Fulbright Summer Priority Deadline
The priority campus deadline for Fulbright Grants (for research, study, or English teaching beginning Fall 2013) is July 2, 2012. Second semester Juniors, Seniors, Graduate/ Professional students, and Alumni are encouraged to apply. University of Illinois applicants should submit the following materials online, with letters of recommendation sent as attachments to topscholars@illinois.edu
- A complete Fulbright Application, submitted online through the Fulbright site
When submitted, the application comes directly to the National and International Scholarships Program, and we will later release it back to you. You should attach your Transcripts from all colleges attended to the online application as well. Otherwise, no supplementary materials or foreign language reports are needed at this time. The crux of the application are the essays: - Personal Statement of no more than 1 page, single spaced: Describe who you are; your intellectual growth, past experiences, and goals; especially as they relate to your Fulbright proposal.
- Statement of Proposed Study or Research of no more than two pages, single spaced (one page for English Teaching applicants): Where are you planning to go? How are you going to spend your time overseas (especially addressing feasibility)? Who (or what institution) will you be working with? Why is your work best conducted at this overseas location?
- 3-4 Recommendations
These may be draft letters sent directly to the National and International Scholarships Program via email at topscholars@illinois.edu. Do not request letters online through the Fulbright system, as referees will not be able to make any revisions. Those who are applying for a full Fulbright grant should request that letters of recommendation addressing their project be sent as attachments to the National and International Scholarships Program. Those who are applying for a teaching assistantship should ask their referees to fill out and send an English Teaching Assistantship Reference form, instead of writing a letter.
Note: Be creative and interesting. Strong essays paint a picture, tell a story, or demonstrate rather than simply tell the reader about your area of proposed study and your reasons for pursuing a Fulbright. As such, the personal statement should not amount to a narrative rendition of your résumé! How do you hope to make a difference to your discipline and to further cultural understanding?
All Fulbright priority application materials are due by Monday, July 2.
Submit materials online, with letters of recommendation sent directly as attachments to topscholars@illinois.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I submit a Fulbright priority application?
A campus committee will review application materials submitted by the priority deadline and provide feedback on your application's strengths and weaknesses. Applicants and recommendation writers may then revise their work over the summer before officially submitting an application by the required campus deadline of September 4, 2012.
Do I need to submit the supplemental materials, letters of affiliation, or language report?
No, although you are welcome to if you so desire. You will, of course, need to submit these materials for the September 4 campus deadline.
I won't be in Champaign for the deadline. In what form do you need the materials?
All priority application materials should be submitted online through the Fulbright website, with the exception of the letters of recommendation. Referees should directly send letters of recommendation (preferably by email attachments) to the National and International Scholarships Program, and your Fulbright application (including essays) is submitted electronically through the Fulbright website (it comes to us).
What if my letter writers don't submit their recommendations by the priority deadline?
If you are missing a couple letters of recommendation, we will still review your application without them. You just won't receive as comprehensive of feedback, and your letter writers may not receive advice at this time either. We leave it up to individual reviewers whether or not to review late materials. So generally, the later a letter comes in, the less chance it has of being reviewed by all committee members.
What if I miss the priority deadline?
You are still encouraged to submit materials before the autumn campus deadline. The difference is that you will receive feedback solely from the National and International Scholarships Program and not from other reviewers across campus.
Why don't the scholarships I'm interested in have a priority deadline?
These awards have later deadlines. However, you are ENCOURAGED to submit your application drafts of these scholarships early for advice and feedback from the National and International Scholarships Program. Gates Cambridge, Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes scholarship applicants have their own priority application requirements and separate priority deadline of June 1, 2012.