East Asia & Pacific Area
1. I am applying for dissertation research in Tibet, and am concerned about addressing the potential disadvantages of language requirements for China and recent travel there. I have studied Tibetan for several years, but, as pedagogy in this language is not well developed in the US, my study has necessitated several trips to Tibet to study with native speaking professors, including this past summer. I wonder whether this is circumstance would be viewed negatively as "having recently returned from China", as stated on the country information page. Additionally, it states on the same page that two years of Mandarin is a prerequisite, yet Mandarin, which i have not studied, is not commensurate with my project proposal, which will be conducted primarily in Tibetan. Lastly, as Tibet is a politically sensitive area within China and international relations, and conventions vary widely between Lhasa and Beijing, I am wondering if application to this geographic area is in itself a hindrance, and who would be likely to read my proposal in the PRC. Thank you in advance for your time and thoughtfulness.
A. You should have at least some language background in Mandarin Chinese regardless of where you plan to conduct the bulk of your research. Your question about prior experience in Tibet is too general, but the screening committee will weigh prior experience in the region against the other components of your application. Whether or not proposing a project in Tibet becomes a hindrance because of political sensitivities there will depend in large part on how you choose to propose your research.
2. For the Taiwan program, there are 2 Fulbright Internship positions listed. Is there any particular project category they should be listed under (as is the case for Teaching Assistantships), or should the category be chosen according to the supplemental research project? In writing the Statement of Purpose, it is advisable to focus more on what sort of internship placement would be desirable, or on the independent research that one would carry out?
A. The Fulbright Internship grants to Taiwan are designed for projects in the fields of mass media and international education. Therefore, on your application “Field of Study” section you should select something like “Education” or “Journalism.” When you print out the final version of your application to send to IIE, please handwrite “Internship” under Taiwan in the first section of the first page.
3. How many applications make it past the US screening and are forwarded to the committee in New Zealand? What are the odds of not receiving a grant, even if one makes it past this first cut?
A. The amount varies depending on the number of grants available and the competitiveness of the applicant pool in a given year.
4. The description of the program in New Zealand says that a Maori language course is required if there is a Maori component to one's studies. Are grantees required to set up a course or are there Fulbright-approved courses that one has to take instead?
A. This is something that you would work out with the Fulbright Commission in New Zealand if you were awarded a grant.
5. What is the earliest date that grantees may arrive in their country to begin study/research? (Malaysia)
A. Grantees to Malaysia tend to start either in late August or in September.
South Asia
1. The India country description states that it prefers candidates who have not been to the country for the last three years. I was there for four weeks this summer working with an NGO and I was wondering if that would put me at a disadvantage. I was also hoping to continue working with the same NGO as well as conduct research on the social issues with which the NGO works. My contact and project are all set with the NGO with which I worked but I couldn't tell from the description if this would be acceptable for India or if I must be affiliated with an academic institution as well. If I was affiliated with a university, my hope would be to work in rural areas and come into a city periodically to meet with an academic advisor about my research - is this acceptable under Fulbright standards? I was also wondering if it would be ok to have a letter of sponsorship only from the NGO, rather than a university/professor.
A. You are required to affiliate with an institution of higher learning in India. Your project proposal must include more than simply working for an NGO that you already have experience with. Furthermore, if you plan extensive work with an NGO it must be an Indian NGO, not an American, UN, or other international NGO. Work in rural areas would be fine as long as there are no serious security concerns in the region.
2. I am a graduating senior with field research experience in India from last year. I have proposed to conduct field research in two towns without taking classes although I have secured affiliation through JNU. Does my India experience hurt my competitiveness even though that experience has prepared me to conduct independent research?
A. Prior experience is one of many factors considered in the review process. If you have a limited amount of experience in India from your undergraduate years it will not negatively affect your application.
3. I have read conflicting information in your newsletter about eligibility issues for applicants who have previously been in the country to which they are applying. My specific case is that I've conducted a research study and genetic/nutritional screening program in India from June to July 2003 with financial support from my American university and in affiliation with an Indian university. I hope to expand the program and develop a more comprehensive research study next year. Would I be eligible to apply to India for a Fulbright grant given this two month stay? (I live in the U.S., and was born in the U.S., but my parents are originally from India).
A. You are eligible for a Fulbright Award to India. See answer to question #2 above.
1. If I am applying for a teaching assistantship in France, do I need to establish affiliation aside from the school at which I am placed?
A. No, the ETAs in France are placed at schools in France. If you are recommended by IIE for the ETA program in France then you will be given the opportunity to state a placement preference. IIE recommended candidates are given priority placement status so your chance of receiving one of your top preferences is high.
2. I would like to apply for a creative writing grant, with the topic of my study being both Italy and countries during a military occupation (i.e., America in Iraq now)--I therefore would like to apply part of the grant toward a master's in Economic Development in Bologna. Although they seem to be two very different fields, is it possible to do a creative writing grant by using an Economic Development master's as the means to achieve my creative writing project?
A. Applicants are welcome to submit any kind of project that they wish. I would only recommend that you clearly justify your reasoning for wanting to approach your project in this way.
3. I have a research project planned about Sectarian Murals in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I understand that the UK is highly competitive, but what are my actual chances of getting the grant? Also, will I be at a disadvantage if I don't know Gaelic or Taig, languages that are also spoken in Northern Ireland?
A. English is spoken in Northern Ireland so you would not need to speak Gaelic or Taig unless it was necessary for your project. An applicant’s chance of receiving a grant to the United Kingdom is about 1 in 50. There are ways in which you can make your application more competitive for the UK, and I recommend that you review the UK’s Fulbright Commission’s website for more information www.fulbright.co.uk.
4. Since there are full grants and also grants that are for part time teaching English plus partial time for research/work in Austria, do i need to specify which grant i would like? i would like to be considered for either one if that would increase my chances. where in the application do I mention which grant? in the drop down it only has a choice of "full grant" or "teaching."
A. In the drop down menu you should select “Full Grant” as there are no Full Fulbright TAs to Austria. You can mention in your project proposal that you are open to receiving either the Full grant or the Joint grant to Austria.
5. I am a graduating senior applying for a research grant in France. I keep reading comments in the application and newsletter about graduating seniors being expected to take university courses, but I don't know how this applies to me, since I am not applying to do research at a university. What specifically does this refer to?
A. As a graduating senior it is highly recommended that you incorporate coursework into your project along with your research. The French Fulbright Commission does prefer this kind of project from graduating seniors.
6. I fully expect to do terribly on my language evaluation - exams make me nervous, and my vocabulary has atrophied severely since my last German class in high school. However, my project is not heavily dependent on language ability, and I do still have a pretty firm grasp of German grammar and am confident in my ability to pick up the rest quickly when I'm in Germany. What is the best way to convey on the application that I don't feel my language skills will be a problem?
A. In your proposal discuss how you will not need a high level of German to complete your project. On the language evaluation detail what you will do to improve your German before taking up a grant. This will show that your lack of German is not a detriment to your project, but that you have a commitment to learning the language and fulfilling the cultural understanding aspect of the program. Keep in mind, also, that the German Commission will provide language training for those who need it in the summer before the grant begins.
7. The email address for the Poland questions is not working, so I will ask you guys. Can I be associated with a professor who is on a leave of absence from my alma mater in Poland? What about a working artist? The country summary says that I would need to take classes because I am a graduated (June 04) senior, but my projects and my working style is more independent. This can be confirmed by my professors I am sure. Please advise. Thanks
A. Going to Poland to work with an American professor is not the purpose of this grant? You would be far better off finding a domestic host. You cannot work with a private artist. You must have a formal institutional affiliation.
8. I have applied to enter a doctorate program at a University in Spain to begin fall of 2004. There is one year of obligatory courses before I begin work on my research topic the second year (fall of 2005). While I understand that candidates with previous experience in a host country will be at a disadvantage in the screening process, my question is if it is even possible to apply for funding for the second year of a doctorate program in Spain.
A. Yes, you can apply, but you will be considered a lower priority candidate.
9. Hi, I spent the 2002-2003 academic year of my junior year at Lund University in Sweden. I just graduated from an undergraduate university in May 2004 and I would like to apply for one of the 12 Fulbright grants available for the 2005-2006 year. I've taken 2 introductory Swedish classes in Lund and have contacts with a governmental agency and a former academic advisor. Is it possible to undertake instruction and research at a University and research center and governmental agency? Or is it one or the other - one year of instruction or research? My main question is, am i at a disadvantage if I studied in Sweden for my junior year of my undergraduate education? I am planning on getting a masters eventually.
A. No, you are not at a disadvantage because you spent your junior year in Sweden. You are welcome to design a project incorporating both coursework and research – in fact this kind of project is the preference for graduating seniors.
10. Is there a GPA requirement for applicants seeking to study in the United Kingdom?
A. No, there is no GPA requirement for applicants to the UK, or any country.
11. I am a US citizen who grew up in France. I am now applying for a grant to pursue a Master's program in the Netherlands. Will having had exposure to European culture and education system put me at a disadvantage for obtaining this grant? In reality, I feel it is in fact contributing to my understanding of which Master's program best suits my field of research.
A. As you are applying for the Netherlands and not France this fact will not put you at a disadvantage.
Western Hemisphere
1. I am interested in applying for the Fulbright grant in Bolivia. I recently graduated with my BS in May, and I am hoping to start my Masters next august. The application is due before I find out at which university I will be completing my masters degree.
A. Since you will not be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of application, your degree level would be BA.
2. I recently read a response to a question concerning the ETA job in Argentina. The response said that the emphasis for the ETA job is teaching not the specific research plan. I am proficient in Spanish so I am considering applying to either the Chile or Argentina programs. If the focus is teaching and not research, why is it necessary for me to only select one country?
A. Because the Fulbright Program is designed for selections to a specific country.
3. I applying to study science research development in Colombia, but a few years back a family member got a Fulbright award for this country on an unrelated project. Will this negatively affect my application? I did visit the country for about a week and a half because of her studies there.
A. No, it will not affect your application in any way.
4. For the degree grants available for Mexico, what is expected in terms of a study proposal? Since the objective is a degree, is more than a topic for master's thesis expected, and if so, to what extent?
A. As with any Statement of Planned Study, you are expected to describe the what, where and why. In addition, describe why that program in Mexico and how it will serve your overall educational and career goals.
5. I am applying for the research grant opportunity of the Mercosur economic union and the integration with NAFTA/FTAA for the period 2005/2006. Is it possible to combine the research with graduate studies at an Argentinean University starting in March 2005? Also, I was wondering if a B.A degree meets the requirement for that research grant opportunity? Thank you very much.
A. The MERCOSUR grant is designed for multi-country academic research. Therefore, graduate studies on a single country would not be eligible. You should apply for a regular grant to Argentina.
Near East/Africa
1. I am applying for a grant to South Africa. I will be graduating my masters program in December of 2005. The school year in SA begins in February. Would I be able to start my grant in February of 2006, or would that be outside the grant period?
A. Your Fulbright grant tenure would only need to conform to the South African academic calendar if you planned on formally enrolling in a college or university in that country. If not, it would be possible for you to begin a grant to South Africa in February 2006. (Just so you know, the earliest that grants for sub-Saharan Africa in general could start would be mid- to late summer 2005; the latest that any Fulbright grant could begin would be the end of March 2006.)
2. I studied in Senegal in 2002 for four months, will this affect my application for field study in Senegal since I have a bit of experience in this country?
A. Four months of previous experience in Senegal will not be counted against you. In fact, prior exposure to sub-Saharan Africa is often an asset for candidates to this world region.