FULBRIGHT
GRADUATE STUDENT PROGRAM
Instructions for Completing the Online
Fulbright Foreign Student Program Application
https://apply.embark.com/student/fulbright/international/
Please read all instructions carefully
before completing the application
STEP 1: Learn requirements for
submitting an application
STEP 2: Record your user ID and password in a safe place
Your email address is your user
ID. When
you created an account for this on-line application, you created a password. An
e-mail was sent to you indicating your User ID and Password. Keep this
information in a safe place. You can log in and out of the application as
frequently as you like; however, you must have your user ID and password. While
you cannot change your User ID, if necessary, you can change your password
by clicking on “Update My Account”
at the top of the Home page of this application.
STEP 3: Complete the application
You do not need to complete this application at one sitting. You can re-enter
at anytime and edit your application. But remember that once you submit your
application, you can NO longer make
changes to it. All forms in this application are to be completed in
English. Items must be answered completely and carefully.
Some helpful tips:
·
Avoid using all capital letters when answering items,
e.g. name, address, etc. It is better to use upper and lower case, e.g. Ron
Smith.
·
You can copy and paste information into all text boxes
from other documents or files.
·
In the text boxes, you must limit your responses to the space provided. Information that
exceeds the space provided (the five line word limit) will not display or print. If what you
have typed or copied exceeds the size of the box, you must edit it. It is a
good idea to ‘Preview’ each page of your application to make sure that all
your data displays.
·
Do not use any Cyrillic
letters
on any portion of the application as these letters cannot be processed in the
Fulbright online system and will be unreadable—and most readers in the U.S.
will not be able to understand your entry.
·
You can review each page of the application in its PDF
format by clicking on the “Preview”
button on the upper right-hand corner. Closing out of the PDF view will bring
you back to your application.
·
You will create essays on pages 4 (Study/Research
Objective), 5 (Personal Statement) and 6 (Additional Information). On the essay
pages, text entered that exceeds the space provided will display and print. However, it is recommended that you try to
keep your essays to 2 pages.
·
You have several ways in which you can create your essays:
1) You can compose your
essay on-line. Please note, there is a
40-minute ‘time out’ function. In other words, you will need to either
complete your essay in 40 minutes or periodically save your essay. You will not
be able to customize the formatting of your essay.
2) You can copy and paste
text from another document and edit online. Again, you will have a 40-minute
“time-out” function. You will not be able to customize the formatting.
3) You can upload text from
another document. This is the only option where you will be able to have
special formatting, e.g. bold, underline, headers, double spacing, etc. While
you cannot edit an uploaded document on-line, you can delete your upload, make
your corrections in your document off-line, and upload again.
4) Pages 4 (Study/Research
Objective) and 5 (Personal Statement) contain a header that displays on the PDF
view. Therefore, you must leave a 1½ inch (4cm) margin at the top of every page of your
essays to
allow space for the header that will appear on the print version of your
application.
·
You should preview
all of your essays by clicking the preview button in upper right-hand corner of
the screen to make sure the formatting is correct before submitting your
application. When you preview an essay, you
must use the “Back” browser button to return to your essay (!) Closing out of the HTML preview (i.e.
clicking the X in the upper right-hand corner) will exit you from your
application and your entered text may not be saved.
Some
questions are ‘required.” In other words, you will not be able to complete and
submit your application until all required items are completed. When you click
on the “Application Inspector”
button on the Home page, your application will be checked for completeness. You
will be prompted to enter any missing information on required questions. REMEMBER: Save your entered text often!
Often
specific instructions for completing a question or item will be provided in the
application. Please read all instructions carefully. In addition, please review
the following important information.
Preliminary Question Page: It is very important
that the following questions are answered correctly:
Question1 –Country of Citizenship: Make sure that you
properly identified your country of citizenship: Ukraine.
Question
2--Program: Make sure that you correctly identify the Fulbright Program to
which you are applying: Fulbright Foreign Student Program
Remember:
The
other choice is The International Fulbright Science and Technology PhD Program,
which is a special world-wide
competition and a separate program (for candidates in science and
technology fields applying for PhD study.
If you have any questions regarding the programs,
please contact the Fulbright Office in Kyiv.
Item 1—Name: It is very important
that you list your name exactly as it
appears (or will appear) on your passport. Please use upper and lower case
when entering your name, e.g. Ron Smith. Also, do not use diacritical markings
as this can sometimes create computer-related problems.
Item 11—Application Cycle: Please indicate to
which application cycle you wish to apply. The next scholarship cycle when you
will begin your studies/research is August/September 2013. Please select 2013-2014.
Degree Objective: Select one degree from
the drop down menu of choices: Master’s.
Item 12—Field of Study: From the choices,
select the field of study most appropriate to your study objective. You can
briefly elaborate on the exact nature of your objective in the text box that
follows.
Item 14—Institutions Attended:
Please list all post-secondary institutions attended in reverse order (putting
the most recently attended first). List all post-secondary institutions attended
even those from which you did not achieve a degree. Please note that secondary
(high school) institution information should not be included.
Item 21—Position Code: Please select
from the drop down menu the position title which best describes the activity in
which you are currently (or most recently) involved.
Item 27—Study/Research Objective: The study/research objective
description that you provide is an essential and highly important part of your application.
You should take great care to write a clear and very detailed description of
the program you want to pursue. Clearly identify the area(s) within your field
of study in which you want to specialize or concentrate; what you want to
accomplish during your program, why you want to specialize or concentrate in
your field, what aspects of the field interest you most. Describe the kind of
program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan fits in with
your previous training and your future objectives. Remember, this is your
opportunity to state what you hope to achieve during your program. Remember
to leave a 1½ inch (4 cm) margin at the top of every page to allow room for the header that will appear on the PDF view. Preview your essay to check the formatting before
submitting your application (!).
Do not mention
the names of any U.S. universities you wish to attend in your Study/Research
Objectives. The University Preference
Sheet is included for that purpose.
Item 28—Personal Statement: This should not be a CV (curriculum vitae) or
resume. The personal statement is a narrative statement in which you can
include information about your education, practical experience, special interests,
career plans, and your purpose in applying for study in the U.S. It should not
be a mere listing of facts. Your personal statement essay should discuss how
your life experiences and background have contributed to your desire to pursue
study in your field, and your purpose in applying for study/research in the
U.S. Describe any significant factors that have influenced your educational or
professional development.
Again, remember to leave a 1½ inch (4 cm) margin at the top of every page to allow room for the header that will appear on the PDF view. Preview your essay to check the formatting before
submitting your application (!).
·
The
Study Research Objective
and Personal Statement essays must be professionally formatted. It is highly recommended you use the following formatting: (1)
Times New Roman Font in size 12; (2) Use 1½
inch (or
·
On the essay pages, text entered
that exceeds the space provided will display and print. However, it is
recommended that you try to keep your essays to 2 pages when possible.
·
Do not use any Cyrillic letters as these letters cannot be
processed in the Fulbright online system and will be unreadable.
·
Finally, always have someone proofread your essays for
any language or grammatical mistakes before including them in your Fulbright
application.
Item 29— Resume/Curriculum Vitae: This
is not a required page; feel free to use this page to give additional
information about yourself. In this section you may want to attach a
professional resume (usually required for professional degrees such as law and
architecture) or a complete curriculum vitae (sometimes required for students
pursuing theoretical academic fields). While there is no ‘header’ on this page
for which you need to leave space, it is still advisable that you preview your information to check the formatting before
submitting your application (!).
Page 7—University Transcripts: You do not need to upload your
scanned transcript copies. Please send hard copies of your official diplomas
(in Ukrainian) certified by the school directly to the Fulbright Program Office
by regular mail. Applicants must submit official, complete and certified
academic documents covering the entire period of study at universities and
other post-secondary institutions. Please
note: copies of diplomas certified or notarized by a third party (i.e.
public notary) will not be accepted as official. US schools only
accept academic documents verified by the university’s Director of Archives, Dean,
Secretary,
or Vice Rector.
Page 8—Personal Information: The information provided
on this form will be used by the Fulbright Program in your home country and
Fulbright administrative agencies for internal purposes only.
Item 32—National Identification Number:
This is not a required field.
Page 9—Personal Financial
Information:
Do not complete this form. The Fulbright grant that may be awarded to
you will cover all your expenses, but you may need to provide funds from your
own or other sources just for any unforeseen expenses. Please be aware that the
Foreign Fulbright Student program does not provide for dependents. Should
dependents accompany you, you will be responsible for providing travel,
adequate insurance, and support for them.
Page 10—University Preference: It
is highly recommended that you indicate your U.S. university preferences.
If you do, please complete this page as fully as possible. Do not just list the
name of a university in which you are interested. Be specific. Provide the name
of the department and the specific program within that department in which you
are interested. If you have been in contact or correspondence with a faculty
member, please provide the name and contact information for that individual. Please do not include your preferences
exclusively for top-ranked, competitive and expensive programs. Fulbright/IIE
will take into account all preferences a candidate has expressed if we believe
they fit the goals of the program and have good academic/research/faculty fit
.We will not be able to honor some of the preferences if a candidate’s
test scores are not competitive for admission.
If you have applied to a
U.S. university within the past three years, please list the programs and the
results. If you have letters of admission, letters of invitation, or other
correspondence from a school, especially a preferred program, please forward a
copy (not the original) of this correspondence to the Fulbright Program Office.
If you do not have a
clear idea which US programs will be the best fit, you should leave the
University Preference Form blank. IIE Placement staff possesses field-specific
expertise and, after conducting extensive research on the programs that will
best meet the candidates’ goals, will recommend a range of suitable programs.
Page 11—Writing Sample: This is not a
required field. You can use this page to upload a writing sample that will
be submitted along with the rest of your application materials to the
universities. The academic writing sample (in English) should be a minimum
10-page piece of work that demonstrates your ability to write in English on
topics in your field of study. This is mainly for Doctoral candidates, as the
vast majority of those programs require a writing sample be included with the
application materials.
STEP 4: Supplemental forms: You must send
hard copies of your diplomas directly to the Fulbright Program Office by
regular mail.
Letter of
Reference/Recommendation: You must have three letters of reference (or
recommendation) submitted on your behalf. Letters of reference are extremely
important. All letters of reference should be written by teachers under whom
you have studied or pursued research or by someone who has supervised you in
work related to your proposed field of study. Letters of reference should not
be written by persons related to you either by blood or marriage or by personal
friends. At least one academic and one professional or work related letter
should be included among the letters. The letters should be written in English
if possible. If they are not, an original English translation must be provided.
Your
recommenders have two ways in which they can submit their letters:
ü You can download the
Letter of Reference form and forward to your recommenders who will then complete the forms and mail to your
Fulbright Program Office.
ü Your recommenders can complete the forms online and submit
electronically. You must click on the Recommendation button on the Home page of
this application to register your recommenders.
Report on Proficiency in English: Optional. We
recommend that you complete this form, if you have not yet taken the TOEFL or
IELTS test. Complete only the top section of this form and have the
remaining portion completed by one of the types of certified English language
evaluators listed on the form. Your language evaluator should return this form
directly to your Fulbright Program Office.
Information Concerning Foreign
Student Academic Records: In order to assist U.S. academic institutions in
evaluating more accurately your academic credentials, this form allows you to
provide information about the educational and grading system in the country
where you did postsecondary study. A separate form should be completed for each
college or university attended.
Transcript Release Form (for post-secondary U.S.
transcripts only): This form is needed for those students who attended a
post-secondary program (undergraduate or graduate) in the U.S.
Signature Form: You must print out,
sign, and forward 2
original
forms to your Fulbright Program Office.
STEP 5: Application inspector
Before you can submit your application electronically, your application will be
reviewed for completeness. If there is missing data, you will be prompted to
correct.
STEP 6: Review and print your
application
Review a PDF version of your application and print a copy for your records.
Please remember that if you exceed the five line word limit where indicated,
this text is automatically omitted from your printed application and your
statement will not make sense to the reader.
STEP 7: Submit your application
After completing this application and thoroughly reviewing it, you will submit
it electronically. Please note, it is very important that the following
questions were answered correctly:
Question 1--Citizenship: Make sure
that you identified the Fulbright Program country to which you are applying.
Question 2--Program: Make sure that
you identified Fulbright Foreign Student as the award program to which you are
applying.
If
you entered either question incorrectly, you must correct your answer(s) prior
to submitting your application. You can easily make corrections by clicking on
the ‘update my answers to preliminary questions” link on the upper-right hand
corner of the Home page.
Note carefully: after submitting your
application electronically, you will be able to access it in a viewable PDF
format and access supplemental forms. You will be able to print your
application and supplemental forms. However, you will not be able to make
changes to your application. If necessary to make any changes or corrections
after your application has been submitted, please inform the Fulbright Program
Office in Kyiv.
STEP 8: Supporting documentation
needed to complete your application
Your application is not considered complete until your Fulbright Program Office
receives all your supporting documentation and supplemental forms.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
1. Standardized Tests:
Finalists will be required to
take the [TOEFL iBT] (Test of English
as a Foreign Language): TOEFL is an admissions requirement at U.S.
institutions for applicants whose native language is not English. You should
try to obtain 80 at the very least
(for candidates in education, journalism, law, etc. - where strong written and
spoken English skills are critical for successful study and admission -
as close to a 100 as possible). A wealth of
practice material is available at www.toefl.org. There are free materials as
well as materials that can be purchased.
ü IELTS (International
English Language Testing System): A growing number of U.S. institutions
will accept the IELTS in lieu of TOEFL scores. It is
left up to individual institutions to
determine their TOEFL and IELTS score requirements. http://www.ets.org/toefl/institutions/scores/compare
Note: TOEFL and IELTS scores
are valid for two years.
Finalists will be required to
take [GRE General Test ](Graduate
Records Examination): The GRE is required by U.S. graduate schools and/or departments
for candidates in most fields other than Law. The GRE is used by universities
to get asense of a test taker’s academic potential and to determine his or her
performance in analyzing and evaluating data. Many practice materials can be downloaded for free at www.gre.org.
Note: GRE scores remain valid and are
usually accepted by institutions for up to 5 years.
The
GMAT (Graduate Management
Admission Test) is required for certain courses of study in the field of finance
and economics. Please determine whether your universities of preference require
the GMAT for the degree you seek
and prepare accordingly.
The
Fulbright Office in Kyiv will make all testing arrangements and cover all costs
of the testing process for selected finalists. Recommended candidates should
take the tests by November 2012. Test scores are an increasingly
critical factor in admissions decisions, and grantees should take test preparation
very seriously.
It is recommended that all applicants begin to familiarize themselves
with the required tets at least three-four months before taking them. Since
finalists will be selected in September and testing will occur in October and
November, we urge you (!)to
begin review and practice of the tests during the
summer months. [ TOEFL_GRE_Tips].
2. Duration of Grants:
Fulbright
grants and other fellowships, assistantships, scholarships and educational
grants are generally awarded for nine to twelve months beginning in August or
September (you are eligible to apply to renew your grant and complete your
master’s degree. In order for your grant to be renewed, you must demonstrate
that you have made satisfactory academic progress in your authorized study
program and have maintained full-time study status.
A
grant for LL.M. study is 1 academic year in length and is not renewable.
Candidates
appointed to certain types of Fulbright grants may be required to arrive during
the summer for an introductory course or intensive English program prior to the
academic year.
3. Change of Plans:
You
should promptly inform your Fulbright Program Office of any change in your
academic status or future plans after your application has been submitted.
