Fulbright Visit Fulbrightonline.org
Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

U.S. Fulbright Program
Adviser Newsletter

Issue 2 | July 2006

Focus on: Western Hemisphere Region
table of contents

 Program Updates

Focus on the Western Hemisphere


Grants to the Western Hemisphere span the continents of North and South America from Nunauvut in Canada to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and includes the independent island nations of the Caribbean. In recent years, interest in study in the region had increased, with application rates among the highest in the Fulbright Program. In 2006-07, 952 applications were received for 202 grants (about 21% received grant offers). The Western Hemisphere also attracts the most ethnically diverse pool of candidates among all world regions.

There has been a 20% increase in the number of grants offered in the region in the last three years. This is entirely due to the English Teaching Assistantship Program. The first grants were to Chile and Argentina in 2005. Since then, Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela have added ETA Programs. Programs are under consideration in other countries for the future. See the Participating Country Summaries for details.

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 time of application, you can converse comfortably in every day terms, read and understand periodicals, and write basic text. Beyond that, you will also need to demonstrate that you have the necessary language skills to undertake your 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 you are engaged in 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, your maturity, and your ability to carry it out successfully are usually more important than degree level alone. You do not need to be currently enrolled in a university to be seriously considered. However, recent graduates are encouraged to consider course work and/or university affiliation which provides an academic base for study or research.

Also important to note that Fulbright grants do not provide support for research costs beyond basic materials and books. Therefore, if you require significant funding for items such as equipment and supplies, research assistants, access to special laboratories or facilities, or extensive transportation needs, then you must secure additional monies from other funding sources.

Applicants to the Western Hemisphere may propose multi-country grants. That is, if the feasibility of your project requires that you conduct research in two or three countries in the region, then you may submit an application to this effect. Keep in mind that your application must be accepted by all countries in the proposal. If one country does not wish to support your grant, then you may not be offered a grant by the remaining country(ies), even if you were selected by them.

In keeping with the mission of the US Student Fulbright Program, preference generally 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 your application; however, if you have lived, worked or conducted graduate research for a period of six months or more, you may be less competitive in countries with a high application rate. Finally, keep in mind that the academic year in many South and Central American countries runs from March to December. If you are not enrolling in course work at a university or require access to university resources, you may begin your grant in the fall, subject to the approval of the Program and your affiliation. All grants in the Western Hemisphere are for 10 months or less in duration.
South America, Mexico, and Canada
Canada offers a range of opportunities for candidates wishing to explore important contemporary issues pertinent to Canada and the U.S. Recent graduates are expected to enroll in a graduate program at a university in Canada and pursue a course of study and/or research which demonstrates significant relevance to this mandate. Research candidates on 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 the study in Canada.

Mexico provides grants for study and/or research in all fields of study. In addition, the Commission will fund a limited number of renewable grants for graduate study in Mexican universities. 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. Mexico also offers renewable grants for grant graduate degree study at a Mexican university. Study/research in Public Policy is particularly encouraged.

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 mentioned above, selected grantees will have 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.

English Teaching Assistantships are designed to provide grantees with an intensive cross-cultural experience and allow for some independent research or study. As an ETA, you would be placed in the English language department of a host university where you are assigned responsibilities based on the department's needs and your 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. In addition to their ETA activities, successful candidates will be able to enroll in part-time course work or conduct independent research. In the Statement of Proposed Study, you should describe both your motivation for applying for an ETA position and discuss project ideas. The ETA grants in South America follow their academic year and, therefore, grants for the current competition, 2007-08, will begin in March 2008. The only exception is Venezuela where grants will begin in September 2007.
Central America and the Caribbean Regional Program
The Fulbright Program in Central America and the Caribbean operates as a Regional Program. It is expected that 34 grants will be offered for 2007-08. This is an increase of about 5-6 grants over recent years. 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, when possible. In recent years, the number of applications has increased significantly making the region among the most competitive in the world.

The majority of the grantees to the region pursue independent research. All applicants, but recent graduates in particular, 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. Since there are no Fulbright Commissions in the region, grantees will 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:

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

Central America and the Caribbean, Vijay Renganathan, Program Manager, (212) 984-5442 or vrenganathan@iie.org.

Back to Table of Contents
 

De-Mystifying Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships (ETA)

by Jody Dudderar, Assistant Director, Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright program has offered opportunities for U.S. students to serve as English teachers and teaching assistants at schools, colleges and universities abroad for many years. In recent years, countries offering ETA programs have grown from a handful to 25 in the 2007-08 competition. Since you may only apply to one country and one program, it is important to select carefully, based on your educational and career goals, academic background and preparation, language proficiency, and geographic interests.

For example, ETAs in Asia are placed primarily in elementary and secondary schools and knowledge of the host country language at the time of application is not required. However, ETAs in South America will be working with university and adult students and must have proficiency in the host country language. On the other hand, the programs and prerequisites in Europe vary widely. Applicants are advised to read carefully the Participating Country Summary to understand the nature of each program and specific requirements. You should make certain that your Statement of Proposed Study very clearly states why you have chosen a particular program and country, your experience, training and skills, and what you expect to contribute to and take away from an ETA experience.

Most ETA programs expect that grantees will engage in an independent academic, vocational, or community service project. You should briefly describe what you would like to do in the Statement of Proposed Study. Since applicants will not know exactly where they will be located, this statement is not expected to be detailed, nor should you attempt to forge an affiliation at this stage. You simply need to indicate the activity(ies) that you intend to pursue outside of the ETA responsibilities and why you have chosen this/these activity(ies) for the country to which you are applying.

Finally, a few tips for choosing a country and preparing your Statement:
Beware of the Competition Statistics
Most ETA programs are only a year or two old and, therefore, may not have received applications or much publicity in the previous year. In addition, the number of applications for ETA programs has doubled in the last two years, a reflection of the growth in the number of countries participating. Given this, you can not reliably predict the number of applications for this competition based on last year's numbers.
Project Proposal
If you have a very specific proposal for study or research, you may wish to consider the full grant option, since in the ETA program you will not be able to choose where you will be placed. Furthermore, successful ETA's are those who value the experience of working in an educational environment first and foremost.
Prior experience or training in teaching
This may be required or strongly preferred in some countries and not particularly relevant in others. Read the Participating Country Summaries and speak to an IIE Program Manager when in doubt.
Extensive experience or training in teaching
Remember, this is a Student Fellowship. Persons with university-level teaching experience or more than four years of teaching in schools and persons who have completed a master's degree in TESOL or a related field may be overqualified for this program. If you fit into one of these categories and have specific reasons why you feel you would benefit from a Student ETA, then be sure to express this clearly in your Statement. Contact an IIE Program Manager if you have questions.

Feedback from current ETAs around the world indicates that, in many ways, this program exemplifies the original mission and goals of the Fulbright program to increase mutual understanding among the peoples of the world. By reaching out to recent U.S. university graduates, in particular, and placing grantees throughout the host country, the ETA programs have broadened the reach and impact of Fulbright and grantees are having the time of their lives!

Back to Table of Contents
 

Using Online References and Foreign Language Reports (OREC)


The latest feature that IIE has added to the Fulbright Online Application is to allow for references and Foreign Language Report to be completed electronically. We call these forms ORECs.

This feature permits applicants to register their referees and evaluators in the Embark Application System. Once registered, emails are generated directing the referee/evaluator to a website where they can complete or upload letters of reference or the Language Report. This process is confidential and secure.

When the referee/evaluator completes the form, they will print out a copy for inclusion in the hard copy application. They are also asked to electronically submit the form, where it will be appended to the student's online application.

Using the Embark Application Manager FPAs may follow the status (i.e. Not Started/In Progress/Submitted) of ORECs for individual applicants. The following FAQ section hopefully will address some of your questions about this new feature.

Are ORECs required?
Because it is a new feature, it is not required this year. However, we strongly encourage students to utilize it, since inclusion of these documents in the online application will facilitate the processing and review of applications.
Will FPAs be able to find out if their students have registered referees and language evaluators for this feature?
Yes, using the Embark Application Manager, FPAs can not only determine which students are using the OREC system, but they can also see who the students have registered and track the status of an individual OREC. Detailed instructions on using this feature can be found in the Resources for FPA section of the website.
Will FPAs be able to view the Reference or Language Report?
Once the OREC has been submitted electronically by the referee/evaluator, FPAs will be able to view the letter or form. This can be done when the application is either In Progress or in Receive.
Will applicants ever be able to view the completed/submitted OREC?
No, applicants will not have access to these forms at any stage of the application process.
Once an OREC has been electronically submitted, can FPAs unsubmit it so that the reviewer can edit or change it?
No, an OREC cannot be unsubmitted through the Application Manager. We have alerted the referees/evaluators to this aspect of the system. Therefore, if you wish to review letters of reference from faculty on your campus, you will need to inform faculty before the reference is electronically submitted. Ask faculty to send you the letters in hard copy prior to submitting them. If corrections are needed, then you can return the letter to the referee. The referee can make the changes and then electronically submit the final copy of the reference.
If the form is submitted electronically, why do you need a hard copy?
This year only hard copies of these letters/forms will be used in the first stage of the review process. However, in the second stage of the selection process, when recommended applications are reviewed by the host country, many Commissions and embassies will review the online application exclusively. Therefore, the hard copies of the letters/forms should match the online version.
Can applicants submit more than three letters of reference?
Only three letters of reference will be reviewed. If more are submitted, only letters from the three people listed on Page 1 of the Application will be considered.


Back to Table of Contents
 

US Student Fulbright Program FPA Application Manager: Using ORECs


FPAs can use the Embark Application Manager to see if their students are using the OREC (online Reference and Foreign Language Report) system and to follow the status of these recommendations.

To review the OREC System:
1) Letters of Reference (Form 9) and the Foreign Language Report (Form 8) for the US Student Fulbright Program can be completed and submitted electronically.

2) Applicants may register referees/evaluators electronically as part of the online application. While it is not required, having letters submitted electronically, in addition to the hard copy, will facilitate the processing and review of applications.

3) When the referee/evaluator is registered by the applicant, the person will be sent an email informing them that the applicant has requested that they complete the online form.

You have been asked by [First Name] [Last Name] to complete an online reference or Foreign Language Report for Fulbright. Please be sure to read the instructions regarding the nature of the US Student Fulbright Program and the issues that we ask you to address in your reference or report.

To access and complete your letter of reference or Foreign Language Report, please go to: [orec_url] and login with your new User ID and Password.

User ID: [Recommender Login]
Password: [Recommender Password]
You will have the option to change your password upon login.

SAVE THIS INFORMATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

When you log into the online system, you will have access to Fulbright's actual reference/report, which you will be able to compose, review and submit online at your leisure. You will also be able to print a copy for your files.

Completing your reference/report online is easy, reliable, and completely secure. Fulbright prefers online submission of references/reports as it streamlines the entire process.

However, we do ask that you print out a hardcopy of the reference or report, sign it, place in an envelope, seal, and sign across the flapand, give it to the applicant (or if the applicant is enrolled in your institution, you may forward the letter to the campus Fulbright Program Adviser.). This is an important step as some of the reviewers will require a hardcopy, signed copy of the reference/report.

Remember to login at [orec_url] with the User ID and Password provided above.

Thank you from [First Name] and Fulbright.


4) FPAs may follow the status (i.e. Not Started/In Progress/Submitted) of ORECs for individual applicants. See the following instructions.

5) Once an OREC is submitted by the referee or evaluator, it cannot be unsubmitted through Application Manager. Therefore, if you wish to review letters of reference from faculty on your campus, you will need to inform faculty before the reference is electronically submitted. Ask faculty to send you the letters in hard copy prior to submitting them. If corrections are needed, then you can return the letter to the referee. The referee can make the changes and then electronically submit the final copy of the reference.

6) PLEASE REMIND APPLICANTS: Only 3 Letters of Reference will be reviewed. If more are submitted, only the three names listed on Page 1 of the Application will be considered.


US Student Fulbright Program FPA Application Manager: Using ORECs


FPAs can use the Embark Application Manager to see if their students are using the OREC (online Reference and Foreign Language Report) system and to follow the status of these recommendations. The following instructions are valid for both the In Progress and Receive screens.

Step 1 Select OREC View from the dropdown menu "Saved Views." Click on grey button "select view."

Step 2 Select Applicant by clicking on the number under "Recs Submitted."

PowerPoint Presentation
Click image to see the larger image

Step 3 The View Recommendations screen appears for the selected applicant.

Step 4 If submitted: click on blue printer to view recommendation
PowerPoint Presentation
Click image to see the larger image

PLEASE REMIND APPLICANTS: Only 3 Letters of Reference will be reviewed. If more are submitted, only the three names listed on Page 1 of the Application will be considered.


Back to Table of Contents
 

Kari Filerman's Fulbright Experience


Many Fulbrighters wonder what to expect before embarking on their year abroad. I faced the same uncertainty before commencing my year as a Bi-national Business Grantee, Fulbright Garcia-Robles in Monterrey, Mexico. Now as I complete my experience and prepare to move home, I would advise new Fulbrighters to simply expect anything. With this sense of openness, my year in Mexico has been one of excitement, discovery, but most of all, growth. While each host country offers its own unique experience and set of challenges, an attitude of exploration and embracing of the uncertainty will help any Fulbrighter living in Paris or Paraguay, maximize his or her experience abroad.

My grant was slightly different from the traditional Fulbright research opportunity. The Bi-national Business grant attracts graduate level business and law students who are interested in US-Mexico commerce. The grant involves a 10-month internship at a participating company and evening business classes. While my grant was a little more structured than others, and involved working at a bank and wearing a suit, I was committed to enjoying all elements of the Mexican lifestyle. I decided to sink my teeth into this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Kari Filerman
Kari Filerman, 2005-2006, Pepperdine University, Bi-national Business, Fulbright Garcia-Robles, Mexico
Traveling in Mexico was by far the most exciting aspect of my year abroad. Although I was located in Monterrey, an industrial city located in the north-east Texas border region, I was determined to discover the diverse attractions all over the country. In my 10 months I have explored remote beaches on the gulf, the jungles of Chiapas, and central colonial cities such as Guanajuato and Zacatecas. I have danced with Mariachis in Guadalajara, toured tequila plants in the city of Tequila, ridden horses in ghost towns, and have climbed Aztec ruins outside of Mexico City. And in my travels, I truly began to understand a nation that is so geographically close to the US, but yet, so different.

My year abroad was further highlighted by my integration into Mexican culture, which was facilitated by my sense of openness. With new Mexican friends I embraced activities such as dancing to Nortenas, celebrating new holidays, watching telenovelas (Mexican soap operas), and eating lots of new foods such goat, grasshoppers, crocodile, and many others, with lots of chile, of course. In this process I learned not only the difference between Mexicans and Americans, but more interestingly, the differences between the Mexicans from different regions. I noticed drastic variations in attire, diet, political attitudes, religion, and even appearance. An additional pleasure of the observation was the sheer appreciation I received for my interest. Most Mexicans proved eager to share their lifestyles and their perspectives with me. And at the end, I realized that it was these interactions, my daily exchanges, which Senator Fulbright envisioned when he fathered the global program.

Each day as a Fulbrighter brings new challenges and discoveries that most individuals don't encounter back home. And with a sense of openness and adaptation, a grantee will have the capacity to not only to survive, but also to embrace and relish a truly wonderful and unique opportunity.


Back to Table of Contents
 

How to Recruit Diverse Applicants for Fulbright Grants? Answer: through Direct Contact with Students.

by Scott Denham

Davidson College is a small, highly-selective liberal arts school of about 1,750 students. We at Davidson are known for many of the standard accolades of institutions like ours: very smart and directed students, relatively low numbers of minority faculty and students (around ten percent, depending of how one counts), high numbers of students going on to graduate and professional schools, with most of the other graduates moving straight into fields like banking, consulting, volunteer and service work, or teaching. This past year, I returned to the position of Fulbright Program Advisor on campus after being abroad for a year. I was able to recruit both a larger number of applicants than in the past, and a larger proportion of minority applicants. I think there are a couple reasons for this.

Scott Denham
Scott Denham, Professor of German, Davidson College
The first has to do with structures of advising at Davidson, where only faculty serve as student academic advisors. Students are used to working with faculty from day one as advisers on classes, projects, graduate school and job applications, as well as life plans. Similarly, there is no administrative office for graduate fellowships and scholarships. Instead, Davidson has a faculty committee (chaired by me at the moment), made up of faculty members who have special familiarity with a broad range of both undergraduate fellowships (Goldwater, Beinecke, Truman, HHMI, for example) and graduate fellowships and scholarships (Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, NSF, Liebmann, Luce, Watson, and the like.) Students go to faculty by default for advice on all kinds of things, and thus to faculty for advice on a Fulbright application.

The second has to do with direct connections between faculty and potential applicants. This direct contact took several forms. As chair of the graduate fellowships committee, I wrote to students who had expressed varying post-baccalaureate interests to encourage them to consider applying for graduate fellowships. In that letter, I mentioned specifically the Fulbright minority recruiting initiatives. At the same time, I both spoke to and wrote to the faculty, and asked them to do two things: be in touch with their own advisees about graduate fellowship opportunities, and send me names of students they felt would make strong applicants. This produces a pool of some twenty students for the Fulbright. At least half are heading directly to medical or law school or another similar professional school, and another group is committed to graduate school in the natural sciences. A handful moves directly into banking or consulting, planning to return to business school later. The dozen or so of the group of solicited students remaining are prime Fulbright applicant candidates, and I know who these students are by late summer. There are of course other strong students who can be competitive Fulbright applicants, and I seek to identify those students through other faculty. Experience has shown that all students seeking to pursue Fulbright grants need exceptionally well-conceived and directed applications, and must have very good fits with their countries in terms of field of study, programs, and contacts abroad. I encourage all potential applicants to be in touch with me by way of e-mail (I respond with targeted links to the relevant Fulbright pages, mainly country description pages), and then to come speak with me during office hours about their ideas and interests. At the same time, I am in touch with my faculty colleagues asking them to push their students to think about applying and to be contact me. Finally, the graduate fellowships committee holds an information meeting early in September, mainly to explain Fulbright and other fellowship opportunities. This meeting draws a large number of seniors, perhaps a quarter of the class (that is, about 120 students). At that meeting, I also speak about Fulbright minority recruitment initiatives as described in the Fulbright materials sent to me as an FPA.

So, how to recruit diverse applicants? Search them out directly based on their interests achievements, and potential (through the word of mouth of their faculty advisers), and then follow up with personal direct contact. Once students begin the application process, I prompt them about deadlines and generally maintain a high level of contact and encouragement. In a small college with a structure of engaged direct faculty advising already in place, this seems to work fairly well.

Let us know what you do! Thanks.
-Fulbright Staff

Back to Table of Contents
 

PowerPoint Presentation: How to Enter your Campus Deadline Dates on fulbrightonline.org


PowerPoint Presentation
How to Enter your Campus Deadline Dates on to fulbrightonline.org
We would encourage all Fulbright Advisers to make sure the campus application deadline appears on their college or university page on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions included in the PowerPoint presentation. Click here to download the PowerPoint Presentation

Posting your campus application deadline will remind students who've been away from campus for the summer, to focus on the application process now, and be better prepared by the time they return to school in the fall.

To confirm your ID or password, please contact Walter Jackson in USP at wjackson@iie.org.

Back to Table of Contents