320 likes | 445 Views
Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium. The US Experience: scholars. September 2011. Mission. Why go to the US. Wide array of options Flexibility Internationalize your CV Opportunity to travel to the US. Differences to expect.
E N D
Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium The US Experience: scholars September 2011
Why go to the US • Wide array of options • Flexibility • Internationalize your CV • Opportunity to travel to the US
Differences to expect • Teaching and classroom styles • On-campus life and opportunities • Ranking system • Letters of recommendation • Personal statement
How to choose a program? • Accredited? • Size? • Location? • Number of international students? • Majors offered? • Cost?
Accreditation • Chea www.chea.org/search • Dept of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation
English tests • $ 225 • Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem • Reading, listening, break, speaking, writing (4.5 hours) • http://www.ets.org/toefl • € 185 • Accepted by many but not all universities • Listening (30min), Reading (1h), Speaking (11-14min), Writing (1h) • http://www.britishcouncil.org/brussels-exams-ielts.htm • 250 • Accepted by many but not all universities • 3 hours, Brussels • Score in 5 days • http://www.pearsonpte.com/PTEACADEMIC/Pages/home.aspx
Dates to remember • 12 to 18 months before departure:Evaluate your reasons • June - SeptemberSelect 5 or 6 universities on the basis of their programs, degrees offered, accreditation, level of selectivity, cost, location and size • July - AugustFind out which standardized tests are required • August - SeptemberWrite to 5 or 6 universities to request application forms for admission and financial aid. • October - FebruaryPrepare transcripts and literal translations ,certified at the Commission Have professors send recommendation letters Send applications to universities well in advance of deadlines • February - AprilWait for letters from the universities. • March - AprilContact universities to which you have applied, but not yet received a response. • April - JuneAccept /Decline offers from other universities where you were also accepted. Contact housing department and international student office.
Graduate Education • Master’s degrees Typically 2 years in length • Doctoral degrees (PhD’s) Typically 4-6 years in length
Entrance Exams • For admission to Graduate Schools (except Law and Business programs) • Subject-specific tests required for certain programs • New test starting Fall 2011 • http://www.ets.org/gre GRE Graduate Record Exam GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test • For admission to Business Schools • http://www.mba.com
3 Simultanious Actions • Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the applications for each one. • Determine which tests are needed to apply & take them (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT). • Look for financial support.
How to finance your studies • Personal funding • Loanfrom a bank • Fellowshipfrom U.S. university • Researchassistantship • Teachingassistantship • WorkStudy (20 hrs/wk) • Scholarshipfromanotherorganizations • Fulbright • BAEF • Rotary • Etc.
Commission for Educational Exchange Between the US +Belgium established in 1946 “ to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries " former Senator J. William Fulbright Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US
Facts & figures: Fulbright • Since 1946: • +300,000 Fulbrighters from +155 countries • +189.000 foreign nationals to US for study, teaching, research • +101.000 Americans have gone abroad • 140 programs worldwide • funded by the U.S. State Department through annual appropriations from the U.S. Congress • Fulbright Program is administered by bi-national Fulbright Commissions. In non-Commission countries, the Fulbright Program is administered by the Public Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy
For Fulbright Grant • Study • Conduct Research
Benefits? • Cash award of a travel grant up to 30,000 USD • Health and accident insurance • Visa sponsorship • Prestigious title
Conditions? • Belgian citizen • Distinction every year or big distinction in the last year of study • Must return to Belgium/EU for 2 years following grant • No health insurance for state of MA
How to apply? Preliminary Application Provide letter of acceptance Final Online Application Print + Send 3 letters of rec Interview Notification
Who can receive a scholarship? • Students, Researchers, Lecturers • Mid-career journalists • Language teaching assistants • Secondary school teachers
Deadlines for Fulbright Grant October 31 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program October 31Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard October 31Fulbright - Hays Journalism Grant October 31Summer Seminar in American Studies February 1Fulbright Award for Science & Technology March 1 Fulbright Awards for Research Scholars & Lecturers March 1Fulbright - Schuman Grants April 30Fulbright Awards for Graduate Study
Other Fulbright Commissions Austriawww.fulbright.at Belgium and Luxembourgwww.fulbright.be Bulgariawww.fulbright-bg.org Cyprus: www.fulbright.org.cy Czech Republicwww.fulbright.cz Denmarkwww.daf-fulb.dk Finlandwww.fulbright.fi France www.fulbright-france.org Germanywww.fulbright.de Greecewww.fulbright.gr Hungarywww.fulbright.hu Icelandwww.fulbright.is Irelandwww.fulbright.ie Visit the Commission’swebsite in your home country for more information Italy www.fulbright.it Netherlands www.fulbright.nl Norwaywww.fulbright.no Polandwww.fulbright.edu.pl Portugalwww.ccla.pt Romaniawww.fulbright.ro Slovak Republic www.fulbright.sk Spainwww.fulbright.es Swedenwww.fulbright.se Turkeywww.fulbright.org.tr United Kingdomwww.fulbright.co.uk Russia http://fulbright.ru Ukraine www.fulbright.org.ua
Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium • Openinghours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 – 13:00 • Closed to the public on Fridays • Phone calls: 14:00 – 16:00 Royal Library Albert I Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72 Fax: +32 (0)2 519.57.73 adviser@fulbright.be www.fulbright.be