“to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

“to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship”

Senator J. William FulbrightSlide2

General Introduction

Established After World War IILegislation by J. William Fulbright

Awards

75000, new grants annually

thousands of alumni Many come to US to studyMany go outside US to studySlide3

What they offer(http://www.iie.org/en/Fulbright)

Foreign Student

Program

MS/Doctoral studies

Who Can ApplyNON- US citizen

graduate students, young professionals and artistsEvery Region has different number of scholarshipsWhere to Look

http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org

/

NOTE: For other types of grants like travel grant look at http://www.iie.org/en/FulbrightSlide4

What they offer

Other programs offeredFor Undergrads and Professionals

Check Region’s website

See

the link http://www.iie.org/en/Fulbright

http://www.usefpakistan.org/Slide5

Where to look

Fulbright websitehttp://fulbright.state.gov/

IIE website

http://www.iie.org/en/FulbrightSlide6

My Note

This Presentation is about

MY EXPERIENCE

or

how I FEEL what matters in the Fulbright Application. It is

NOT official rule or description of what they look forSlide7

My Experience---- Why Fulbright?

PlacesAbout 140 countries, countless cities and amazing townsFrom 1992 till 2007 I lived in ONE city Lahore,

Now I am studying thousands of miles away from home

Culture

Experience the world different than yoursUnderstand why some people do what they do.

Before thisI have never ate burritoNever celebrated Thanks GivingSlide8

My Experience---Why Fulbright

PeoplePeople from other countriesDifferent culture, different behavior,.

Just broadens your mind

Today I have

Friends from America, India (see Pakistan and India don’t see eye to eye), Mexico, Greece. Remained roommate with exchange student from Nigeria. People from your own Country

will meet people filtered by selection processDifferent fields, different areas, different interests, different viewsAmazing diversity in your own countrySlide9

My Experience– Why Fulbright?

For BestIt’s Adventure. Slide10

What you need?

Some of the Most Important thingsGREPersonal Statement

Statement of Grant Purpose / Research Statement

3 letters of References

TranscriptsSlide11

My Experience

Long process(http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview_timeline.html?page=us/overview_timeline)

Application Starts in May (submission deadline is later in the year)

Decisions sometime come till next year’s June

For Foreign Students Waiting for Visa ; extra headache Mine took about 4 months

So Don’t Stop your life waiting for ResultsIntern/Teach/Research or at least travel 

Why?

Because you will not feel wasting a year if you don’t get in.Slide12

My Experience

ApplicationIt’s Long ApplicationStart Early

Do multiple goes

I took print out and filled it with pencil

Let someone else read itSometime we become blind to our mistakesSlide13

My Experience

EssaysMost Tough PartTakes most of your time

Write it, read it, write it again

Let others read it

Take Care of Grammatical mistakesDon’t write too much and don’t write too little

Personal StatementStatement of Grant Purpose / Research StatementSlide14

My Experience

Personal StatementNot your life story Just highlights

About where you are

Why this is important for application

Don’t duplicate your scores and GPAOpportunity to explain discrepanciesWhy certain bad grade or GRE score. Or Why suddenly your grades become better

Catch them First few lines are importantI followed advice given in (Mor Harchol-Balter

, CMU)

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~harchol/gradschooltalk.pdf

Go over few Personal StatementsSlide15

My Experience

Statement of Grant Purpose / Research StatementHave a look at previous PDFFirst few sentences to catch attention

Why your research? Why this area?

Why this Grant be given to you?

What you have done in this area previouslyI started my statement by telling my first experience of Face Detection and how it amazed me.

But then I told them What I am Doing NOW. Reading examples of Research Statement help.Webminar “Crafting Your Fulbright Project Statement

”

http://www.cies.org/Webinar/Slide16

My Experience

Reference LettersCarefully choose whom to ask for letterThey should know your work and you

Simply indicating good GPA is not enough

I found it better to get letters from professors

Who have studied in USSo it may help to get letter from teachers who have experience studying or teaching outside US

Tell them for what kind of program you are asking Reference Letter Discuss with themDo they think you are good for program?help you know whether that person will give good reference letter or not

YES they can write “This Student does not deserve to be in this program” Slide17

My Experience

Reference LettersDiscuss with themTeachers can ask you to waive your right of reading the reference letter

Transcripts

Apply for them early

Arrange them properlyMake note of all the material you are sending

Keep Backup copy of everything Slide18

My Experience

InterviewAfter initial screeningFew selected students

Be confident

Opportunity to tell and explain anything you missed

Why you should be selected?Prepare for itAsk your friends to ask you questions

Mirror talkUsual SuspectsTake few moments to answerSit upright, dress comfortablyLook towards everyone

Ask Question --- Yes you should ask question also to the interviewersSlide19

My Experience--- What Counts

Good Grades, Good GRE, Good Reference LettersGood InterviewThey are looking for

Not only Intelligent Person but

Hard working also

Most Importantly Person who can Go and Make friends in other countryPerson who is open to “Different”

Person with Extracurricular and social activities. Slide20

My Experience

Some people drop even after getting accepted So rethinkSlide21

Links

http://www.iie.org/en/FulbrightHow Do I Apply for Fulbright?

http://fulbright.state.gov/fulbright/become/howdoiapply

Webminars

http://www.cies.org/Webinar/

Application TIPS and timelinehttp://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview_timeline.html?page=us/overview_timelineSee Your Region’s website