Fulbright 2016 - 2017

[MastersHoping]

Hi All,

 

Current alternate here. I'm thinking of reapplying for the Taiwan ETA, and I heard that its good to note that you were selected as an alternate previously. I'm just wondering, where would be a good place to put it? In the Personal Statement or Statement of Grant Purpose?

 

I am guessing that belongs in the Personal Statement rather than the Statement of Grant Purpose. I think the Statement of Grant Purpose should moreso describe your preparation for the program and what you propose to do/how you propose to do it. Whereas being an alternate last year is a description of yourself that might belong in the Personal Statement. I'm no expert though, just a hunch, so I'd double check. Ultimately, I feel like either way shouldn't be a problem whether statement of purpose or personal statement. Good luck! 

[alifbaarbie]

(A) for Greece ETA and I'm considering applying again to next year's cycle as a research scholar in the Dominican Republic. I Lived there for two years, all of my family is from the Dominican Republic, and I have a lot of experience doing research projects and working with folks there. 

 

If any of you have advice regarding how to complete a strong scholar application, please pass it along!!!!!

 

 

Thank you

[Horb]

Do you all think it is worth noting that one was a finalist for a Fulbright, but ultimately not selected? I wondering including my finalist status for the UK grant I applied to a year ago in hopes of demonstrating ambition and passion for the Fulbright mission, rather than to gesture at how far I got in the process. 

Edited May 6, 2015 by Horb

[Bluefit]

(A) for Greece ETA and I'm considering applying again to next year's cycle as a research scholar in the Dominican Republic. I Lived there for two years, all of my family is from the Dominican Republic, and I have a lot of experience doing research projects and working with folks there. 

 

If any of you have advice regarding how to complete a strong scholar application, please pass it along!!!!!

 

 

Thank you

 

 

if you are looking into the scholar program, it is much tougher then the ETA.. I have applied twice the last two years and each time been designated an Alternate. The biggest difference is the number of grants drops considerably from ETA to Scholar. Also, the background and experience of the average scholar applicant is on average at least a Masters with 5 to 10 years of work experience. With that said, if you decide to try then ensure a quality topic, and try and see if it has recently been done in the country you are applying for. This seems to be one of  the biggest things.  With that, any questions beyond this feel free to ask away

Edited May 10, 2015 by Bluefit

[Bleep_Bloop]

Do you all think it is worth noting that one was a finalist for a Fulbright, but ultimately not selected? I wondering including my finalist status for the UK grant I applied to a year ago in hopes of demonstrating ambition and passion for the Fulbright mission, rather than to gesture at how far I got in the process. 

 

I'm pretty sure that there's a point in the application where they ask you whether or not you've applied for a Fulbright before, so you could list this information there. This might be a way to let them know you've been a finalist in the past without taking up space in your statement or bio.

[knp]

Throwing my hat into the ring for a postgraduate student award to get a MA at a university in England, I think. Here's hoping that because this university has no name recognition in the US, my chances increase from 2% to 3%!

[Horb]

Is it appropriate to discuss country resources? They uk uni I'm looking at has great resources but havig the British library nearby is also super useful but not necessarily uni specific

[bailey24]

Do you all think it is worth noting that one was a finalist for a Fulbright, but ultimately not selected? I wondering including my finalist status for the UK grant I applied to a year ago in hopes of demonstrating ambition and passion for the Fulbright mission, rather than to gesture at how far I got in the process. 

I've heard from multiple people that the selection committee looks favorably upon finalists reapplying. They like the grit and tenacity it shows. Go for it.

[GarrettN]

Is it appropriate to discuss country resources? They uk uni I'm looking at has great resources but havig the British library nearby is also super useful but not necessarily uni specific

 

Horb,

 

I received the 2015-16 Fulbright Postgraduate Award to University of Liverpool to do an MA in International Slavery Studies. I focused about 1/3 of my Statement of Grant Purpose talking about the resources located in Liverpool and throughout the UK. Especially given that the UK is tiny and travel for research is extremely feasible, I would definitely discuss the opportunities for research throughout the land. (I included libraries, public history, NGO's/IGO's, and other centres for slavery studies.) To be honest, the majority of the primary source material for my thesis will probably come from the BL and NA; but the main feature of my proposal hinges on my course rather than my research.

[GarrettN]

Hi Kylin,

 

I was just wondering if you did any research on the clause in the Fulbright eligibility requirements that says they prefer applicants who have not spent "extended time" in their host country. I want to apply for a research grant to Germany or Austria, but will be spending this year in Germany. I was awarded an ETA to Germany this year but turned it down for another fellowship. At the time of application I will only have 2 months there, but obviously the program is a year long, so I am not sure if they factor that in or just look at how much experience a person has in the country at the time the application is due. 

 

It sounds like you have spent significant time in Japan already too, but are still applying there. Do you know anything about the "extended time" clause?

 

Bailey24,

 

I received a Fulbright for the UK, and I had previously spent 3 months there in a study abroad program, and another month total for vacation and research. I'm not sure how much stock they put into this, but I fared alright.

[Horb]

Horb,

 

I received the 2015-16 Fulbright Postgraduate Award to University of Liverpool to do an MA in International Slavery Studies. I focused about 1/3 of my Statement of Grant Purpose talking about the resources located in Liverpool and throughout the UK. Especially given that the UK is tiny and travel for research is extremely feasible, I would definitely discuss the opportunities for research throughout the land. (I included libraries, public history, NGO's/IGO's, and other centres for slavery studies.) To be honest, the majority of the primary source material for my thesis will probably come from the BL and NA; but the main feature of my proposal hinges on my course rather than my research.

Thanks so much! I'm actually looking at studying 19th century British Empire and how slavery operates in Victorian novels, so I was looking at the museum in Liverpool and a few other places, though I'd be based in Leicester. Thanks for the info!!!

[SoundandVision]

So my fulbright advisor said it might work against us to say that we were an alternate in a past cycle (it would presumptuous or something like that). Any thoughts on this? Any evidence that mentioning it has worked in the past? Just curious!

[Dostoprimechatel'nosti]

So my fulbright advisor said it might work against us to say that we were an alternate in a past cycle (it would presumptuous or something like that). Any thoughts on this? Any evidence that mentioning it has worked in the past? Just curious!

Hi there! I'm a fellow alternate this cycle! While I'm still hopeful that I'll be bumped up this year, I will be applying for the 2016-2017 grant if I'm not.

I was planning on just listing in the application form that I had applied to Fulbright and that I was chosen as an alternate.

I'm sure it won't go unnoticed and I feel like there is so little room in the SOGP and PS for extra info about previous applications.

But I'm sure that either way is fine, I think it should definitely be somewhere in your application though.

[Horb]

So my fulbright advisor said it might work against us to say that we were an alternate in a past cycle (it would presumptuous or something like that). Any thoughts on this? Any evidence that mentioning it has worked in the past? Just curious!

 

I think it all depends on how you phrase it. 

[GarrettN]

Thanks so much! I'm actually looking at studying 19th century British Empire and how slavery operates in Victorian novels, so I was looking at the museum in Liverpool and a few other places, though I'd be based in Leicester. Thanks for the info!!!

Fantastic! The slavery museum is a gem.

[Unconquered]

Hi all, just finished the first year of my MM, and I'm applying for a research grant in Musicology to France. I've got a 2.5 month contract taking me away from campus all summer, so I got an early-ish start, and have my essays done and my affiliate is sending my letter in the next couple of weeks. Just started my application for the DM, too, so it's going to be a busy fall. Looking forward to losing my mind with all of you over the next year. 

[Photogeographic]

Considering applying to Mongolia this year, does have any contacts in Mongolia ?! 

[MastersHoping]

Considering applying to Mongolia this year, does have any contacts in Mongolia ?! 

Wow cool! Never heard of anyone interested in applying to Mongolia before! What are you interested in doing there? Research or teaching English?

 

Ulan-Bator is the coldest capital city in the world! So go prepared, haha. 

[Photogeographic]

I'm interested in conservation research ! And I knowww haha I have Mongolia on my iphone weather and its been so cold and its not even their cold season ! 

 

Wow cool! Never heard of anyone interested in applying to Mongolia before! What are you interested in doing there? Research or teaching English?

 

Ulan-Bator is the coldest capital city in the world! So go prepared, haha. 

[MastersHoping]

Hehehe. I think Mongolia is a fascinating place too, although my knowledge of it is fairly limited. My only familiarity with it is the fact that a lot of North Korean defectors use it to get to South Korea (my research interests are in North Korea/ North Korean defectors). Do you speak any Mongolian? I currently go to school in Washington, D.C. and there's a large Mongolian population here for some reason!!! 

 

But I also see you're from Chicago (which is where I went to undergrad), so the cold shouldn't be a huge surprise for you lmao. 

[Photogeographic]

Hehehe. I think Mongolia is a fascinating place too, although my knowledge of it is fairly limited. My only familiarity with it is the fact that a lot of North Korean defectors use it to get to South Korea (my research interests are in North Korea/ North Korean defectors). Do you speak any Mongolian? I currently go to school in Washington, D.C. and there's a large Mongolian population here for some reason!!! 

 

But I also see you're from Chicago (which is where I went to undergrad), so the cold shouldn't be a huge surprise for you lmao. 

 

LOL Nope unfortunately the cold weather is not a surprise ! I have been struggling to find a Mongolian tutor  ! 

[Bluefit]

I think it all depends on how you phrase it. 

 

 

Well if you read up on Fulbright they are fond of those who are tenacious. I spoke to them after making alternate twice in a row. They had told me, it would be good to mention it. I think you add it in a phrase like "I believe so strongly in the proposal and it;s vital need to (subject matter) that this is my second time applying, Last year i was selected as an alternate".. I don't think you write more than that. I don't think you need to harp on it. If they see it, great!!!!!!

Edited May 25, 2015 by Bluefit

[Horb]

Well, some one had said that their contact spoke negatively about mentioning it. I think it depend how eloquently you word it and how you weave it in. 

[bailey24]

Bailey24,

 

I received a Fulbright for the UK, and I had previously spent 3 months there in a study abroad program, and another month total for vacation and research. I'm not sure how much stock they put into this, but I fared alright.

Hi Garrett,

 

Thanks for weighing in. I asked IIE, and they said that they technically prefer people who have not spent "extensive" (aka 1 year plus) in their host country before, but that does not include study abroad experiences in undergrad.

 

The program I am doing this year is 11 months, and through the State Department not through a U.S. university. However, at the time of the application I will only have been there 3 months. IIE also said that given the large number of grants available in Germany, that I shouldn't panic too much about the preference. 

 

I am trying to decide if I should apply to Austria or Germany, since I am really interested in education policy research and have contacts and potential hosts in each. I really hope that doing the program I am with this year won't hurt my chances too much if I go with Germany. 

[Photogeographic]

oooh ! oooh ! for anyone who obsessively mulls over the statistics ..the Fulbright Grantee Directory has been updated for 2014