U.S. Fulbright Applicant
Newsletter

Developing a Project

Developing a strong, feasible and compelling project proposal is the most important aspect of a successful Fulbright application. Your first step should be to familiarize yourself with the program summary for the country to which you wish to apply. The program design varies somewhat from country to country (i.e., some countries encourage applicants to incorporate coursework into a project, while others prefer independent research) Click here to view the participating country summaries. Please ensure that your project design fits the program guidelines for your host country.

It is essential that applicants have adequate formal training for the study or research that they wish to pursue, and that their language skills be commensurate with the requirements of their proposed project.

• Graduating seniors generally will be expected to attend regular university lectures as part of their projects. They should describe the study programs they wish to follow in very specific detail. They should not expect close academic supervision and should be prepared to supplement lectures with an independent research project.
• Graduate students, as well as advanced degree candidates proposing research for theses and dissertations, will be expected to work independently without close supervision.
• Ph.D. candidates should indicate when they expect to complete preliminary or comprehensive examinations and whether their project statements have been accepted as dissertation proposals.
• Creative and Performing Arts candidates should submit projects indicating their reasons for selecting a particular country, the form their work will take and the results they hope to obtain. For more information on preparing applications in these areas and any required supplementary materials, please click here.

Is the Project Feasible?

You must demonstrate that your project and your research strategy are feasible, including its time frame. In mapping out your project, ask yourself the following questions:

• How will the culture and politics of the host country impact my work?
• How do the resources of the host country support my project? Will I have access to the documents/equipment necessary for successful completion of the project?
• If employing methodological techniques such as extensive interviewing and the use of questionnaires how will I get/locate subjects? Have I received approval for the questionnaire from the project supervisor?
• Do I have all of the necessary permissions from local authorities?
• Is my language ability adequate? If not, how will I accomplish my work? (Eligible applicants should also consider a Critical Language Enhancement Award for additional language training opportunities.)

In other words, if there could be any question regarding the feasibility of your project or your ability to conduct the project, address the issue directly. Enrolled students are urged to consult professors in their major fields and their Fulbright Program Advisers about the feasibility of their proposed projects; at-large applicants should consult qualified persons in their fields.

Master's Degree Programs

Candidates considering earning a Master's degree must make sure that the country to which they are applying will accept their project. Some countries do not recommend that applicants apply to undertake a degree program for a number of reasons: one may be because it is not possible to complete a Master's degree in one academic year; another may be because the tuition fees charged would not be covered by the Fulbright grant. Applicants should review the country summaries to determine if there are any restrictions in applying to complete a degree program. If you apply for a degree program in a country that does not offer tuition as part of the Fulbright funding package, then these costs must be covered from an alternative source.

If your plan is to complete a Master's or other structured degree program, make sure that you apply for admission to the host university by their deadline. Do not wait for the Fulbright decision to come through; it may be too late to gain admission to your preferred university.

A Brief Note on Host Affiliation

More information on establishing a host affiliation will be available in an upcoming newsletter. Please keep an eye out for this issue. If you are applying for admission to a university, it is not necessary to submit the letter of admission with the application (although this is desirable). You may submit the acceptance letter whenever you receive it, but an award offer would be contingent upon your placement at a university. If you are not planning to matriculate at a university, then a support/affiliation letter must be included with your application. Any support documentation you can obtain from a potential host will help to make your application more competitive, and will also demonstrate the feasibility of your proposal.

English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Applications

Students applying as ETAs are not expected to present extensive research plans. Rather, they should describe the following to reviewers:

1. Why would they like to undertake a teaching assistant assignment?

2. What are their qualifications and what experiences they have had which relate to the overseas assignment?

3. How they expect to benefit from the assignment and how they will use their experience upon returning to the U.S.?

4. What use will be made of their time outside the classroom (most ETAs work no more than 20 hours per week. See developing the statement of purpose for ETA grants on the website)?

Writing the Study/Research Project Proposal

The best project proposals begin with good ideas. Start by putting your ideas on paper and listing your goals and objectives. Share your ideas with your Fulbright Program Adviser, your academic adviser and professional colleagues in your field. As you work on your project, consider the following questions, while remembering your audience. Avoid discipline-specific jargon. The individuals reading your proposal prefer you be direct about the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the project. In a persuasive manner, address the following:

1. With whom do you propose to work?

2. What do you propose to do? What is exciting, new or unique about your project? What contribution will the project make to the Fulbright Program's goal of promoting cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding?

3. When will you carry out your study or research? Include a timeline.

4. Where do you propose to conduct your study or research? Why is it important to go abroad to this specific country to carry out your project?

5. Why do you want to do this project? What is important or significant about it?

6. How will you carry out your work? All students should discuss methodology and goals in their statements.

7. How will this project help further your academic or professional development?

8. What will be the outcome of your study/research? (See Developing The Statement of Proposed Study or Research on the website)

A Bibliography

Since the Project Statement component of the Fulbright application cannot exceed two single-spaced pages, a formal bibliography is not necessary. However, if background data is provided, it is appropriate to briefly cite sources within the two pages.

Project Category for Applications in the Arts

Almost all creative/performing arts projects involve some kind of study or research as well as practical training. Therefore, you need to decide what the primary focus of your project is: academic research or a practical training in the arts. Keep in mind that creative/performing artists must also submit supplementary materials in addition to the written application. If you do not feel that your work to date in the arts your best, it may be best to apply using an academic field of study, such as art history, theater studies, etc., in order to have your application reviewed appropriately.

Multi-Country Projects

A multi-country project is a project which must be carried out in more than one country. All countries must be within the same geographic world area. Applicants submitting multi-country proposals must have very good justification for putting forward such a project. Keep in mind that you are doubling or tripling the work involved in securing host institution affiliations, not to mention obtaining visas, finding housing, etc. Also, multi-country proposals recommended by screening committees must be approved by each of the relevant host countries before they can be granted. If one country rejects your project, then your project may not be feasible. Generally, you will be given the option of revising your proposal for the remaining countries which have approved your original project.

A Final Word...

Organize your statement carefully. Don't make reviewers search for information. We urge you to develop a lead paragraph with all of the salient details -- the who, what, when, where, why and how-- and have several people read and critique your statement including a faculty adviser, a faculty member outside your discipline, a fellow student and/or a colleague. It would be ideal to have a host country academic/artist review your proposal for refinement and host country issues of sensitivity/security/feasibility.

The Road Less Traveled

Shayna McHugh, 2005-2006 (Hamilton College, Chemistry, Brazil)

The transition was difficult at first. Although I had fairly extensive research experience, many procedures were done differently in the Brazilian laboratory. Between the language barrier and the challenges of adjusting to a different culture, it took about two months for me to feel fully settled in.

Any initial obstacles, however, pale in comparison to the enormous benefits of doing research abroad. First, you get to investigate a topic that really interests you. My research involves exploring sea creatures in search of chemical compounds that fight cancer. Other Fulbright grantees in Brazil are researching everything from contemporary Afro-Brazilian art to the effects of Amazon forest fragmentation on monkeys.

Second, living in a foreign country means that every day is a fascinating learning experience. Some of the differences between Brazilian and American culture are big and overarching, such as the conception of time and personal space; other differences appear in the smallest, most everyday details. I'm constantly discovering new ways of seeing the world.

Here's my general advice for those interested in applying:

The Application Process

Link with a local university or research organization at your destination.

Present a focused research proposal.

If You Are Selected

Learn the local language.

Be flexible and patient in your research.

Don't be a workaholic.

Tips for Getting Started

Many countries do not require a high level of fluency in the host country language as projects to these countries can typically be completed in English. Nevertheless, developing a hospitality or basic level of proficiency (which most applicants can obtain between applying and starting a grant) is highly recommended in order to successfully complete your program and to survive comfortably while overseas. We also strongly advise reading the country summaries (available online at http://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_country.html and in the program brochure) to identify the host country language requirement, so that you can begin to prepare at the earliest possible time. Also keep in mind that for certain languages there is the possibility of language training or enhancement. Click here for more information on the Critical Language Enhancement Awards.

Videos

Take a look at the videos on the website. The videos feature Fulbright Commission Directors and Fulbright alumni offering advice to future applicants, and are a good preliminary resource when you're thinking of applying. The videos are located on the home page of our website, and are also available on the 'THINKING OF APPLYING' and 'HOW TO APPLY' pages.

Fulbright U.S. Student Alumni Database

Our online directory of alumni is searchable by the following criteria: first name, last name, U.S. institution through which a former grantee applied, home state, field of study, country visited and/or grant year. This is a valuable resource for learning what types of projects have been funded in your chosen country since 1993.

Where to Get Help

There are numerous resources that you can use in preparing a Fulbright application. If you are currently enrolled at a U.S. institution, consult with your on-campus Fulbright Program Adviser. If you are applying at-large, or if you are enrolled and want specific information, we encourage you to contact the appropriate regional Program Managers at IIE (http://us.fulbrightonline.org/contact_us.html). Before calling, we suggest that you fully review the information about the prospective country, if available. We also encourage you to attend an IIE Guidance Session for students and the Alumni Roundtables (click here to see the schedules). Lastly, do you have a friend, colleague or professor who received a Fulbright grant? One of the best resources to use when thinking of applying is a Fulbright alumnus/a who can provide useful information about his/her experiences. However, keep in mind that if past grantees did not conduct their program in the same country to which you will apply, their advice may not necessarily be useful to your potential application.

Choosing a Host Country

Country/regional competitiveness may play a role in determining the country to which you finally decide to apply, but a good rule of thumb is to choose the country that best suits the nature of your project and provides the necessary resources for successful project completion. The Fulbright selection committees are looking for well-prepared applicants who have compelling reasons for applying to a specific country and a feasible project for the grant timeframe for that particular country.