Fulbright Program Adviser
Newsletter

Applying to the Western Hemisphere

Grants to the Western Hemisphere span the continents of North and South America from Nunavut in Canada, to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, as well as the independent island nations of the Caribbean.  In recent years, interest in the region has increased with application rates among the highest in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  In 2010-11, 1390 applications were received for about 254 grants (about 18% of candidates received grant offers).  The Western Hemisphere also attracts the most ethnically diverse pool of candidates of all world regions.

The number of grants offered in the region has increased by 20% over the last five years.  This is mostly because of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Program (ETA).  The first grants offered were to Chile and Argentina in 2005.  Since then, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador have been added.  (Note that Chile no longer offers an ETA Program.)   In 2010-11, the ETA Program expanded to include Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. 

With the exception of Canada and the English-speaking Caribbean, proficiency in the host language (Spanish or Portuguese) is required.  Proficiency in the language implies that, at the time of application, candidates can converse comfortably, read and understand periodicals, and write basic text.  They will also need to demonstrate that they have the necessary language skills to undertake the proposed project.  For example, if the research involves a significant amount of interaction with a local population, a higher degree of conversational ability may be needed.  The same would apply for reading comprehension if the proposed project involves archival work or taking courses at a local university.

Most countries welcome candidates at all degree levels.  Though some may have a stated preference for graduate-level students, the quality of the project, the candidate’s maturity, and their ability to carry it out successfully are usually more important than degree level alone.  Recent graduates, however, are strongly encouraged (and in some countries required) to consider course work and/or a university affiliation which provides an academic base for study or research.  Candidates do not need to be currently enrolled in a university to be seriously considered.

It is also important to note that Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants do not provide support for research costs beyond basic materials and books.  If significant funding is required for items such as equipment and supplies, research assistants, access to special laboratories or facilities, or extensive transportation needs, additional funding must be secured from other sources.

Applicants to the Western Hemisphere may propose multi-country grants.  That is, if the project requires that research be conducted in two or three countries, then the candidate may submit an application to conduct a grant in two or three countries.  Keep in mind that all countries in the proposal must accept and approve the application.  If one country does not wish to support the grant, then the candidate may not be offered a grant - even if they were selected by the remaining country or countries.

In keeping with the mission of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, preference is generally given to candidates with little experience living or studying in the host country beyond the undergraduate level.  That is, undergraduate study abroad in a country would not adversely affect an application, but, if a candidate has lived, worked or conducted graduate-level research for a period of six months or more, they may be less competitive in countries that receive a high number of applications.

Finally, keep in mind that the academic year in many South American countries runs from March to December.  Some countries may allow grantees to begin their grants in the fall, subject to approval from the host country and affiliation, if they are not enrolling in coursework at a university or do not require access to university resources. 

However, please note that Chile, Argentina, and Brazil require that study/research grantees adhere to the their academic year.  This means that grants will begin in March 2012.  While exceptions may be considered for Argentina and Brazil, they would only be granted if there is a strong programmatic rationale for an early start.

Western Hemisphere grants last 9 or 10 months.

South America, Mexico, and Canada

Canada offers a range of opportunities for candidates wishing to explore important contemporary issues pertinent to Canada.  Recent U.S. graduates are expected to enroll in a graduate program at a Canadian university and pursue a course of study and/or research which demonstrates significant relevance to this mandate.  Research candidates at the master's or doctoral level must provide evidence of advanced research skills, be affiliated with a non-profit research-oriented institution in Canada (e.g., university, research center, etc.), and provide a sound rationale for conducting study specifically in Canada.

Mexico provides grants for study and/or research in all fields of study, including several special grant opportunities.  The Commission will fund a limited number of renewable grants for graduate study in Mexican universities.  The Public Policy Initiative program provides funding for up to three grants annually for public policy-oriented projects.   The Binational Business Grant allows U.S. graduates in business, law, or engineering to combine a six-course graduate certificate program with an internship at a Mexico-based company or firm.  The Fulbright Commission will match selected candidates with the university program and internship placement. 

In South America, a specified number of grants are available for each country.  The countries in the region will consider applications in most academic fields, except medicine, and all degree levels.  As previously mentioned, selected grantees will possess good language skills and projects which take advantage of the particular resources available in the host country.  Pursuit of a graduate degree at a host country university is not feasible unless the program is one academic year in length.  In addition to the full grant program, several special grant opportunities are available.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships (ETA) are designed to provide grantees with an intensive cross-cultural experience and allow for some independent research or study.  As an ETA, grantees will be placed in the English language department of a host university where they are assigned responsibilities based on the department's needs and the candidate’s background and experience.  While specific teaching experience is not required, successful candidates will have a demonstrated interest in working in an educational environment, a willingness to go anywhere in the country and possess a creative and innovative outlook. 

A special opportunity for ETA Grants to Brazil is being offered for March 2011.  Twenty grants will be offered in addition to the regular program for March 2012.  Please see the Brazil Country Summary for details on this program.

In addition to their ETA activities, successful candidates may be able to enroll in part-time coursework, conduct independent research and/or engage in community service.  In the Statement of Grant Purpose, applicants should describe both their motivation for applying for an ETA position and discuss project ideas. The ETA grants in Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and Brazil follow their academic year; grants for the current competition, 2011-12, will begin in February or March 2012.  Grants to the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico will begin in August or September 2011.

Central America and the Caribbean Regional Program

Fulbright U.S. Student research/study grants to Central America and the Caribbean operate regionally.  We expect that approximately 40 grants will be offered for 2011-12.  There is no fixed number of grants for any individual country; however, the program aims for a distribution of grants among all countries, disciplines and degree levels, whenever possible.  In recent years, the number of applications has increased significantly, making the region among the most competitive in the world.

The majority of grantees in the region pursue independent research.  All applicants, particularly recent graduates, must present a well-developed project, submit documentation of firm contacts or an institutional affiliation in the host country, and provide evidence of research experience and capability. 

For 2010-2011, new ETA programs to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic were introduced; each offer two grants and are not regionally competed as the research/study grants are.

Grantees to Central America and the Caribbean will be required to attend at Pre-Departure Orientation in Washington, DC in June 2011.  Since the region has no Fulbright Commissions, grantees report to and receive supervision from the Public Affairs Office at the U.S. Embassy in the host country.

If you have specific questions about the programs in the Western Hemisphere, contact:

South America, Mexico, Canada, Jody Dudderar, Assistant Director, (212) 984-5565 or jdudderar@iie.org

Central America and the Caribbean, Cara Wolinsky, Program Manager, (212) 984-5366 or cwolinsky@iie.org

The University of Portland's Strategy for Fulbright Success

John C. Orr, Assistant to the Provost, Director of Honors & Fellowships and Grants at the University of Portland

This past spring, I held an open house for major scholarships of all kinds, and almost one hundred people attended.  What am I doing to get people to attend?  The answer is not one simple thing but a combined strategy that involves faculty identification of potential scholarship applicants.

First off, the University of Portland has been successful with Fulbright grants over the last decade, so there is some knowledge about the award among the students.  Of course, there is a lot of misinformation out there as well (“You have to be fluent in German.”).  But it helps that students on campus have some knowledge about the award.

Second, when I started this job three years ago, I instituted TIP: Talent Identification Program.  Early in the spring semester, I ask faculty members to identify high-achieving students, particularly freshmen and sophomores, from the previous semester.  These names are then entered into a database.  I also have visited faculty meetings of each academic unit, encouraging faculty to send me names but also to pull the students aside and urge them to meet with me.

Third, I get from each academic unit’s program director the names of freshmen and sophomore students who have a 3.8 GPA or higher (although the Fulbright U.S. Student Program has no GPA requirements), and those names go into a separate database.

The last step in the process is email and announcements.  I contact students and inform them that a faculty member or a program director has identified them as a high-achieving student who might one day be interested in applying for major scholarships.  And then I invite them to attend my open house informational meeting.

I also run ads in the student newspaper and post announcements on the various university electronic media so that other people besides those that I personally invite have the opportunity to attend.  This past spring for my open house, half of the attendees were freshmen - and even a few parents attended!

I have the benefit of being in a smaller school, so it is possible to speak to every academic unit and most faculty members know me and one another.  Thus, the communication process is much easier.  But I think that the key element in my success is letting students know that a faculty member thought enough of them and their talents to send me their name.  That carries a lot of significance for our students.