FULBRIGHT GRANTS

Fulbright Grants are awarded for post-graduate research and study abroad or for positions as English Teaching Assistants (ETA) in schools or in universities.  Fulbright Scholars will sometimes enroll in a degree program, but many pursue more independent research. Grants provide round-trip transportation, tuition (if applicable), books and living expenses for one academic year, usually in one country. There are grants available to more than 50 countries in Europe, the Near East, Africa, Central and South America, and the Asia/Pacific region. Grants are also available in some countries for work in the creative and performing arts.   

ELIGIBILITY: In order to be eligible for a Fulbright, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen by November 1st

• Recipient of a bachelor's degree before the beginning date of the grant

• In good health

GETTING STARTED:

The Fulbright Program sponsors a huge variety of grants. This makes for many different opportunities, but it also makes for a complicated and often confusing application process. Try not to let the complications discourage you. BRYN MAWR STUDENTS WIN FULBRIGHTS VIRTUALLY EVERY YEAR!

Here are some tips:

1. Make sure you’re looking at the US Student home page, then click on “Thinking of applying?” for a lot of information to get you started.

2. You may register online at the Fulbright website by clicking “Apply Now” anytime after May 1. Registering gives you access to the online application and ensures that you will receive the useful and sometimes inspiring Fulbright Applicant Newsletter. It also alerts Bryn Mawr’s Fellowships Adviser to your interest in the program. It does not commit you to applying.  That said if even registering seems like too much commitment, just sign up for the email mailing list at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_email.html.

3. Once you’ve begun looking through either the brochure or the website, you will soon realize that the Fulbright differs tremendously from country to country. In some places, like France and the UK, the Fulbright is incredibly competitive, and it is very difficult for anyone other than a top graduate student pursuing dissertation research to win a Fulbright in those countries. In other places, a comparatively high percentage (20-30%) of applicants receives grants.

4. The Fulbright ETA positions tend to work especially well for graduating seniors. No specific teaching experience is required, although previous work as a TA or in some other similar capacity can help you write a stronger application. Although teaching takes up the bulk of your working time (and the bulk of your application), you are encouraged to develop a “secondary project” to work on during your time abroad.

5. Candidates are usually expected to have some degree of language proficiency appropriate to their projects, but specific language requirements vary tremendously from country to country, and within one country, from project to project. Many positions teaching English assume no preexisting knowledge of the host-country’s language.

6. Except in Western Europe, many countries participate in regional programs, which permit multi-country proposals. However, it is usually recommended that graduating seniors apply to a single country.

7. All regular Fulbright grants (i.e., all except TA-ships) require candidates to have an institutional affiliation during their time abroad, with either a university or some other research institute. In many cases, you will have to arrange this affiliation in advance. Faculty in your major department or in a related language department can help you learn more about appropriate places to seek affiliation. You will then need to write (probably email) individuals at that institution, seeking their sponsorship. Save this correspondence to use as supporting documentation! In other cases, the Fulbright Commission will help you arrange affiliation. Check particular country descriptions for details.

8. Most graduating seniors seeking a regular Fulbright grant will be attending university lectures, supplemented by independent work. You should not necessarily expect close supervision from your faculty sponsor.

9. Bear in mind that the purpose of the Fulbright is to promote international understanding. Your ability to serve as a good informal ambassador of the US is as important as your intellectual and academic credentials.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

Students interested in applying for a Fulbright are encouraged to contact the Fellowships Adviser by July 1 of the summer before the senior year, with a brief write-up of possible project ideas. Those interested in receiving feedback on their ideas should submit a draft of their application (i.e., resume + statement of proposed study + narrative autobiography) to the Fellowships Adviser by July 15, by email.

OFFICAL FALL INTERNAL APPLICATION: In this stage, you submit your application to the Dean’s Office and are interviewed soon after by the Committee on Fellowships and Prizes here on campus. Click Here for Deadlines. This application includes the following elements:

• A current, comprehensive resumé, including employment, activities and honors. This need not be limited to one page.

• A statement of proposed study or research, in which you “describe your study . . . plans and your reasons for wishing to undertake them in the country of your choice.” This statement must not exceed 2 single-spaced pages. It should have a project title of seven or fewer words and should have a specified field of study from the Fulbright list of fields.  (Useful advice for writing this essay when applying for an  ETA position is available as an FAQ here https://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_faq_qanda.html?id=513.)

• A narrative autobiography “giving a picture of yourself as an individual. It should deal with your personal history, family background, influences on your intellectual development, the educational and cultural opportunities (or lack of them) to which you have been exposed, and the ways in which these experiences affected you. Also include your special interests and abilities, career plans, and life goals, etc. It should not be a recording of facts already listed on the application or an elaboration of your statement of proposed study.” This statement should not exceed 1 single-spaced page.

• Three letters of recommendation, generally from faculty, at least two of whom should be in your major field.  Recommenders should know you well and be familiar with your proposed project.  It’s recommended that you provide them with drafts of your two application essays.  You will need to register online to enter your recommender’s names and email addresses.  They will receive materials directly from Fulbright.  Please remind faculty that they should both submit the letter online AND print out, sign, and send it to the Dean’s Office.

• A Foreign Language Report, completed by a professional language teacher, if applicable.  As with the letters of recommendation, you will need to register the language evaluator electronically as part of the online application. This will give them the opportunity to complete the form online and have it submitted with your electronic application. In some cases the evaluator will need to interview you to assess your language skills. Remind the evaluator to print out a completed copy of the Evaluation, sign it, and put it in a sealed envelope to submit with your application.

• Official Transcripts from Bryn Mawr and from all colleges or universities attended during your time here. Request JYA transcripts early!  (Just to be clear: we need a JYA transcript for Fulbright in addition to the transcript that is submitted to Bryn Mawr for transfer credit.)

On the basis of this application, you will be interviewed by the Fellowships Committee on campus in September. After the on-campus interview, the Committee will complete a Campus Evaluation Form, which will be submitted to the Fulbright Commission. You will also receive some feedback on your application and have a short time period in which to revise materials for your final application. The better and more polished your initial application; the likelier you are to have a strong interview, a strong Committee Evaluation, and the strongest possible final application.

EXTERNAL APPLICATION: The online application is fairly time-consuming. You are strongly encouraged to begin this process well in advance of your on-campus interview. In addition to revised essays, the application requires you to state a career goal, list and describe activities and honors, etc. 

The Fulbright requires applicants both to complete their part of the process through the on-line application system and to print out their application and submit a signed hard copy. Hard copies should be turned in to the Dean’s Office at least three days before the published external deadline. You are responsible for making sure all elements of your application, including signed letters of recommendation, are submitted to the Dean’s Office before the deadline.

AFTER THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED: At the end of January, applicants learn whether they have been recommended by the central screening committee. Recommended students’ applications are then sent on to individual countries, where the final decisions are made regarding awarding of grants. Timetables vary greatly from country to country, but may be anywhere from April to June.