Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium

The US Experience: scholars

September 2011

Mission

• Wide array of options• Flexibility• Internationalize your CV• Opportunity to travel to the US

Why go to the US

• Teaching and classroom styles• On-campus life and opportunities• Ranking system• Letters of recommendation• Personal statement

Differences to expect

Types of institutions

o Accredited?

o Size?

o Location?

How to choose a program?

o Number of international students?

o Majors offered?

o Cost?

• Chea www.chea.org/search

• Dept of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation

Accreditation

• $ 225• Brussels,

Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem

• Reading, listening, break, speaking, writing (4.5 hours)

• http://www.ets.org/toefl

English tests

€ 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.pear

sonpte.com/PTEACADEMIC/Pages/home.aspx

• 12 to 18 months before departure: Evaluate your reasons

• June - September Select 5 or 6 universities on the basis of their programs, degrees offered, accreditation, level of selectivity, cost, location and size

• July - August Find out which standardized tests are required

• August - September Write to 5 or 6 universities to request application forms for admission and financial aid.

• October - February Prepare transcripts and literal translations ,certified at the Commission Have professors send recommendation letters Send applications to universities well in advance of deadlines

• February - April Wait for letters from the universities.

• March - April Contact universities to which you have applied, but not yet received a response.

• April - June Accept /Decline offers from other universities where you were also accepted. Contact housing department and international student office.

Dates to remember

Education USA – State Dept website

• Master’s degrees Typically 2 years in length

• Doctoral degrees (PhD’s)Typically 4-6 years in length

Graduate Education

Entrance Exams

o For admission to Graduate Schools (except Law and Business programs)

o Subject-specific tests required for certain programs

o New test starting Fall 2011

o http://www.ets.org/ gre

o For admission to Business Schools

o http://www.mba.com

GREGraduate Record Exam

GMATGraduate Management Admission Test

1. Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the applications for each one.

2. Determine which tests are needed to apply & take them (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT).

3. Look for financial support.

3 Simultanious Actions

1. Personal funding2. Loan from a bank3. Fellowship from U.S. university

o Research assistantshipo Teaching assistantshipo Work Study (20 hrs/wk)

4. Scholarship from another organizations◦ Fulbright

◦ BAEF

◦ Rotary

◦ Etc.

How to finance your studies

Fulbright Grants

Mission

Commission for Educational Exchange Between the US +Belgium

“ to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries " former Senator J. William Fulbright

established in 1946

Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US

• 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

Facts & figures: Fulbright

• Study

• Conduct Research

For Fulbright Grant

• Cash award of a travel grant up to 30,000 USD

• Health and accident insurance

• Visa sponsorship

• Prestigious title

Benefits?

• 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

Conditions?

How to apply?

PreliminaryApplication

Print + Send3 letters of rec

Final OnlineApplication

Provide letter of acceptance

NotificationInterview

o Students, Researchers, LecturersoMid-career journalistso Language teaching assistants o Secondary school teachers

Who can receive a scholarship?

October 31 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program

October 31 Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard

October 31 Fulbright - Hays Journalism Grant

October 31 Summer Seminar in American Studies

February 1 Fulbright Award for Science & Technology

March 1 Fulbright Awards for Research Scholars & Lecturers

March 1 Fulbright - Schuman Grants

April 30 Fulbright Awards for Graduate Study

Deadlines for Fulbright Grant

Other Fulbright Commissions

Visit the Commission’s website in your home countryfor more information

Austria www.fulbright.atBelgium and Luxembourg www.fulbright.beBulgaria www.fulbright-bg.orgCyprus: www.fulbright.org.cyCzech Republic www.fulbright.czDenmark www.daf-fulb.dkFinland www.fulbright.fiFrance www.fulbright-france.orgGermany www.fulbright.deGreece www.fulbright.gr Hungary www.fulbright.huIceland www.fulbright.isIreland www.fulbright.ie

Italy www.fulbright.itNetherlands www.fulbright.nl Norway www.fulbright.noPoland www.fulbright.edu.plPortugal www.ccla.ptRomania www.fulbright.roSlovak Republic www.fulbright.sk Spain www.fulbright.esSweden www.fulbright.se Turkey www.fulbright.org.tr United Kingdom

www.fulbright.co.ukRussia http://fulbright.ruUkraine www.fulbright.org.ua

Opening hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 – 13:00 Closed to the public on Fridays

Phone calls: 14:00 – 16:00

Royal Library Albert IBoulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan

B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72Fax: +32 (0)2 519.57.73

adviser@fulbright.bewww.fulbright.be

Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and

Belgium