Does it matter if I don't apply for the Fulbright Scholarship?

[burgundywave]

Hi all,

I'm a Canadian student and up to now I was intending to apply for the Fulbright scholarship. However, the deadline is fast approaching and I don't think I can have all my material ready by then. I could if I were to dedicate most of my energy to this particular application but I would rather focus on my PhD applications. 

On the positive side, I do intend to apply for NSERC funding (the Canadian equivalent of NSF) once I become eligible (applicants going directly to PhD from undergrad only become eligible once officially accepted in the program (so I will be applying for funding for Fall 2017)). I will mention that in my application so that they don't think that I haven't considered applying for external funding.

My question is whether not applying to the Fulbright scholarship can affect my chances of getting admitted to PhD programs in any way? Do schools really consider this in their admissions criteria? What would you recommend?

Thanks

 

Edited September 23, 2015 by burgundywave

[TakeruK]

Applying to fellowships does not affect your admission results. Anyone can apply--it doesn't mean anything! Also, US schools will not be very likely to know about likelihood of receiving a Canadian fellowship based on your application. However, you should still mention each award you apply for, if you do that.

Schools can and probably do consider fellowships you applied to if they can judge your likelihood of winning it (e.g. Canadian schools would think about your ability to win a NSERC, US schools an NSF). But this won't help you when you are applying across the border.

Also, the Fulbright is extremely competitive. I think that if you are going to win the Fulbright then your profile would be competitive enough to get into almost any place you want, really. So, neglecting to mention that you applied to a Fulbright if you have such a profile is not going to make a difference!

[burgundywave]

Alright, super! Thanks