfred92]

I got the ETA position for Colombia!!! Thanks everyone for answering my dumb questions here and congrats to everyone else who was accepted!!

[bruin11]

I GOT IT! Saw the (P) in the subject line and just freaked out! I'm going to Colombia as an ETA!!!!

[SmarteyMartey]

:-D CONGRATS everyone!!!

[GnosisExchange]

Congratulations to everyone that heard good news from Colombia today!

[donthatedontkill]

Hi, everyone. Long time lurker here coming out of hiding. I'm an alternate to Colombia as an ETA. Any others? I'm trying to just proceed with life as if I haven't gotten it since it seems possible that we'll never get another message about it, and I don't want to wait for something that never comes. I took it pretty roughly.... Mostly because I was in a restaurant and then had to endure an hour subway ride home and had to hold it together. I've napped it off now though and am feeling a bit better. Still not sure what might have not been stellar except maybe the interview.... I'm bad at interviews. In any case, I was hoping there's another Colombia ETA alternate so we could keep each other in the loop about hearing anything.

 

Congratulations to everyone else! I will be living though you.

 

EDIT: While we're on the topic, why would anyone really turn it down? I'm hoping that some people having already committed to grad school might up the chances this year for alternates like myself who had the Fulbright at their only plan for now.

Edited April 22, 2014 by donthatedontkill