Fulbright 2017-2018

[Horb]

56 minutes ago, AKACaz said:

No doubt you're right - but if you go down a level to the "Academic Programs" desk which more specifically oversees Fulbright, Marian Craven is also not yet confirmed in her job (or whatever 'Acting' means). While the State Department approval of finalists may not come from the top of the Bureau, it probably doesn't come from the bottom, either.

Acting means that they are the current head, but that no one has been nominated to replace them, so they "act" as head until they get it. If someone is listed as acting, then that position is filled, just temporarily by that person.

[Meliglwssos]

On February 23, 2017 at 11:13 PM, Photogeographic said:

Anyone else applying to Indonesia? Anyone apply to Indo and get an interview request? (I didn't) But I remember reading somewhere that they might do interviews o_o 

Anxious for the next couple of weeks 

I applied as an ETA. I haven't heard of an interview for it. I think I read somewhere that they haven't done one but I forget where. 

[maelia8]

@Horb Germany ETA notification used to be a lot earlier - when I was an ETA in 2012, my records indicate that I got notice of admission by February 23rd! Glad to hear that the last two years it's been later (mid-March), since I was starting to worry that I hadn't yet heard anything.

Is it a problem that I wasn't able to ensure transcript arrival in NY until the day OF the 21st (i was waiting for a very slow prof to remove an incomplete)? In the email asking for the updated transcript they said that it won't affect the decision-making process, so I hope that's true. 

[Horb]

29 minutes ago, maelia8 said:

@Horb Germany ETA notification used to be a lot earlier - when I was an ETA in 2012, my records indicate that I got notice of admission by February 23rd! Glad to hear that the last two years it's been later (mid-March), since I was starting to worry that I hadn't yet heard anything.

Is it a problem that I wasn't able to ensure transcript arrival in NY until the day OF the 21st (i was waiting for a very slow prof to remove an incomplete)? In the email asking for the updated transcript they said that it won't affect the decision-making process, so I hope that's true. 

So, not to be a butt or anything, but are you sure you founded out in February? The notification on the google doc says people heard on 3/26 and I can't fathom why some people would find out earlier^{butwhatdoIknow}

Also, seriously don't worry about the transcripts. It is literally just a formality to make sure you didn't nosedive in the fall. 

 

 

[maelia8]

@Horb that's the date my computer shows me last modifying the form requesting a particular state in Germany (for ETAs, you get to list priorities for state placement after you hear you've been accepted), so I'm not sure how it could have been any later. Unfortunately I no longer have access to the email I was using at that time, so I have no way to go back and check for the primary notification ... could it be an ETA thing rather than a research grant thing? I know there are a lot less people applying to be ETAs around here so maybe the check-ins on GC are from research grantees?

[Horb]

3 hours ago, maelia8 said:

@Horb that's the date my computer shows me last modifying the form requesting a particular state in Germany (for ETAs, you get to list priorities for state placement after you hear you've been accepted), so I'm not sure how it could have been any later. Unfortunately I no longer have access to the email I was using at that time, so I have no way to go back and check for the primary notification ... could it be an ETA thing rather than a research grant thing? I know there are a lot less people applying to be ETAs around here so maybe the check-ins on GC are from research grantees?

It says Germany eta, but who knows! 

[Jess2323]

23 hours ago, AKACaz said:

No doubt you're right - but if you go down a level to the "Academic Programs" desk which more specifically oversees Fulbright, Marian Craven is also not yet confirmed in her job (or whatever 'Acting' means). While the State Department approval of finalists may not come from the top of the Bureau, it probably doesn't come from the bottom, either.

When I interned at the State Department a surprising number of people are Acting heads - does not mean they are incompetent or overwhelmed - just bureaucracy moves slowly. I wouldn't read too much into this! I would agree that they are probably low on staff with all the recent dealings though. I guess we can only sit back and wait!

[maelia8]

@Horb by the way, did you apply for the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses? Just curious. It's Berlin-specific, and I don't know if your research is centered on that place. I already heard back from the FU Berlin Program (negative) and the Chancellor Fellowship (negative), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Fulbright or DAAD.

[Horb]

40 minutes ago, maelia8 said:

@Horb by the way, did you apply for the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses? Just curious. It's Berlin-specific, and I don't know if your research is centered on that place. I already heard back from the FU Berlin Program (negative) and the Chancellor Fellowship (negative), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Fulbright or DAAD.

Welp, I wish I had known about that program...My archive is there, so I need to be there. Maybe if I don't get the Fulbright, I'll reapply and apply to the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses next year. Will you be in Berlin if given a grant? If we both end up there, we should totally meet up! 

I'm in a weird dissertation place where I technically start it next year, hence why I'm applying while I'm still in coursework, but I'll have a few more years (like...2) where it'd be feasible to do fellowships focusing on research rather than just writing.

[Horb]

46 minutes ago, maelia8 said:

@Horb by the way, did you apply for the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses? Just curious. It's Berlin-specific, and I don't know if your research is centered on that place. I already heard back from the FU Berlin Program (negative) and the Chancellor Fellowship (negative), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Fulbright or DAAD.

I just looked at the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses application...it is so short...why did I not know about this? Cursed fates! *flails about*

[jmhawkin24]

Is anyone else a semi-finalist for the Thailand ETA??

[maelia8]

4 hours ago, Horb said:

Welp, I wish I had known about that program...My archive is there, so I need to be there. Maybe if I don't get the Fulbright, I'll reapply and apply to the Studienstiftung des Abgeordnetenhauses next year. Will you be in Berlin if given a grant? If we both end up there, we should totally meet up! 

I'm in a weird dissertation place where I technically start it next year, hence why I'm applying while I'm still in coursework, but I'll have a few more years (like...2) where it'd be feasible to do fellowships focusing on research rather than just writing.

I'm sorry, I just assumed you would know about everything since you seem so knowledgeable! I only knew about it because my advisor here is from Germany, Berlin specifically, and knows about all the stuff that's city-specific as well as the national competitions. I will most certainly be in Berlin starting in September regardless of whether I get the Fulbright (my department has a designated research year, and if we don't get an outside fellowship we get [less, but guaranteed] funding from the department), and meeting up could be feasible.

I'm not sure I understand ... I thought applying for research year fellowships in the last year of coursework was normal? Does your department advise multiple years of research before writing the dissertation? For us it's as follows: first 2.5 years are coursework (roughly), then end of third year is quals, then fourth year is overseas research, and years 5 and 6 are for writing. We can take an additional research year though if we get outside funding for it ...

[Photogeographic]

On 2/26/2017 at 2:36 AM, Meliglwssos said:

I applied as an ETA. I haven't heard of an interview for it. I think I read somewhere that they haven't done one but I forget where. 

Do you have a specific region you applied too ? I hope to be working in Sumatra 

[Horb]

10 hours ago, maelia8 said:

I'm sorry, I just assumed you would know about everything since you seem so knowledgeable! I only knew about it because my advisor here is from Germany, Berlin specifically, and knows about all the stuff that's city-specific as well as the national competitions. I will most certainly be in Berlin starting in September regardless of whether I get the Fulbright (my department has a designated research year, and if we don't get an outside fellowship we get [less, but guaranteed] funding from the department), and meeting up could be feasible.

I'm not sure I understand ... I thought applying for research year fellowships in the last year of coursework was normal? Does your department advise multiple years of research before writing the dissertation? For us it's as follows: first 2.5 years are coursework (roughly), then end of third year is quals, then fourth year is overseas research, and years 5 and 6 are for writing. We can take an additional research year though if we get outside funding for it ...

I mean, all departments are different. I have 2.5 years of coursework. During the first year, I had fellowship (not teaching) but from that points on, I have to teach every semester to keep my funding, unless I get an outside grant. The second half of year 3 if for quals. Year 4 is working on our diss. prospectus, which is research. After that, until we graduate, we do writing and research (as necessary for said writing). So really, the only years that research works well are year 4 (next year) and year 5 (because whilst working on the prospectus, one would probably realize, hey! I don't know something and need to find that out!). 

So yeah, I have to teach unless I get outside funding, hence applying for the Fulbright. But honestly, I was planning on applying for things for year 5 anyways, and I viewed the Fulbright as a long shot. I just didn't have enough mental enegery to apply for a bunch of things and, since I'm not past quals, I'm not eligible for a lot of grants. But next year I'll go all out

[Meliglwssos]

7 hours ago, Photogeographic said:

Do you have a specific region you applied too ? I hope to be working in Sumatra 

No, we just apply to Indonesia in general and then if accepted we fill out a priority list and they place us. I'm thinking my main thing is going to be food restrictions. I've only been to Malang, Wonosari, Blitar, and Gunung Bromo (I forget the city name). I'd like to go somewhere else. I might ask for Flores, because a current Fulbrighters blog says they have a lot of vegetarian food because of tourism. Also, it's beautiful. My tutor was from Ambon and I'd like to look at that area (Maluka?) for travel, too. I may not have a lot of choice in placement, though.

What draws you to Sumatra? 

[ibette]

I already started having the awkward Fulbright e-mail nightmares as we near March. I kept dreaming  last night that I was re-reading the decision e-mail and feeling horrible as I read [NS] on the subject line and debating if I should re-apply again to FB's next year cycle.  

[inkstainedarm]

They were late to call me for my interview and I nearly had a heart attack!!

@Dilemma1 and any other UK applicants yet to interview: they've been having tech problems with their Skype, so there's a chance they'll have to call you instead--have your phones handy when it's your time, just in case!

[Horb]

3 hours ago, ibette said:

I already started having the awkward Fulbright e-mail nightmares as we near March. I kept dreaming  last night that I was re-reading the decision e-mail and feeling horrible as I read [NS] on the subject line and debating if I should re-apply again to FB's next year cycle.  

OMG. I've had that since January. Also, I must say, the [NS] subject line is so cruel. I honestly wish they had a plain subject line so that I didn't immediately sob when I got my rejection a few years ago. This year, there shall still be tears^{maybe of joy} but I'm more prepared as I've set every device to ring a specific tone but not show the message. However, I'm now getting terrorized by the wind chime noise on other's apple phones...such is life.

[minswho]

Does anyone know if the foreign selection committee (e.g. UK Fulbright commission) submit their list of selections to the FFSB in a single batch or in several batches as they make their decisions?
In the instructions page (before being password protected), it said that the deadline to submit the list was March 3rd but I'm not sure how it works especially since the last interview for the UK Fulbright is also on the same day.

Random question but I promise I have a kind of valid reason for asking.

[Dilemma1]

3 hours ago, inkstainedarm said:

They were late to call me for my interview and I nearly had a heart attack!!

@Dilemma1 and any other UK applicants yet to interview: they've been having tech problems with their Skype, so there's a chance they'll have to call you instead--have your phones handy when it's your time, just in case!

Thank you for sharing!  I hope you can relax now that the interview is over   Hopefully it's only a month until we find out!

[Dilemma1]

12 minutes ago, minswho said:

Does anyone know if the foreign selection committee (e.g. UK Fulbright commission) submit their list of selections to the FFSB in a single batch or in several batches as they make their decisions?
In the instructions page (before being password protected), it said that the deadline to submit the list was March 3rd but I'm not sure how it works especially since the last interview for the UK Fulbright is also on the same day.

Random question but I promise I have a kind of valid reason for asking.

Last year every UK semi-finalist was notified on the same day (this is typical for every country, although research and ETA can differ).  I feel like this should hold true this year.  Although the notification information that was found on that page held (pretty) true for the first round.  My interview is at 3:30pm UK time, which is a very narrow window to send all of the recommendations to the FFSB.  It could be that the UK decisions are sent to the FFSB in batches and the final notifications from the FFSB are sent to applicants at the same time.  I'm not entirely sure how the internal part of the process works...hopefully I'm not adding to the confusion!

[Photogeographic]

12 hours ago, Meliglwssos said:

No, we just apply to Indonesia in general and then if accepted we fill out a priority list and they place us. I'm thinking my main thing is going to be food restrictions. I've only been to Malang, Wonosari, Blitar, and Gunung Bromo (I forget the city name). I'd like to go somewhere else. I might ask for Flores, because a current Fulbrighters blog says they have a lot of vegetarian food because of tourism. Also, it's beautiful. My tutor was from Ambon and I'd like to look at that area (Maluka?) for travel, too. I may not have a lot of choice in placement, though.

What draws you to Sumatra? 

I hope if all goes well to be photographing human elephant conflict in Sumatra. Places that are close to the national parks. (Way kambas). Not sure how the indo Fulbright committee will feel about my proposal though. But I've applied for the Fulbright 5 times now and been a semi-finalist 3 times so really curious to see what will happen! Also nervous to start the research permit process I heard that's a bit of a challenge. 

Good luck! 

[Horb]

I started a blog to basically blog about my Fulbright feels and I must say, it is helping with the stress. I haven't been mentioning to too many of friends my thoughts as march comes along, primarily because I don't want to be needy. Like...no one gets this until they do it. 

So I recommend blogging or even just writing in a journal for those who have anxiety or just need a space to vent. 

[Vegan Burrito]

Do you all think it would be a bad idea to email the Fulbright Commission in my host country (which has a very large ETA program) to ask when the results are coming out? It would just be so helpful for me to know whether it's this month, next month, for planning purposes.

[hobakie]

29 minutes ago, Vegan Burrito said:

Do you all think it would be a bad idea to email the Fulbright Commission in my host country (which has a very large ETA program) to ask when the results are coming out? It would just be so helpful for me to know whether it's this month, next month, for planning purposes.

Look at the spreadsheet.