Start in April or May! Research your host country a lot; also
research the university where you hope to study or conduct research. Contact
the
The process of developing your idea
is crucial. Please think clearly and
critically about what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you will
do it.
Clear thinking precedes clear writing. If you need help with thinking clearly about
your idea and your goals, please talk with me, with your professors, and/or
with the
After you’ve developed your idea, there are two most important parts to the actual application: your two essays, which are the personal statement and the proposal or program description. Again I emphasize the need to think critically about what you are writing. At every turn ask yourself, “Why do I think that?” “Why did I say that?” “Will my reader understand what I’ve tried to communicate?” Try to be a good reporter: interrogate your witness (yourself) and write up your report. Remember that your external reviewers will likely not be specialists in your area, so ask yourself if a French professor reading your essays over Thanksgiving break will truly understand what you’ve written.
Write grammatical, well-structured
essays. After you’ve got reasonable
drafts of the two essays (two-page program proposal and one-page personal
statement), take them to the
In your proposal, specific plans count a lot. Your project needs to be good for Goldilocks: not too big, not too small, but just right. Talk about what you can contribute; don’t talk so much about me, me, me. Demonstrate familiarity with your prospective host country and its priorities and needs. State clear goals. Demonstrate some enthusiasm! Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm. Make sure you know and describe clearly your reason for applying; this can be very significant to the reviewers. The feasibility of your project is one of the most significant factors. A vague or overly ambitious project proposal will not be funded.
The first
paragraph of your proposal should state clearly the what, where, why and how of
your project. This effectively becomes a
one-paragraph abstract of your project; you will then use this paragraph as the
abstract which is required in another section of the application (page 1A). (This is really important, which is why I’ve
printed it in bold type.) Make it easy
for the reviewers to understand what your project is about!
You should also demonstrate
knowledge of your field of study and of the needs of the host country. If there could be any apparent concerns over
the feasibility of your project or about your ability to carry it out, please
address these directly in your program statement. It will also be important to indicate how you
will disseminate the results of your research or project when you complete your
Fulbright year. Be clear about what you
want to do with the results of your project when you return from the
Fulbright: how will you integrate this
experience into your life in the
In your personal statement, be aware of your honest weaknesses; demonstrate intellectual honesty and sophistication. Mention your major and minor in your statement, because they’re not clearly indicated in the application form. Describe any personal challenges that you’ve overcome (health, family issues, economic problems, etc.). Rising above these challenges counts a lot. Describe any distinguishing characteristics, anything that makes you stand out or seem different from others. Little details can make you stand out, such as different experiences, different perspectives on US (immigrating here when little, growing up multicultural, moving around US, etc.). Describe your campus and community activities, especially hobbies such as dance, music, etc. Demonstrate you will be a great ambassador for the US when you’re in your host country; your “ambassadorial potential” (by which they mean whether you will be able to connect with local folks to project a good image of US Americans) is very important to Fulbright. Also demonstrate that you have the maturity and experience to adjust well to your host country. This is your only chance to introduce yourself to the unknown external reviewers; remember that grants are often given to people, not necessarily to the greatest ideas.
Run spell check when composing these essays in Word! If you use words from the language of your prospective host country, check to make sure you’ve spelled them and used them correctly (but using such words is not the best idea, because non-specialists will review your proposal). Watch your register in writing your essays. Include the pronunciation of your name if it may not be obvious to others. Get recommendation letters from professors who can write strong letters for you. One lukewarm letter can eliminate your application from serious consideration. Share with each professor the tips on recommendation letters at the end of this handout.
Do not neglect the foreign language
report; this is required regardless of whether you speak the language of your
host country. Take care of this early in the process rather than leaving it to
the end.
A project is necessary, such as a research project or a community service project. The project must not be overwhelming; it needs to be something that can be completed in the remaining 20 hours/week after teaching. Thesis or dissertation research is considered reasonable. Do not assume that you will only be teaching! You must have a project which will enable you to connect with the host community. Some ideas appear in the Applicant Newsletter on the Student Fulbright website.
Make sure you mention that you want to teach in the future. Students who don’t mention this explicitly are downgraded by reviewers.
Language proficiency in the
language of the host country is more important for reviewers than the Fulbright
website indicates. These reviewers were
more critical regarding language proficiency than the consulate was (they were
working with applicants for TAships in
Demonstrate your understanding of
current
Get a recommendation letter from a professor teaching the language of your host country.
Specific plans for teaching are valued, such as using videos, using Harry Potter books, etc. But make sure whatever you plan is feasible; “using technology” in a French lycée wouldn’t work, for example.
Majors are valued over minors
(i.e., French language majors are ranked higher for TAships in
Letters of reference are much more significant in the Fulbright process than in University admissions. The external reviewers look to their faculty colleagues on the student’s campus for insightful recommendations.
If there’s any area in which you can say the candidate is the “best I’ve ever encountered”, or “in the top 1% of students in 35 years of teaching”, please include this in your letter. Lukewarm and/or short letters are a significant negative. If this is all you can write for this particular student, please be honest and tell the student so. One lukewarm or short letter means that a student may as well not apply for the Fulbright.
In your letter, please assess
whether the student will be a good ambassador for the
Please also answer the following questions in the recommendation letter:
· Is the applicant’s project feasible?
· Does the applicant have a solid affiliation in the host country? (not needed for English teaching assistantship applicants)
· Does the student have the needed language skills?
· Has the applicant demonstrated the ability to carry out the proposed project?
Please be very specific! If you believe something about an applicant, please describe how you have arrived at this judgment, and give an example of something excellent the student did to inspire that opinion on your part. Once you’ve written the first draft, please review the letter in a spirit of critical thinking, asking yourself why you hold the opinion you do about the student. If your letter doesn’t answer that question, please insert more information.
International
Programs
Deb Pierce, dpierce@niu.edu