RIT • Academic Enhancement Programs • Fellowships

Table of Contents:
1. General Information
1.1 Eligibility
1.2 Types of Grants
2. Thinking About Applying
2.1 Examples of Successful RIT Fulbright Projects
2.2 Selection Criteria
3. Application Process
3.1 Writing Your Statement of Proposed Study and CV
3.2 Letters of Reference
3.3 Affiliations
3.4 Art Portfolios

Goals and Purpose: The United States Department of State, through the Institute of International Education (IIE) and in conjunction with foreign governments and universities, annually awards approximately 1,200 grants supporting graduate study and research in over 140 countries. The purpose of the program, as envisioned by Senator J. William Fulbright, is three-fold:

• To promote mutual understanding through a commitment to the free flow of ideas and people across national boundaries;
• To expand, through this understanding, the boundaries of human wisdom, empathy and perception;
• To create true and lasting world peace through cooperation in constructive activities among people of different nations.

Duration: Most grants are awarded for programs of study for one academic year.

U.S. citizens who will hold at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent prior to undertaking the grant are eligible to apply. Creative and performing artists are not required to hold a bachelor's degree, but they must have four years of professional study or equivalent experience. In many cases, candidates must be proficient in the language of the proposed host country.

If you already hold a Ph.D., you should apply for a Fulbright Fellowship through CIES (Council for International Exchange of Scholars). If you hold an M.F.A. (considered a terminal degree in art) you are generally eligible to apply for a Fulbright along as it is within two years of graduation. Otherwise, you will need to apply through the CIES program.

The Fulbright program offers three types of grants as well as special grant opportunities for U.S. students:

Full Grants: Full grants are for students who wish to embark on research in their field of interest or complete a course of graduate study. Please note that graduate study programs must be completed within one year unless otherwise noted in the country description of the Fulbright handbook. Full grants generally provide round-trip transportation; language or orientation courses (where appropriate), tuition in some cases, book and research allowances, maintenance for the academic year (based on living costs in the host country), and supplemental health and accident insurance. Full grants are generally the most competitive grants offered.

Travel Grants: Fulbright travel grants provide round-trip transportation to the country where the student will pursue studies for an academic year, supplemental health and accident insurance, and the cost of an orientation course abroad, if applicable. Travel grants may supplement fellowships not administered by IIE or a student's own funds for study and are available only for certain countries.

Teaching Assistantships: Teaching assistantships in English are offered in many countries where the Fulbright program is in existence. These grants offer students the opportunity to teach English to university students within the host country. Teaching assistants teach under the advisement of professors at the host academic institution. Placement is determined by availability and need within the host country. Generally, these grants are not as competitive as full or travel grants.

Special Programs: The Fulbright program also offers a limited number of subject specific grants. These change from time to time but currently include Business Grants, the Islamic Civilization Initiative, and the Language Training Initiative. These grants are restricted to specific countries and subject matter. (See the Fulbright website for further details.)

The process of applying for a Fulbright grant is time consuming. You should give yourself plenty of time not only for the application process itself but also time to think about what you actually want to do. Do you want to teach English and bring cultural diversity to a classroom across the world or do you wish to research a particular issue? What are you most passionate about? Choosing a topic that is of vital interest to you is the first step in preparing a winning application. You also need to determine what country would best support your research interests. Although your personal preferences are important here, it should not be your only criteria for choosing a country of study. You should seek out countries with institutions/affiliations that can best support your interests. If you really want to study in a specific country, be creative and frame your project around the unique characteristics or opportunities that country offers.

Remember, not all countries participate in the Fulbright program. Check the Fulbright website early on to make sure your country is listed. While you are there, look up the acceptance statistics so you know how competitive it is.

To be successful, a Fulbright applicant should start early by formulating his or her proposal in the spring, contacting foreign institutions, identifying advisers for the project in the early summer, and working on the essays early enough to get feedback from advisers. Complete applications are due to the RIT Campus Committee in early September (see the RIT Campus Timeline for specific details).

For solid project advice and advice about countries and foreign institutions that will best fit your objectives, talk with your faculty adviser, mentor, or a professional in your field. These advisers can help you develop specific ideas for a project and identify appropriate institutions abroad.

How do I choose a country?
Use the country summary provided in the Fulbright handbook to see which countries you are eligible for. Look up the statistics from previous years to get a feeling for your chances. Ask yourself whether you really have to apply for an English-speaking country (much more competitive) or whether you want to try something else. Also, your field of study might be preferred in a certain country whereas not in another. Some countries are renowned for a particular area of study, such as Germany for the sciences or Russia for ballet. Ask your professors and colleagues for input.

How do I find a project?
The key to success is your project – make sure you have an interesting, well thought-out project that suits you, and matches the Fulbright mission as well as the specific country requirements.

What project you choose depends on your interests, qualifications, and professional experience. You can start by thinking about a country you want to apply for and then see which of those countries offer the best research opportunities in your field of study. Or if you already have a particular interest/idea, you can think about how to narrow it down into a feasible project. Then find out which country would be the best place to realize it. Remember, you are looking for the perfect match between you, your project, and the country itself. You want to be able to adapt your idea to the circumstances in the country to make your project a perfect fit.

Your project does not have to be in your major but should relate to your educational and professional background. It can be anything from historical studies in Egypt to laboratory work in Norway to conducting a field study in Kenya.

For solid project advice and advice about countries and foreign institutions that will best fit your objectives, the first person to talk to is your faculty adviser, mentor, or a professional in your field. They may have expertise in your field or contacts in the country. They can also help you develop specific ideas for your project and identify appropriate institutions abroad that could support it. The Fulbright Program Advisor cannot help you find the appropriate project or country; she or he can only help guide you through the formal application process.

There is a single application form for all grants and students may apply for only one country per year. Grants must be carried out in one country. Under exceptional circumstances, students may submit projects that require a primary country site for their study or research, as well as a secondary and even tertiary site. This option is only available to selected countries within world regional programs (for more information see the Fulbright handbook). An application is greatly strengthened by a letter of acceptance, affiliation, or endorsement from the person abroad who will guide or supervise the applicant's proposed study project. Such arrangements are especially important for applicants in the sciences. In certain countries applicants are required to arrange their own university acceptance or placement with a teacher or specialist in advance.

As you prepare your essays, you need to consider your audience. You are writing for the Fulbright National Screening Committee. These are individuals who are charged with selecting those applications that best exemplify the standards set forth by the Fulbright program. Be sure to read the scholarship information in this guide, the Fulbright handbook, and on the website very thoroughly to be clear about what criteria applicants must meet.

It will be important to demonstrate academic potential and leadership capability, as well as the desire to gain a substantive experience of another culture for which you do not already possess extensive prior experience.

Consider the following:

• What is exciting or new and unique about your project idea?
• How will it help to further your academic and professional development?
• What contribution will it make to the Fulbright objective of promoting cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding?
• Why is it important to carry out the project in that specific country, at that university, with that specific expert?

Overall, selection is based on the academic and/or professional record of the applicant, the validity and feasibility of the proposed study project, the applicant's language preparation, and personal qualifications.

What criteria are used when applications are reviewed?

• The applicant’s academic or professional record
• Language ability/preparation
• Feasibility of the proposed project or study
• Personal qualifications
• Preference factors that the country committee might have towards certain fields
• Availability of affiliation in host country
• Goal to achieve wide institutional and geographic distribution
• Ratio between the number of awards in an individual country and the number of applications received

What is the selection process?

1. RIT receives applications in early September, sets up campus interviews
2. Campus interview
• At the end of September.
• Each applicant will have a 20 minute interview with the RIT Campus Committee.
• Following the interview the RIT Campus Committee writes an evaluation which is part of your.
3. All applications are forwarded to the IIE in New York by mid-October
4. Round 1--New York: Your proposal or work sample if appropriate is reviewed by a discipline specific National Screening Committee during December, which then recommends candidates for further consideration. Selected candidates from this first round will be notified in January.
5. Round 2--Individual countries: The applications of recommended candidates are sent to the supervising agencies in the particular country for final selection.
6. Final selection--The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board makes the final selection based on the recommendations from the National Screening Committee, the individual countries’ selection and other factors. Final candidates will be notified between late March and July.

What does an application consist of?

You have to fill out an online application form which has to be submitted online AND in hard copy. Major elements are:

• Project proposal (up to 2 pages) and curriculum vitae statement (one page)
• Three academic letters of reference – sealed & signed on the back
• Language evaluation (a must, if country of application is a non-English speaking country)
• Academic transcripts
• For students in the creative field: sample work (see details in online application) along with supplemental material form
• Letters of affiliation are strongly encouraged from institutions and/or in-country contacts agreeing to assist you in undertaking your project.

How exactly do I apply?

You can apply through RIT if you are currently enrolled in RIT or have graduated from RIT. Graduates may also opt to apply directly to the IIE in New York as “at-large” applicants.

Hand in hard copies of your application and fill in the online form (See the RIT Campus Timeline for detailed information).

After submitting a first draft of your proposal and your academic transcript to the Fulbright Program Advisor in early May, your complete application is due mid-September. In order to obtain the application form you must register online. Fill in the application form and print it out, but do not submit it yet. All graduate applicants will be interviewed by the RIT Campus Committee at the end of September. Following the campus interview, you will have a little time to polish your application before your final submission. RIT will send your hard copy application (along with work samples if applicable) to IIE in New York by the national deadline in October.

The National Screening Committee will be examining hundreds of applications from highly qualified individuals. From these applications perhaps only 25% will be considered worthy of the next stage. In this context, an outstanding statement of proposed study must engage the reader at the outset, present thoughts in a clear and organized manner, be a pleasure to read, and leave the reader wanting to know you better. Equally important for your application is the curriculum vitae. Keep the following suggestions in mind when writing these essays:

• The challenge facing all writers is to get the good ideas out of their heads and into the heads of their readers. To achieve this, effective writers must: Be clear. Be concrete. Be concise.
• Think of your application essay(s) as a part of a larger whole (including the letters of reference, and any other supporting documents such as a list of activities and awards, a resume, or transcripts).
• No essay can be successful without a clear focus. An effective thesis sentence announces clearly the central idea to be developed in the rest of the essay.
• Consider your audience; write for an intelligent non-specialist. Make sure the terminology will be understandable to someone outside your field. The tone should be neither too academic nor too personal. Aim for economy, enthusiasm, and directness; eloquence is welcome, but not at the expense of substance or honesty.
• Do not pad, but do not be falsely modest either. Make sure all information is accurate and that you will be prepared to discuss in some detail anything you mention.
• Especially for the proposal essay, you must have a passionate interest in what you propose to do. The best essays are written about something the author truly cares about.
• Your essay must go through many drafts, so start early! Most winning essays have gone through at least ten revisions. Show your work to a number of readers whose comments you respect. Consult especially your department advisor and ask your readers to tell you what questions your essays raise that you might not have considered.
• Revise until you feel that you have made these highly restrictive forms into effective reflections of who you are and what you want to do.
• Keep to word limits and all other guidelines and remember to proofread the entire application.

Writing your Statement of Proposed Study or Research

The first quality draft is due by the beginning of May to the RIT Fulbright program Assistant.

Spell out in clear, concrete, and specific language a feasible project that can be completed within one year.

• What is the result of your project
• Can you complete it in a year?
• Why do you want to do this and why is it important?
• Why have you chosen to do your project with a particular person or institution in the country you have chosen?
• Show how your plans are consistent with your preparation, academic qualifications, and long-range goals.
• Discuss how your project will contribute to the host country, what you will bring back to the US and how it matches the philosophy of the Fulbright Program.
• Give evidence of project feasibility. Knowledge of the institution and country where you intend to do your project and evidence of cooperation of host institution and individuals is key. Have professors with whom you wish to study send a letter to confirm their support. Familiarity with the host country language may be required and is always a plus.
• Also, ask yourself if you have avoided politically risky subjects or negative references to the US or to the host country. Some discussion of politically charged topics is acceptable but remember that this is a government-supported grant.

Writing your Curriculum Vitae

Personal statements are read quickly and often in bulk. Yours should be a pleasure to read: it should start fast, quickly taking the reader into the heart of your discussion.

The personal statement introduces you as a person behind all the facts. Create a compelling snapshot of who you are and what contributions you want to make. Indicate what your priorities are and the kinds of intelligence and passion you bring to your work. Identify a few points (3 to 4) that you want to develop. Let the other aspects of your application (pages 1A and 2) present other important information. Maintain focus, establish a consistent story line. Use anecdotes or personal examples to show a number of the qualities you want to convey.

A few questions to help you get started:

• What teachers, ideas, books, courses, and events have had a profound impact on you? How so?
• To what extent do your current commitments reflect your most strongly-held values?
• When have you changed
• Consider yourself before and after; what does this change mean?
• Start writing drafts. Experiment. You will know when a paragraph begins to gel.

Resources on Writing:
On Writing Well, William Zinsser, Harper and Row.
Manual of Style, University of Chicago Press.
Elements of Style, Strunk and White, Macmillan.
Graduate Admission Essays: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why, Donald Asher, Ten Speed Press.

You must submit three letters of reference. If the referee does not use the reference form from the Fulbright application, please make sure the letter is printed on institutional letterhead and does not exceed one page. In addition, your name, the project title and country should be stated at the top.

Important Instructions for the Applicant:

• Provide a summary of your project & your curriculum vitae for the referee.
• Make sure that the completed form with the reference letter from your referee comes in a sealed envelope which has been signed across the flap by the referee.
• Make sure that all letters arrive in time for the campus application deadline in early September. References can be sent or hand delivered to RIT Campus Committee, Academic Enhancement Programs, Building 13, Room 1314.

Instructions for the Referee:

• Review the project summary provided by the applicant.
• If you do not use the reference form that the applicant has provided to you, please print your letter on institutional letterhead and try not to exceed one page. In addition, the applicant’s name, the project title and country should be stated at the top.
• The signed reference letter along with the original reference form must come in a sealed envelope signed by you across the seal. Faxed or emailed reference letters cannot and will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• Turn in the letter directly to the RIT Campus Committee, Academic Enhancement Programs, Building 13, Room 1314.
• Please make sure that your letter reaches the RIT Campus Committee or the applicant in time for the campus deadline in early September.

There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the campus deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered!

Helpful reminders when writing a letter of reference
(More detailed instructions available upon request from the Fulbright Program Assistant.)

• Applicant will be an ambassador of the United States
• Comment on personal suitability and academic excellence of applicant
• Feasibility of the applicant’s project in terms of:
• Resources available abroad
• Ability of the applicant to carry out the project in the allotted time
• Linguistic preparation for the proposed plan
• Candidate’s ability to adapt to a different cultural environment
• The candidate’s talent and potential for growth
• Any other factors that might be important for the candidate’s successful experience overseas.
• Your opinion about the project and applicant.

Most of the countries and projects require that you set up affiliations on your own.

Affiliations really help you increase your chances of winning, especially research grants. Take it seriously and work as hard on them as on your essay! Requirements for affiliations are different from country to country – see the Fulbright handbook/website for specific details. Start early! Finding contacts overseas can be difficult and take a long time. It might take several weeks to get a response from an email you send. When addressing your contacts overseas make sure your give a concise outline of your project and clearly state the support you are looking for to carry out your project.

Setting up an affiliation generally means:

• Finding an academic institution where you will be able to take classes (usually as a special status non-degree seeking student) and/or use the library and other facilities such as laboratories. If you are required to gain formal university acceptance, it is your responsibility to undertake all necessary steps.
• Finding one or more professors or experts in your field of study who will be willing to support your project and write a letter of affiliation. They should reside or have access to facilities in the country.

Your professors are the first ones to contact when looking for affiliation overseas. Also, experts and colleagues from your field of study can be helpful in making contacts. The Fulbright advisor cannot help with establishing these contacts in your discipline.

Letters of affiliation are in addition to the required three letters of reference. They have to be mailed through the postal service. Faxed letters or emails are not acceptable. If the letters are written in a language other than English, you must attach an English language translation to the original. You can have as many affiliations as you need to carry out your project, but only submit letters from those contacts who are truly relevant for the project.

Students applying in art have to submit samples of their work in addition to all other material. Screening the portfolio will be the first step in the selection process for all art students. Thus, the quality of your portfolio is as important as your essays! However, unless it is specifically stated, the portfolio does not accompany the application to the host country application reviews (Round 2). Therefore you have to make sure the rest of the application conveys the merit and artistic strength of the work.

Fulbright has very exact instructions for submission of work samples for each subject. They can be found in the application package or online as soon as you register for the application. As these instructions change from year to year, please make sure that you are using the most current version of “Instructions for Submitting Supplementary Material in the Creative and Performing Arts”.