Fulbright-Hays DDRA 2015

[sabrinamichelle]

I just saw that the DDRA was announced today, due on April 28. Is this a lot earlier than recent years?  I heard usually they give about a month's notice, and this is 2 months, so that's kind of nice. Is anyone planning to apply? Any past applicants with tips? Thanks!

[flagler20]

I'm wondering what the average score is for those offered the award.  It's nice that there's a rubric outlined in the application instructions, but I have no idea what a competitive score is.  I am worried because my research will not require the use of a foreign language, though the proposal should be strong on all other accounts.

[farflung]

Let's revive this! Any bets on when we'll hear back from Fulbright-Hays? 

[Braudelero]

Our grants administrator has said she has not heard anything from Fulbright-Hays. It seems silly to move up the application deadline but not send out notices until the same time as last year. I bet we know in two weeks. Anyone else heard anything?

[ephil]

My grants admin also hasn't heard anything. Earlier, she was saying early to mid-August was their target for sending out the notifications, but just recently she told me that she hopes we'll hear before September.

[farflung]

I haven't heard anything either. Does anyone know if Fulbright-Hays purchases plane tickets for all grantees, or will do reimbursements? I really need to start my fieldwork October 1 (my proposed start date) and am getting antsy to get a ticket in my hand -- I'm going abroad whether or not F-H provides the $. Would anyone advise just going ahead and purchasing a ticket?

[Braudelero]

I'm fairly certain they just cut you a check for an approved budget. I know you do need research clearances for wherever you go, so you may run into trouble if you're already there. I'm sure you wouldn't be the first F-H recipient to begin a grant while you were already abroad though. I would guess a university admin would know more and could better advise. 

[Braudelero]

Decisions are out, according to someone at Academia wiki.

[flagler20]

Got word that I was rejected.  I really wish there was somewhere to get non-generic advice on writing a Fulbright-Hays proposal.  I think my major mistake was being too honest.  Even though I can speak an obscure local language in my study area I don't really have a need to speak it for the purpose of my research so I was automatically docked something like 13 points.  I should have just worked it in somehow.  If anyone has any insights into the scoring, what is the average score of a winning proposal?

edit:  The two awardees from my University are both anthropology students and I've noticed a lot of example proposal essays are from anthropology.  Obviously a greater proportion of anthropology students probably apply for the F-H than students from other departments, but is the F-H also biased towards anthropology?

Edited August 28, 2015 by flagler20

[newleaf]

Got word that I was rejected.  I really wish there was somewhere to get non-generic advice on writing a Fulbright-Hays proposal.  I think my major mistake was being too honest.  Even though I can speak an obscure local language in my study area I don't really have a need to speak it for the purpose of my research so I was automatically docked something like 13 points.  I should have just worked it in somehow.  If anyone has any insights into the scoring, what is the average score of a winning proposal?

edit:  The two awardees from my University are both anthropology students and I've noticed a lot of example proposal essays are from anthropology.  Obviously a greater proportion of anthropology students probably apply for the F-H than students from other departments, but is the F-H also biased towards anthropology?

13 points for that?!?! Yikes. A friend of mine actually got a full 100 points a few years back. Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. 

 

Im an anthropologist and I think that the FH is slightly skewed in our favor. We usually have spent some time in the places that we're studying prior to applying, which means letters of affiliation, preliminary field work, localized understandings of whats going on, and usually both academic and real-world experience with the languages that we work in. I go to a fairly large research university and our advisor hasn't given out the results yet. Sigh

[flagler20]

Also, does anyone know how to view the comments the reviewers left?  I got a follow up email shortly after I was rejected which had a link to the "workspace" and below it said this:

"The proposal referenced above has been withdrawn or funding has been denied with the following comments:

 

Click the link above to access the proposal workspace."

Does that mean there were no reviewer comments left for me, or is the "comments" referred to above not the same thing as reviewer comments and I should wait for those, or are the comments hidden somewhere in the workspace?

[flagler20]

 

13 points for that?!?! Yikes. A friend of mine actually got a full 100 points a few years back. Yeah, I couldn't believe it either. 

I looked at the rubric again and it isn't so clear cut.  Out of a total of 110 points I lost 7 points off the bat for not using a foreign language (out of 10 for meeting area and language preferences of the State Department).  Then there is another 15 points for "proficiency in language to be used or measures to be taken to overcome language barriers" and I had intended to use a translator for the one part of the study in which I wouldn't be using English and that probably didn't merit the full 15 points, but I don't know how many I lost there.  So if your friend got the full points (100 or 110?) I think it's pretty clear that if you aren't going to be using a foreign language then your chances of getting the Fulbright-Hays are very slim.  By the way, how did your friend know how many points they got?  Is that only disclosed to the winners?

Edited August 29, 2015 by flagler20

[newleaf]

I looked at the rubric again and it isn't so clear cut.  Out of a total of 110 points I lost 7 points off the bat for not using a foreign language (out of 10 for meeting area and language preferences of the State Department).  Then there is another 15 points for "proficiency in language to be used or measures to be taken to overcome language barriers" and I had intended to use a translator for the one part of the study in which I wouldn't be using English and that probably didn't merit the full 15 points, but I don't know how many I lost there.  So if your friend got the full points (100 or 110?) I think it's pretty clear that if you aren't going to be using a foreign language then your chances of getting the Fulbright-Hays are very slim.  By the way, how did your friend know how many points they got?  Is that only disclosed to the winners?

My friend got the grant some 4 years ago, and things might have changed since then. I only know that she had gotten full points in her year, I just wrote 100 although yes this year its out of 110. 

 

I see that the state department preferences are 2 for language, 3 for region, and 5 for field. Did you lose 2 for language and 3 for field? I think that you're absolutely correct, you're probably not going to get a fulbright hays if you don't use a foreign language, have training in it, or propose advanced training prior to departure. Im sorry I can't be of much help about getting reviews because we *still* haven't received word at my school, my coordinator emailed back at the end of the day Friday. If you wouldn't mind sharing the feedback you get or a summary of what kinds of suggestions/critiques were given, I would appreciate it!

[flagler20]

But the points for field are contingent on meeting the language preference.  If your research is in one of the listed fields but you aren't using a listed language then you don't get any of the points for field.  And yes, I will describe the kind of feedback I get, but I am doubtful at this point that any feedback is coming.  I don't think any comments were left for me but I will confirm Monday when my email to my coordinator is responded to.

Edited August 29, 2015 by flagler20

[newleaf]

But the points for field are contingent on meeting the language preference.  If your research is in one of the listed fields but you aren't using a listed language then you don't get any of the points for field.  And yes, I will describe the kind of feedback I get, but I am doubtful at this point that any feedback is coming.  I don't think any comments were left for me but I will confirm Monday when my email to my coordinator is responded to.

Ah, I got it. 

Thanks for keeping up with the replies. Have a restful weekend, I hope that you get at least some feedback, I've struck out of *many* grants and have always appreciated the feedback, usually its spot on. Occasionally, it isn't. I'm losing hope though, as usually the awards are staggered by institution, and schools with zero awards hear last. Thus I'm at least looking forward to some commentary. 

[farflung]

Hi everyone, I haven't heard anything from my CO. Any thoughts as to what this means? I'm thinking (1) they send out rejections late & my institution didn't win any grants, or (2) my CO is on vacation and hasn't bothered to notify. Either way, SO frustrating!

[newleaf]

Hi everyone, I haven't heard anything from my CO. Any thoughts as to what this means? I'm thinking (1) they send out rejections late & my institution didn't win any grants, or (2) my CO is on vacation and hasn't bothered to notify. Either way, SO frustrating!

I go to a school that is in the top 5 of all those stupid rankings, and none of my friends have heard anything. Keep your fingers crossed!

[wheninhell]

Our contact person told me that Berkeley only got 4 this year, compared with 18 in 2006

[farflung]

Our contact person told me that Berkeley only got 4 this year, compared with 18 in 2006

Wow, I wonder why the dip? The total # of projected awards (at least on the initial call for applications) was actually up in 2015 compared to years past. 

My update is I did finally heard from my CO yesterday, who was indeed on vacation. Unfortunately no good news to report. Congrats to grantees! My CO tells me that comments will be released to unsuccessful applicants in November -- has anyone received more detailed instructions on accessing comments? I kind of hate that the Dept of Ed refuses to communicate with individual applicants.

[jmu]

I had completely forgotten about this until today. I haven't heard anything from the CO and she's notoriously bad at responding to emails. Did anyone's application status change in G5?

[newleaf]

I had completely forgotten about this until today. I haven't heard anything from the CO and she's notoriously bad at responding to emails. Did anyone's application status change in G5?

My CO contacted DOE on Friday. DOE confirmed that some decisions have gone out, but DOE noted "that all of the final decisions of the Fulbright-Hays Grant have not been made yet." I guess we'll expect to know by the end of the month. 

Edited September 6, 2015 by newleaf

[farflung]

For those who were unsuccessful in the Fulbright-Hays this year: I received my reviewer feedback reports from my CO. They were thorough and fair! Contact your CO if you haven't received yours.

[flagler20]

How many reviewers did you get comments from?  From my report I got comments from "reviewer #2" and "reviewer #3" but there was no reviewer #1.  Also, my suspicions were confirmed.  If you're not using a local language you have no chance.  My average score was an 86 out of 110, but if I was to use a local language it would have been a 103.

[farflung]

I received two technical reviews, marked "reviewer #1" and "reviewer #2." 

My average score was a 98 and I still didn't get the grant. I think you really have to get some of those extra 10 "competitive preference" points (so be closer to 110) to have any chance. It sounds like you would have been in the right range except for language -- are you conducting research in an English-speaking country? My fieldwork language isn't English, but it's also not "strategic" to the US government.