RIT • Academic Enhancement Programs • Fellowships

On campus:

• Information sessions
• Take place in March
• Fulbright Program Advisor gives overview of program, application requirements & process and hands out information material
• Fulbright Program Advisor & Fulbright Program Assistant
• Academic Enhancement Programs
  21 Lomb Memorial Drive
  Rochester Institute of Technology
  Rochester, NY 14623
  Building 13, Room 1314
  Phone: 585-475-4466 , Email: Fulbright@mail.rit.edu
• Fulbright handbook 'Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Grants for Graduate Study Research or Teaching Assistantships Abroad'
• Available from the Fulbright Program Advisor

Online:

• RIT-Website: http://fellowships.rit.edu/fulbright/
• Fulbright-Website http://www.fulbrightonline.org/us/home.html
• Newsletter: http://www.fulbrightonline.org/us/thinking_applicant.html

Basically the Fulbright grant can be used for any area of study. Opportunities and limitations do differ from country to country; see the Fulbright handbook for details. Sometimes there are even special preferences/programs for a certain subject in certain countries.

No, it is not necessary to hold a degree at the time of application. However it is a graduate program which means by the time you finally depart you have to hold a B.A.F. or B.S. degree. There may be individual exceptions; see the Fulbright website or handbook for individual country details.

If you already hold a Ph.D., you should apply for a Fulbright Fellowship through CIES (Council for International Exchange of Scholars).

Depending on the country, M.F.A. graduates are usually eligible to apply for a Fulbright through the IIE program only if you are no more than two years beyond completion of the M.F.A. Otherwise, you should apply through the CIES program.

Your academic record is only one criterion in the selection process. A convincing proposal, enthusiastic letter of recommendation and good performance in the interview equally play into the final decision. However, even though there is no minimum grade point average requirement, a strong academic record is still recommended, especially when applying for highly competitive countries.

Applicants are not required to have prior research experience in the host country. However, when applying for the grant you have to show that you are qualified to carry out your proposed research or study.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application for the US program. There are separate programs for other countries targeted to support the study of international students in the U.S. For more information, visit www.iie.org.

You can still apply for a country you already have lived or studied in but preference is given to applicants who have never been to the country for which they apply. However, undergraduate study abroad experiences do not make applicants less competitive. In fact, some study abroad experience or limited work experience in the country may increase applicants’ chances because of their ability to speak the language and adapt to the culture. This is especially true for countries where languages are not normally spoken in the U.S.

You might be ineligible to apply for a Fulbright grant. if you currently reside in the destination country. See the description of the specific host country in the Fulbright handbook or website for more information.

The application process is the same as for other Fulbright grants. If you are applying for a TA you do not have to submit extensive study or research plans. Rather, explain why you want to work as a teaching assistant, why Fulbright should choose you (experience, qualifications & skills) and how the teaching assistantship relates to your field of study. As in any other research proposal you should outline how you expect to benefit from that experience and what use you will make of it upon return to the US. As most of the teaching assistants do not work more than 20 hours a week, it is important that you also talk about your plans outside the classroom. That could be a small independent research project or simply enrolling in classes at a university.

Yes, all applicants have to include a proposal in their application. If you are planning to apply for a teaching assistantship you do not have to find a specific research project or study plan. Rather, write how you will fill in the position as a teaching assistant in a high school class and what you can bring to the class room. Previous teaching experience should be mentioned in the essay. Keep in mind that you will in class for only approximately 20 hours per week. Thus, you should also mention your plans outside the class room.

No, candidates are allowed to submit only one Fulbright application; separate applications to individual countries will not be considered.

It actually is possible to submit a multi-country proposal for almost every region in the world with the exception of Western Europe. Yet, it is a very difficult and competitive process. A multi-country proposal is limited to three countries within the same geographic region only and must be approved by each country involved. You must designate one country as the primary country of your research/study.

Fulbright grants are not available to Puerto Rico or any other U.S. territory.

No, only countries listed in the handbook and on the website can be chosen for application.

You must start the whole application process again and submit recent transcripts, reference letters and language evaluation. Also, we recommend revising your curriculum vitae and proposal as some things will have changed over the year. (IIE destroys all unsuccessful application at the end of the selection process.)

Yes, the RIT Campus Committee forwards all applications to IIE along with the committee's ratings and comments.

No. Once you submit your application online, it will be sent to the IIE as your final version.

Language requirements depend on the destination country. See the Fulbright website or the handbook for detailed information. If the knowledge of a foreign language is required, the applicant must submit a language evaluation form with the completed application. (If you do not posses any knowledge of the foreign language at all, you can fill in the form on your own stating this.)

It is always an advantage to know the language of the host country – even if the study or research can be conducted in English. As there is approximately a year between the time of application and your departure there is still time to prepare for your stay and take language classes. Any plans for future language study should be noted in your application (in the proposal and as attachment to the language evaluation).

Yes. All applicants who are proposing to study or do research in a language other than English must submit a language report form, even if they are native speakers.

No, you have to submit exactly three recommendation letters. If that you have more than three, choose the strongest ones.

Ideally, letters of recommendation should come from professors in your major (at least two). One letter can be written by another person who knows you well, academically, professionally or from an extracurricular activity such as athletics. Keep in mind that the referee has to judge your ability to carry out your proposed project and should be able to envision you as a Fulbright Scholar. The better and longer you have known the person who writes the letter of recommendation, the more likely will it be that you get an individually tailored and enthusiastic letter of support. When asking for such a letter, always provide the referee with your project proposal, your resume, and any other relevant information that will assist the referee in drafting a solid recommendation.

Yes, all students need to be affiliated with an educational or research institute, ministry, or other organization in the host country - see Fulbright handbook for specific country details.

No, a Fulbright grant may not be deferred; it may only be accepted for the academic year it is awarded.

Most of the time a Fulbright is not awarded to allow the student to earn a degree. There are exceptions, which can be found online or in the handbook. Usually, Fulbright Scholars take courses on a not-for-credit, non-degree seeking basis. However, the Fulbright can be utilized to fulfill research requirements or coursework towards a master’s or doctoral degree.

That depends on the particular situation. Most Non-US university do not operate on the US credit system. The grantee is responsible to make appropriate arrangements for the transfer of credits prior to her departure.

The length of stay for most grants is one academic year, but it might be different for your specific country. If you decide to terminate your stay earlier, you may have to return all funding.

Yes, you are allowed short trips out of the country for family leave, etc. However, you must notify the Fulbright office in the host country of your plans for financial and safety purposes.

Mostly, the Fulbright grant consists of round-trip airfare and a monthly stipend. Sometimes, a minimal additional stipend for dependents is provided as well. Amounts vary by country.

This is an individual decision. If the other grant/scholarship duplicates the benefits of Fulbright, the amount will be deducted from the Fulbright grant. If it helps to meet expenses that are not covered by Fulbright, no deduction will be made.

In most cases you need the prior approval of the supervising agency in the host country to work during the period of your Fulbright grant.