How to Secure a Fulbright Fellowship

transcript

Vince Ricci

How to

Secure a

Fulbright

Fellowship

Sign up here: http://bit.ly/FulbrightWebinar

AIGAC Summit2010

Vince RicciEducator, Entrepreneurhttp://VincePrep.com

Vince RicciEducator, Entrepreneur

•Writing teacher since 1990http://VincePrep.com

•Writing teacher since 1990•Admissions counselor since 2002

http://VincePrep.com

Tokyo at night Shibuya U of T

•Helped 10+ Fulbrighters

•Helped 10+ Fulbrighters•University of Tokyo, Part-time Lecturer, Academic Writing + Presentations

Who are YOU?

Where are you?

What is Fulbright?

What Fulbright Wants

Your Name Here

Over 7,000

150+ countries

Easy to Access

Transparent

Contact them Directly

Our Focus Today1. Statement of Grant

Purpose (proposed future project)

2. Personal Statement (about the past)

2. Personal Statement (about the past and present)

Statement of Grant Purpose (PROJECT)

Research Proposal

Study Plan

Research Proposal

Study Plan

Research Proposal

Study Plan

The Future

Developing a strong, feasible and compelling project 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

Photo of Tokyo subway map in Japanese

Easy to Access

Transparent

Please ensure that your project design fits the program guidelines for your host country

Here you demonstrate in detail what and how your research will contribute to your discipline

Accepted Areas of Research

Make sure your proposed project will contribute to one of the designated project areas identified by the Fulbright commission of your country

Accepted Areas of Research

Make sure your proposed project will contribute to one of the designated project areas identified by the Fulbright commission of your country

How do you add value?

ContributionA contribution includes an addition to your field’s overall knowledge that also enhances understanding between the US and another nation

Something cute

Ask Yourself Six Questions

① Who

② What

③ When

④ Where

⑤ Why

⑥ How

①Who②What③When

④ Where

⑤Why⑥How

Who?With whom do you propose to work?

What?What do you propose to do?

What?What is exciting, new or unique about your project?

What?What contribution will the project make to the Fulbright objective of promoting cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding?

When?When will you carry out your study or research?

Include a timeline.

Why?Why do you want to do it?

Why?Why is your project important or significant?

Why?Why must you go abroad to carry out your project?

Add MU images / some kind of visual +/oranimation lessig style only words

Something cute

Why?What resources are available in your host country but not in your home country?

Why?How will you use these resources to better understand your subject matter?

How?How will you carry out your work?

How?What methodologies will you use?

How?What methodologies will you use? a) Access to archives &

specialists

specialistsb) Site visits

specialistsb) Site visitsc) Interviews

How?How will your Fulbright project help further your academic or professional development?

Link to Current Issues

In your home and/or host country, how can you contribute to issues such as

a)good governance

b)poverty alleviation

a)good governance

b)poverty alleviation

c)rule of law

(examples from social/political science)

This sounds important

but I am not sure why

Most interviewers hail from other disciplines

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Get FeedbackRemember your audience

Avoid academic or professional jargon

Keep It SimpleExamples are golden

“Writing for the outside world”

by Andrea Sims

Although intelligent people will be reading your proposed plan of study, few (if any) will be specialists in your field

by Andrea Sims

The longer you spend in a field, the less you realize when you are using technical terms

by Andrea Sims

My assigned mentor took my proposal, underlined everything she didn't understand and made me do it again.

by Andrea Sims

My assigned mentor took my proposal, underlined everything she didn't understand and made me do it again.

And again.

by Andrea Sims

Then I sent my proposal to my parents, who are also not linguists.

by Andrea Sims

And I wrote it again.

by Andrea Sims

And I wrote it again.

And yes, again

by Andrea Sims

Each time I clarified the ideas while reducing the terminology

Something cute

by Andrea Sims

Thanks to my simple example, one of the people who had read my application was able to intelligently explain my proposal to her boss based solely upon what I had written

That is the goal.

by Andrea Sims

I will never again write a grant application without passing it in front of as many non-specialist eyes as are willing to read it

Get FeedbackThis advice also applies to most graduate school and other scholarship essays!

Even if not selected, the process will yield dividends

Something cute

Passion?

What Do You Want to Change?

How will your studies impact your field?

How will your studies and their impact change society?

If teaching, what new perspectives will enter your curriculum?

Worthy?

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Is Your Project Feasible?

Account for resources, relevant to your project, of your host nation and host institution, as well as the time frame and funding of the grant

Demonstrate you have already taken enough steps to set up parts of your research

Any factor that could raise doubts about the likelihood of completing your project should be accounted for in your proposal

OK, now I understan

Questions?

Statement of Grant

Purpose (Project)

Part II

Personal Statement

The Past

The Present

Personal Statement

Allows you to highlight the person-behind-the-project in no more than a single page

Personal Statement

A narrative giving a picture of you as an individual

Personal Statement

Your opportunity to tell the committee more about how you came to this point in your life and where you see yourself in the future

Personal Statement

Can deal with your personal history, family background, influences on your intellectual development, the educational and cultural opportunities (or lack of them) to which you have been exposed, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you

Personal Statement

Can deal with … the educational and cultural opportunities (or lack of them) to which you have been exposed, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you

Personal Statement

Can deal with … the educational and cultural opportunities (or lack of them) to which you have been exposed, and the ways in which these experiences have affected you

No Prior International Experience?

Chicken vs. Egg

You don’t need

experience abroad to be a strong

candidate

On the contrary, the purpose of Fulbright is to expose Americans to the world

(and vice versa)

Personal Statement

It should not be a recording of facts already listed on the application or an elaboration of your Statement of Grant Purpose (Project)

boring

Personal Statement

It is more of a biography, but specifically related to you and your aspirations relative to the Fulbright Program

Personal Statement

Show in detail what has made you successful in the past and will facilitate the success of your proposed project

Who are YOU?

What can you DO?

Why are you

insanely great?

Demonstrate That

• you achieve goals

Demonstrate That

• you prioritize and follow-through on your objectives

Demonstrate That

• you learn from your mistakes

Demonstrate That

• you have leadership and communication skills

Do I Believe You?

Can you help the Fulbright Committee understand how your background best prepares you to execute your plans?

It is critical that your personal statement fully support your project proposal

Why are you uniquely qualified to realize your ideas?

Do I Care?

How can Vince help?

Admissions Counseling

① CV

② Goals / Project clarification

① CV

③ Personal statement structuring

① CV

④ Interview training

① CV

④ Interview training

⑤ Second opinion

Next Steps

① Do CV and Personal Statement together

what how wo

Next Steps

② Research and write Project Proposal (Statement of Grant Purpose) with an eye towards interview preparation

Most interviewers hail from other disciplines

Next Steps

② Research and write Project Proposal (Statement of Grant Purpose) with an eye towards interview preparation

③ Enjoy the process!

Something cute

Next Steps

① Start early

Next Steps

① Start early

② Get help

Next Steps

① Start early

② Get help

③ Contact Fulbrighters

Vince’s Perspective

① Website

② Blog

③ VincePrep.com

AIGAC.org

• Experienced

AIGAC.org

• Experienced

• Ethical

AIGAC.org

• Experienced

• Ethical

http://www.aigac.org/membership.htm

Resources & Links

⑦ Special thanks to Adam and Steve

⑧ Blog link here http://adam-markus.blogspot.com/2009/04/steve-green-preparing-fulbright.html

Resources & Links

① http://www.iie.org/en/Fulbright

Resources & Links

② http://us.fulbrightonline.org/preparing_personalstatement.html

Resources & Links

③ http://bit.ly/FulTips

Resources & Links

④ http://bit.ly/FulTipVids

Resources & Links

④ http://bit.ly/FulTipVids

⑤ http://twitter.com/TokyoVince/following

Good Luck!-Vince RicciAdmissions Advocate•Tokyo •San FranciscoVincePrep.com

How to Secure a Fulbright Fellowship

Education