Fulbright 2016 - 2017

[busybee]

Here's to hoping it is a trend this year!

I had to send IIE a scan of my passport a couple of weeks ago because the US Embassy in my Fulbright country wanted it. Hopefully that was for a visa or something and April 29th notifications are a thing of the past!

[John_M]

Just curious have any Germany research applicants been asked by the IIE to send a copy of their passport? I haven't been asked and I am just wondering if I should give up hope haha

[kfm]

33 minutes ago, John_M said:

Just curious have any Germany research applicants been asked by the IIE to send a copy of their passport? I haven't been asked and I am just wondering if I should give up hope haha

I am also curious if this happens for every country? I applied to Ireland and haven't heard anything.

Anyone who may know (from previous cycles, etc.) please chime in!

[Caytei]

Lurker here, but I made an account because I am driving myself crazy and could use some advice from people going through the same process.

I feel like I made a detrimental mistake on my application. I am applying for the Germany Study/Research grant, but my application lists a 2-year program instead of a 1-year program. I didn't need to affiliate with a university ahead of time, but my advisor really pushed me last minute to go ahead and talk about a program I would like to attend in my application. I have no idea how I made such a terrible mistake, or how it got past me and my advisors, but is that going to auto-ding me from being a recipient? I don't actually care if I can't attend that particular program, so it's going to be devastating if I am rejected because of that. 

It is such an embarrassing mistake and it's so glaring now that I realize. The only explanation I can give is that it was the middle of my midterms in law school and my brain was just mush. I have been driving myself crazy obsessing over this mistake, especially if it's enough to reject my application because of an incompatible program. 

I just wish there were a way to reach out and tell the committee that it was a mistake and not the only program I would consider attending. Has anyone heard of someone doing this or is that a step too far? Any chance this isn't as big of a deal as I think it is? Anyone else going through something similar or was everyone put-together enough not to send a mistake on their Fulbright application? 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Caytei

[busybee]

1 hour ago, John_M said:

Just curious have any Germany research applicants been asked by the IIE to send a copy of their passport? I haven't been asked and I am just wondering if I should give up hope haha

It's possible I was asked because my country wants to do a background check on me. It is not a European country. They arrest Americans and Europeans in my country from time to time. I'm hoping it's for a good reason, though. 

[busybee]

I don't mean "I hope it's for a good reason that they arrest Westerners." I mean I hope it's a good reason I had to send my passport scan. Whoops.

Edited March 4, 2016 by busybee

[Dostoprimechatel'nosti]

2 hours ago, kfm said:

I am also curious if this happens for every country? I applied to Ireland and haven't heard anything.

Anyone who may know (from previous cycles, etc.) please chime in!

No, this doesn't happen for every country.  At least not before you are chosen as a recipient (also remember that we included our passport numbers in our applications).  Busybee's country most likely needs the passport for a specific reason in this case.  I don't think anyone should fret because they haven't received a similar email. 

[kfm]

5 minutes ago, Dostoprimechatel'nosti said:

No, this doesn't happen for every country.  At least not before you are chosen as a recipient (also remember that we included our passport numbers in our applications).  Busybee's country most likely needs the passport for a specific reason in this case.  I don't think anyone should fret because they haven't received a similar email. 

Thank you!

[Dostoprimechatel'nosti]

2 hours ago, Caytei said:

I just wish there were a way to reach out and tell the committee that it was a mistake and not the only program I would consider attending. Has anyone heard of someone doing this or is that a step too far? Any chance this isn't as big of a deal as I think it is? Anyone else going through something similar or was everyone put-together enough not to send a mistake on their Fulbright application? 

I don't think that your mistake was detrimental.  People have found silly mistakes on their applications before.  I doubt that will greatly impact whether you are accepted or rejected, especially because you didn't have to affiliate with a university in advance. 

There is a thread on here for people who have made mistakes on their grad school apps, I'll find it for you because it is hilarious and it will make you feel better.

EDIT: 

 

I made a silly mistake on my grad school app this year and I was very stressed over it.  And then I was accepted and I realized that these things happen all the time and review committees are usually kind enough to overlook them.  It's all just human error.  

Edited March 4, 2016 by Dostoprimechatel'nosti

[Photogeographic]

On 2/27/2016 at 2:04 PM, Bluefit said:

 

Hey Am i missing something? did you get the Fulbright or the Nat award? 

Noooo. I got a different grant (small one) through Nat Geo which was an adaptation of my past Fulbright proposal. So even thought I didn't get the Fulbright I'm glad something came out of all my crazy time and work put into that application.  

[Photogeographic]

On 2/18/2016 at 5:37 PM, chethedoctor said:

Oh hey I remember you from last year! I am really happy for you! How's your Swahili coming along? Excited about going to Kenya and doing what you love doing?  Your project is really interesting! Is there anyway I can follow the journey? Like a website or a blog?

Safari salama! 

 

ChetTheDoctor ! Yes ! But its not through the Fulbright I used my Fulbright application and adapted it and was awarded a National Geographic Young Explorers grant. (Also a note to anyone who gets rejected this year DON'T GIVE UP !) I will be reapplying for a Fulbright to Indonesia next year. Hoping the odds/conservation interests work more in my favor that my two applications to Kenya did ! Here is an article that was recently published about my project : dnain.fo/1QT72E7 I also have a blog that I will be updating on my website www.JessicaVanFleteren.com 

Chethedoctor: You had applied multiple times am I correct ? do you have any suggestions ? I am excited to be applying to a different country. 

[Photogeographic]

On 4/17/2015 at 7:41 PM, chethedoctor said:

First, let me volunteer to look at your proposal and give you my two cents. I lived in Kenya and I have some familiarity with the work of the Kenyan Wildlife Service and its partners. As has already been pointed out, there's a great deal of conservation that takes place in Kenya. Tourism is a lifeline in Kenya and they have been putting in a lot of effort to ensuring that national parks are protected. It's such a shame that terrorists and poachers are creating chaos in that country these days. 

If you feel strongly about your project, then one option is to try other countries in the region. Tanzania comes to mind. The DRC too but it's not safe there. You may even want to consider Southern countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Compare projects in different countries and see if you can spot gaps. This is not to suggest that your current proposal cannot bring new dimensions or contribute to existing projects but there seems to be consensus that Fulbright has a bias towards novelty. That's why I was so concerned about my project since it appeared that something similar was done the year before but at the end they felt there was enough nuance to merit funding. Another option is maybe, just maybe, tweaking your project by concentrating on another animal. I always felt that beyond the dramatics the annual wildebeest crossing of the Mara River is an understudied phenomenon. I think a lot needs to be done to ensure the safe migration of those graceful animals. 

Finally, the other project sounds both feasible and awesome. There is great need for health care in rural Kenya. When I was in deprived Turkana, I was amazed by how little the government cared about some of its citizens. Village after village, I saw no sign of health care facilities. The boda boda and the mobile phone are revolutionizing rural Africa and if you can find put together a project that makes the case for ways to improve motor cycle-based health care delivery, then I think it may interest someone. 

HA ! Just looking back at this now. 

[Caytei]

2 hours ago, Dostoprimechatel'nosti said:

I made a silly mistake on my grad school app this year and I was very stressed over it.  And then I was accepted and I realized that these things happen all the time and review committees are usually kind enough to overlook them.  It's all just human error.  

Thank you so much for this! I can't tell if I am being rational or panicked anymore and it's nice to be reminded that I am not the first person to make a mistake. I don't think there is anything I can do about it at this point, anyway, so obsessing about it accomplishes nothing and adds an unnecessary amount of additional stress (but I can't seem to stop!).

I don't know if I can take much more of this cycle of anxiety. Fulbright waiting is bad for my health.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Caytei

[Dostoprimechatel'nosti]

55 minutes ago, Caytei said:

I don't know if I can take much more of this cycle of anxiety. Fulbright waiting is bad for my health.

Amen! This has to be one of the most difficult academic processes to go through.  But we'll come out stronger on the other side because of it.  And you aren't the only one who can't stop obsessing, that's why this forum exists, after all!

[kyjin]

Just won the Fulbright to Japan!  I'm freaking out and can't stop shaking. Oh my god....

[kfm]

3 minutes ago, kyjin said:

Just won the Fulbright to Japan!  I'm freaking out and can't stop shaking. Oh my god....

Congratulations!!

[Dostoprimechatel'nosti]

13 minutes ago, kyjin said:

Just won the Fulbright to Japan!  I'm freaking out and can't stop shaking. Oh my god....

Congratulations!!! Amazing!

[Isabella16]

Congrats!!!

[salmazahran1992]

Hola, fulbrighters from around the world. I have a question. Do anyone of you know whether the fulbright pays enough stipends to cover renting a house, food, clothes, and transportation???  The city I am most probably heading to is Baltimore, Maryland and its quite expensive  Any help??? I do not wanna go there and work as a cadger rather than a student ? 

[Dilemma1]

2 hours ago, kyjin said:

Just won the Fulbright to Japan!  I'm freaking out and can't stop shaking. Oh my god....

This is amazing!! Congrats!!!!! 

[matsukoDELUXE]

Congratulations!  I just got the Fulbright for Japan as well!!!  We should talk - are you doing research in Tokyo?

[kyjin]

@Stopthat I think that info would still be in the revision tab? (Look at the revision history.) May be able to restore from there.

@matsukoDELUXE Congrats to you as well!  Yes, I'll be at Todai. What about you? 

[sat0ri]

So for UK Fulbright, based on previous years, it looks like notifications are sent on either the 3rd or 4th weekend (on Saturday or Sunday) of May. That will be a nerve-wracking weekend...

 

[sat0ri]

7 hours ago, salmazahran1992 said:

Hola, fulbrighters from around the world. I have a question. Do anyone of you know whether the fulbright pays enough stipends to cover renting a house, food, clothes, and transportation???  The city I am most probably heading to is Baltimore, Maryland and its quite expensive  Any help??? I do not wanna go there and work as a cadger rather than a student ? 

So, you are a Fulbright hopeful coming from Egypt hoping to study in MD? From my experience with the US Fulbright, they have a searchable database with the value of the grant. So for UK partnership Fulbrights, they typically pay for whatever cost of tuition and provide a ~13,000 USD living grant, which is enough to not necessarily have to work there, but obviously not enough for a lavish stay either. 

For Baltimore there are some cheap areas, but that is also a very dangerous city. 

[matsukoDELUXE]

I attempted to respond directly to your post, but no energy for that   Awesome!  I will be at the National Institute of Japanese Literature （国文学研究資料館) in Tachikawa.  Although, I'm planning on living maybe in Kōenji or somewhere else along the Chūōsen.  I'm not sure if I want to live in a share-house or try and get an apartment.  I like the idea of living in a crummy, old tatami apartment, but it seems like such an involved process to try and rent an apartment..