Success in the U.S. Presented by Erica Lutes, Executive Director

March 7, 2013

Questions from you (KUL)

• What are the PhD possibilities in the US? • What are the basis requirements of application to get into a PhD

programme? • What are the most important criteria for acceptance besides

grades? Work experiences, lab experiences? Connections? …? • Is it possible to apply for a PhD from msc first year student? • When can you start to apply for a Phd if you want to begin in

September 2014? Can you start now? • Do the PhD-years in the US count for Belgian pension? • How do I work as a medical doctor combined with a PhD in the

US?

Mission

Education Advising Center

Website

Email - Phone

Outreach

Resource Library

Fulbright Grants

Research

Journalism

European Union

Language Teaching Assistant

Why Study in the U.S.

• Wide array of options

• Flexibility

• Not just academic study

• Internationalize your CV

• Opportunity to travel to the US

Undergraduate vs. Graduate Study

o Undergraduate Education= Bachelors

4 years

Graduate Education

Degrees taken after bachelors

2 years for a masters (1 year LLM)

PhD longer in US

Differences to Expect

• No central government authority

• No ranking system

• Application process-

– letters of recommendation

– personal statements

• Teaching styles

• On-campus life

How to choose a program? o Accredited?

o Size?

o Location?

o Number of international students?

o Majors offered?

o Cost?

Understand your admission

requirements

Gather your educational credentials

Take your standardized tests

Request your recommendation

letters

Write your personal statement

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.takethegre.com/

o For admission to Business Schools

o http://www.mba.com

GRE Graduate Record Exam

GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test

English Tests

• $ 240

• Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem

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

• http://www.ets.org/toefl

• http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/

€ 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

TOEFL Registration

City Testing Format Fee Test Dates

Brussels TOEFL iBT $240

$240

$240

$240

$240

Fri., May 17, 2013

Fri., May 31, 2013

Sat., Jun 08, 2013

Fri., Jun 14, 2013

Sat., Jun 22, 2013

Liege TOEFL iBT $240

Fri., Mar 22, 2013

Recommendation Letters

• Professors, administrators, or employers

• Choose someone who knows you well

Who can write them?

• Academic and/or professional work

• Specific examples

• Potential to do well

What should they include?

Personal Statement

Academic & professional

goals

Be clear and concise

Be persuasive

Show that you are the

right “match”

3 Simultaneous Actions

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

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

3. Look for financial support.

*Source: Open Doors Report, 2012

Personal &

Family Funds 50%

U.S. Colleges &

Universities 42%

Foreign Govt or University 4%

Private Sponsors (U.S. & Foreign)

3% U.S. Government 1%

Primary Source of Funding (International Graduate Students, 2011 - 2012)*

Financial Aid

Financial Aid

EducationUSA.state.gov

• 82% of PhD candidates, 55% of Master’s candidates are funded by their universities

STEM

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

• 56% of PhD candidates, 41% of Master’s candidates are funded by their universities

Humanities and Social Sciences

• University funding is rare: most students are funded by loans arranged through universities or private sources

Other Professions

(Business, Health, Communications, Education, Law)

Financial Aid

EducationUSA.state.gov

Up to 20 hours per week (part-time) when school is in session and 40 hours

per week (full-time) during school vacations/breaks

Eligible while enrolled full-time in an academic program

Depends on availability - average earning can be $1,500 - $2,500 per year

On F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa - check with international student adviser on-

campus

On-Campus Employment

Financial Aid

Fulbright Grants

Mission

Education Advising Center

Website

Email - Phone

Outreach

Resource Library

Fulbright Grants

Research

Journalism

European Union

Language Teaching Assistant

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

Fulbright

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

• Health and accident insurance

• Visa sponsorship

• Prestigious title

Benefits?

• Belgian citizen

• Distinction overall

• Return to Belgium/EU for 2 years after grant

Conditions?

How to apply?

Preliminary Application 3 letters of rec

Final Online Application

Provide letter of acceptance

Notification Interview

October 31 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program March 1 Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard March 1 Research Scholars & Lecturers March 1 Fulbright - Schuman EU Grants March 1 Graduate study and research for a PhD

Deadlines for Fulbright Grant

• Boas Scholarships for Harvard

• Ambassador Fox Award

• M. Nicholason Award

• Fulbright Alumni Association Award

• University of Chicago Alumni Award

• Columbia Club of Belgium Award

• Harvard Club of Belgium Scholarship

Grants for General Studies

Internships in the US

The Department’s goal in creating the program was to provide a ‘true learning experience’ for international students that will ‘reinforce their academic study’, that is ‘an integral part of [their] ongoing education’, that will enhance their skills ‘through exposure to American techniques, methodologies, and expertise.’

An intern must be a foreign national who is:

(a) currently pursuing a degree outside the US

(b) Has graduated within 1 year of start date

(c) Maximum 1 year

(d) Minimum 32 hours/week

Internships

Where to begin…

1. Search websites by location, industry, job function, time of year and keyword.

2. Speak with anyone with US contacts, especially in your fields of interest. 3. Meet with these individuals for advice about your internship search.

Not many scholarships for internships

Logistics

• Internships can be paid or unpaid.

• Academic credit is a possibility

• Could cost between 700-1500 USD to secure a visa – Negotiate covering cost of visa by employer

• Develop expectations AHEAD of time

• Start early! • Follow instructions • Adapt your CV/cover letter • Americanize • Addressed properly • Remember who you contacted and when • Multiple languages

Tips

After you have a DS-2019 form

•Be sure to have all basic requirements a general visa apphttp://belgium.usembassy.gov/applying.html. •Check to see that you have the requirements for a J visa: (http://belgium.usembassy.gov/exchange_visitors2.html): •Original, signed DS-2019 Form •SEVIS fee payment receipt http://www.fmjfee.com/ •DS-160 (online application) •DS-7002 (Training/Internship Placement Plan) •Proof of financial support •Call 02-788-1200 to set up an appointment at the US embassy in Brussels. Have your credit card ready as the call will cost 15 Euros

Additional Resources on Internships

• Yale University Career Services Website:

http://www.yale.edu/career/students/intern/create.html • Mount Holyoke College Career Services Website:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/cdc/internships.html

For more information about internships: http://www.fulbright.be/Other_Possibilities/Student_Employment_Internships.htm

EducationUSA New FB application

Other Fulbright Commissions

Visit the Commission’s website in your home country

for more information

Austria www.fulbright.at

Belgium and Luxembourg www.fulbright.be

Bulgaria www.fulbright-bg.org

Cyprus: www.fulbright.org.cy

Czech Republic www.fulbright.cz

Denmark www.daf-fulb.dk

Finland www.fulbright.fi

France www.fulbright-france.org

Germany www.fulbright.de

Greece www.fulbright.gr

Hungary www.fulbright.hu

Iceland www.fulbright.is

Ireland www.fulbright.ie

Italy www.fulbright.it

Netherlands www.fulbright.nl

Norway www.fulbright.no

Poland www.fulbright.edu.pl

Portugal www.ccla.pt

Romania www.fulbright.ro

Slovak Republic www.fulbright.sk

Spain www.fulbright.es

Sweden www.fulbright.se

Turkey www.fulbright.org.tr

United Kingdom www.fulbright.co.uk

Russia http://fulbright.ru

Ukraine www.fulbright.org.ua

41

Royal Library Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan

B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

adviser@fulbright.be www.fulbright.be

42

Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and

Belgium