Fulbright 2017-2018

[LibbyCreek]

17 minutes ago, Dash123 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a chronic disease (or even mental health issue) and is applying for a Fulbright? Aside from trying to plan how to manage it abroad if I'm selected for my ETA, I'm wondering if there will be any stage in the application where medical issues could bar a person from going? I believe I'll be able to handle my condition as long as I have my medications with me, but is this something I'll have to disclose?

Thanks,

Dash

Yup, I have a degenerative eye disease that doesn't keep me from working etc. I know there is a point at which we have to submit a health record, but I'm not sure how the effects of any given disorder/disease/condition are taken into account. For me, as long as I can get a new contact lens prescription with a specialist once a year I am good to go. I am planning to take any and all eye stuff with me, not relying on local sources.

What are you planning? 

or does anyone else have information on this?

[missemile]

Hi everyone!

I made an account just to post here. I am a semi-finalist for a Fulbright UK award. I noticed that one of you has heard back regarding an interview. Has anyone else heard back?

I noticed from the Excel spreadsheet that most interviews were in mid-February, so hopefully we hear back soon!

Good luck everyone!

[tingdeh]

Hi everyone!

It's nice to be back on The Grad Café, which I haven't checked out since applying for graduate school. Anyway, I found out yesterday that the adjudication committee for Fulbright Canada recommended my application forward to research in a couple of U.S. institutions! So I wait for the decisions to be made in DC...it will be a gruelling couple of months ahead.

Good luck to all of us!

[Horb]

2 hours ago, Dash123 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a chronic disease (or even mental health issue) and is applying for a Fulbright? Aside from trying to plan how to manage it abroad if I'm selected for my ETA, I'm wondering if there will be any stage in the application where medical issues could bar a person from going? I believe I'll be able to handle my condition as long as I have my medications with me, but is this something I'll have to disclose?

Thanks,

Dash

Certain countries will state on the country page if medical conditions are an issue (for instance, Thailand's ETA description has a Health section). Usually, you would have had to disclose it by now.

[BeeKayCee]

7 hours ago, Dash123 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a chronic disease (or even mental health issue) and is applying for a Fulbright? Aside from trying to plan how to manage it abroad if I'm selected for my ETA, I'm wondering if there will be any stage in the application where medical issues could bar a person from going? I believe I'll be able to handle my condition as long as I have my medications with me, but is this something I'll have to disclose?

Thanks,

Dash

I was worried about the same thing as it delayed my Peace Corps Application status for about a year (mental health), from what I've gathered there is a medical check AFTER they have decided you are a finalist. I don't know about the Fulbright Process but for Peace Corps I had to write a mini essay on my condition and how I am well equipped to handle it, as well as having letters from any previous doctors who treated me directly for the condition. 

This time I plan on just saying "I've been in Peace Corps for two years so it shouldn't be a problem", but I too am interested in specifically the medical for mental issues. There was no particular statement that I could find on Fulbright about this. 

[mckenna81]

18 hours ago, Dash123 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone else here has a chronic disease (or even mental health issue) and is applying for a Fulbright? Aside from trying to plan how to manage it abroad if I'm selected for my ETA, I'm wondering if there will be any stage in the application where medical issues could bar a person from going? I believe I'll be able to handle my condition as long as I have my medications with me, but is this something I'll have to disclose?

Thanks,

Dash

Hi Dash! I have ulcerative colitis. There is a medical clearance (at least for my program - it was on the letter I received letting me know I was recommended) in order to ensure that, if you have medical issues that need treatment, you will be to access the care you need while abroad. So depending on where you're applying and what your illness is, it might not be an issue. I am applying to Canada and take easily accessible medicines for my ulcerative colitis, so personally I'm not worried about it being a problem. If you've applied to go somewhere with limited access to medical care, it might be an issue. 

[mckenna81]

Just a quick hello to the Canadians who've joined us recently! I'm applying to go TO Canada, so I'm glad to hear that the folks up north are on working on their decisions.

Edited February 4, 2017 by mckenna81

[Beals]

On 2/3/2017 at 2:40 PM, Horb said:

Hopefully this makes you feel better, but I applied to 12 programs and was rejected by 9. It felt bad, but when I got to my program now, I was SO happy. I honestly can't fathom being anywhere else. Weird things happen, but for a reason (IMO).

You are a ray of sunshine.  Thanks for all the encouragement.  Sending positive vibes your way, my friend.

[Jess2323]

On 1/25/2017 at 7:09 AM, edon16 said:

@Jess2323 and @catsbloom I made a gradcafe account, finally. Fellow ETA semi-finalist for Bulgaria here! Yay! Let me know if you all need anything or want to chat. My fingers are crossed for all of us.

Have either of you heard whether we have interviews? 

[ibette]

Hi everyone, hope everyone is holding up well. I am guessing in two weeks-in-a-half we will start hearing decisions for some of the countries? The deadline to submit transcripts is February 21st, so I am guessing if they have already received most of them they might start dispersing decision e-mails early March.

Finally, has anyone started to inquire about the immigration processes for their country of choice? My former FPA asked me to look into those requirements as soon as possible even if the final decisions haven't been made on my application. She is currently a Fulbright scholar in South Africa right now and she mentioned how many loops she had to jump through in order for her to get a visa to South Africa using her US Passport. I also know my host institution made me fill out an application to get the letter of support, as if I was applying for their university as a graduate student, which requires me to get a letter from the program chair to finalize the application (didn't submit that requirement since we weren't sure if I was going to get a Fulbright anyways). Just wanted to throw these ideas out in case anyone is awarded soon and might encounter some difficulty prepping materials for their travels. 

[catsbloom]

1 hour ago, Jess2323 said:

Have either of you heard whether we have interviews? 

The Fulbright website mentioned that Bulgaria does not require interviews.

[Jess2323]

2 minutes ago, catsbloom said:

The Fulbright website mentioned that Bulgaria does not require interviews.

On the google doc page which lists years past, some Bulgaria ETAs list interview notification dates which is why I asked! I wonder if this is on a case by case basis?

[edon16]

14 minutes ago, Jess2323 said:

On the google doc page which lists years past, some Bulgaria ETAs list interview notification dates which is why I asked! I wonder if this is on a case by case basis?

Hey, I haven't heard anything from the Bulgarian commission, but my mindset is to be prepared for an interview / not freak out if one isn't offered to me. After speaking with some current Bulgaria ETAs, it sounds like interviews are a new thing for Bulgaria, like, last year was the first year. So, who knows if the Bulgarian Commission liked doing interviews with applicants - although I can't imagine why it would be a negative apart from the time commitment.

I'm thinking if we don't hear about interviews by mid- to late-February then our cohort won't have them, likely, maybe, AHHH.

[Photogeographic]

Not sure why this made me anxious but PDO dates have been posted! http://us.fulbrightonline.org/pre-departure-orientation-schedule-2017-2018 

I also had a dream last night that I was rejected as a finalist and they told me it was because I was not skilled enough 0_o 

[BeeKayCee]

1 hour ago, Photogeographic said:

Not sure why this made me anxious but PDO dates have been posted! http://us.fulbrightonline.org/pre-departure-orientation-schedule-2017-2018 

I also had a dream last night that I was rejected as a finalist and they told me it was because I was not skilled enough 0_o 

I've been having those crazy dreams too. I'm applying to Universities as well and I had a dream I got turned down and they sent back all my applications covered in red pen explaining exactly what was bad about my application.

and EEEEK PDO dates? It's causing anxiety for me just to have exact dates that I MAY have to plan around but am not sure yet. 

[Photogeographic]

3 hours ago, BeeKayCee said:

I've been having those crazy dreams too. I'm applying to Universities as well and I had a dream I got turned down and they sent back all my applications covered in red pen explaining exactly what was bad about my application.

and EEEEK PDO dates? It's causing anxiety for me just to have exact dates that I MAY have to plan around but am not sure yet. 

 

Exactly ! It's like .. do I plan to be busy those dates and then be bummed out when I am not a finalist !? HA ! And I thought February would be a stress-free month! 

[AKACaz]

(Hi all - jumping in late on this thread, I haven't been on the Cafe since applying to grad school. Feels like an age...!)

Congrats to everyone who's received good news! If there's anyone on here who has had a Fulbright as a graduate student, I'm curious: how important or decisive do you think your anticipated sponsorship/partnership with your host institution was in receiving your award? I'm a semi-finalist for the Netherlands at the moment, and feel pretty secure in the opportunity I have set up with an institute at the University of Amsterdam - but I don't want to get my hopes up too high or be overly optimistic.

[Horb]

22 minutes ago, AKACaz said:

(Hi all - jumping in late on this thread, I haven't been on the Cafe since applying to grad school. Feels like an age...!)

Congrats to everyone who's received good news! If there's anyone on here who has had a Fulbright as a graduate student, I'm curious: how important or decisive do you think your anticipated sponsorship/partnership with your host institution was in receiving your award? I'm a semi-finalist for the Netherlands at the moment, and feel pretty secure in the opportunity I have set up with an institute at the University of Amsterdam - but I don't want to get my hopes up too high or be overly optimistic.

I'm also a grad applicant, but my FPA sat in on selection last year and he said that the affiliation strength was a big factor. For example, you might need, say, an affiliation with a university, but if you're also doing something his a hospital as part of your research, your app would be MUCH stronger to have an affiliation with them as well. So, tl;rd yeah, affiliation is a considerable factor.

[AnnMarie]

Hey everyone! Do we get some kind of email notifying is that our transcripts arrived safely? Or do we just kind of have to hope they made it safe? I sent mine out 2 weeks ago and I feel like they should be there by now.

[Horb]

22 minutes ago, AnnMarie said:

Hey everyone! Do we get some kind of email notifying is that our transcripts arrived safely? Or do we just kind of have to hope they made it safe? I sent mine out 2 weeks ago and I feel like they should be there by now.

They will only notify you if they are missing after the deadline listed in the email. 

[indexes]

Real life image of me after crawling into my bed after my interview:

(Less dramatic explanation: Didn't blank but, flip-side, felt rambling and could have had better answers to their questions! Got nervous and went into a weird flight/fight mode.)

 

Edited February 8, 2017 by indexes
added a less dramatic explanation

[Horb]

14 minutes ago, indexes said:

Real life image of me after crawling into my bed after my interview:

(Less dramatic explanation: Didn't blank but, flip-side, felt rambling and could have had better answers to their questions! Got nervous and went into a weird flight/fight mode.)

 

YOU ARE AMAZING. 

[LibbyCreek]

3 hours ago, Horb said:

YOU ARE AMAZING. 

I couldn't agree more. Look where you are already! Fabulous work!

 

[indexes]

7 hours ago, Horb said:

YOU ARE AMAZING. 

Thank you! Had some chocolates and now I am just so relieved it's over.  

[indexes]

4 hours ago, LibbyCreek said:

I couldn't agree more. Look where you are already! Fabulous work!

 

I know! If the same amount of people applied as last year, then I was one of only 23 people (out of 137 that applied) that got an interview. That is an amazing accomplishment in itself. 

All of your support here is really heart warming. What a lovely community! Regardless of what they say in March, this was a really enriching process!

Edited February 8, 2017 by indexes