Welcome to the 2025 Fulbright Application Accelerator! Check this banner for important messages and reminders.

Session Materials

Session 1: Getting Started and Personal Essays (Flexibility/Adaptability, Community Engagement, Impact of the Fulbright Award)

Getting Started and Personal Essays (all applicants)

PERSONAL ESSAYS

- Flexibility/Adaptability (2000-character limit)
  - Explain how you will adapt to working and living in a new environment in the host country:
    - Consider the ways in which you have grown throughout your life that make you the individual you are today.
    - How have you demonstrated these qualities in your academic, professional, or personal life?
    - Use specific examples from your personal experiences

- Community Engagement (2000-character limit)
  - How will you integrate within and engage with your host community?
    - Consider the ways in which you engage with your U.S. community (through extracurricular activities, hobbies, or volunteering), and how you can engage with these ideas and practices while on grant.
    - In what unique ways do you plan to share your culture and values in your host community and learn from others?
    - How do your lived experiences prepare you to represent the United States as a cultural ambassador?
    - Provide specific examples.

Why is it important?

Fulbright's Core Mission: The Fulbright program emphasizes cultural exchange and building relationships between people from different countries.
Beyond the Grant: The program seeks to create cultural ambassadors who can share their culture and values while also learning from the host community.
Enriched Experience: Engaging with the host community can lead to a more meaningful and enriching experience during your Fulbright grant.

How to demonstrate your commitment:

Specific Ideas: In your application, provide specific ideas for engaging with the host community, going beyond your grant activities.

Examples of Engagement:

Cultural Activities: Consider participating in local events, festivals, or cultural clubs.
Volunteer Work: Look for opportunities to volunteer for local non-profits or community organizations.
Language Learning: Demonstrate a commitment to learning the local language to facilitate communication and understanding.
Sports or Hobbies: Engage in activities that you enjoy and that allow you to connect with locals.
Student Groups: Join student groups or clubs to connect with other students and learn about the local culture.

Connect to Your Goals:

Explain how your engagement activities align with your professional goals and overall Fulbright experience.

Be Realistic: Ensure your engagement plans are feasible and that you have the time and resources to carry them out.
Showcase Your Experiences: If you have prior experience in community engagement, highlight it in your application.
Language Skills: Even if English is sufficient for your project, consider obtaining at least basic language skills to engage with the host community.

Demonstrate Cultural Sensitivity: Show that you are aware of and respectful of the host country's culture and customs.

Impact of Fulbright Award (1000-character limit)

- - An objective of the Fulbright Program is to: “support activities and projects with broad multiplier effects. As a relatively small number of persons can participate in any of these, it is desirable that they be persons who are or who are likely to be in positions to share their experiences and knowledge with others.”
    - Describe your career and/or educational plans after completing a Fulbright grant.
    - How will your Fulbright experience help you reach these future goals?
    - How will you share your Fulbright experience with your community upon your return from the grant?

Ways to connect with the Fulbright support team:
- Schedule a writing appointment with the Fulbright Writing Fellow - Abby Mars
- Email Vernon (vernon.caldwell@stonybrook.edu) or Ashley (ashley.staples@stonybrook.edu) to connect about your application

Session 2A: Study/Research Statements of Grant Purpose, Language Plan, Abstract, Affiliation Letters/LORs (S/R applicants only)

2A: Study/Research Awards - Statements of Grant Purpose, Language Plan, Abstract, Affiliation/Reference letters (S/R applicants only)
- SGPs recording
  - Research suggested outline
  - Research formatting example (old but perhaps useful!)
  - Study suggested outline
  - Study formatting example (old but perhaps useful!)
- Slides
- Avoiding Repetition between the Personal Essays and Statement of Grant Purpose

Instruction Sheets for External Contributors

The Language Plan:

- Language Plan Instructions
- While many Fulbright host country profiles outline specific language proficiency requirements, all candidates should obtain at least a basic level of language skill to demonstrate their commitment to community engagement in host countries. Candidates who apply to be considered for SBU endorsement are required to outline their language learning plans in the Fulbright Language Self-Evaluation page of the application.
  - If “none” describes your country-specific language proficiency, take the opportunity to explain your language plan in the short-answer section. Perhaps you’ll download Duolingo, or begin networking with a friend who speaks your host language. Any step toward improving your language skills should be highlighted in this section.
    - If you have some proficiency in the host language, does your language plan provide sufficient language enhancement?
    - If you have no experience with the host language, does your language plan provide, at a minimum, basic host language skills (introductory phrases, common vocabulary, etc.)?

The Abstract (seems small, but is mighty!)

This an overall summary of your application and is usually the first thing a reviewer will read.
You want it to cover the most important highlights of the rest of the information you shared and make the reader excited about the rest of your application.
It should not be something that is completely presented elsewhere in your application.

Session 2B: ETA Statement of Grant Purpose, Language Plan, Abstract, Reference Letters (ETA applicants only)

2B: English Teaching Awards- Statements of Grant Purpose, Host Country Engagement, Language Plan (ETA applicants only)
- SGPs recording
  - ETA suggested outline
  - ETA formatting example (old format, but perhaps helpful!)
- Slides
- Avoiding Repetition between the Personal Essays and Statement of Grant Purpose

Instruction Sheets for External Contributors

The Language Plan:

- - Language Plan Instructions
  - While many Fulbright host country profiles outline specific language proficiency requirements, all candidates should obtain at least a basic level of language skill to demonstrate their commitment to community engagement in host countries. Candidates who apply to be considered for SBU endorsement are required to outline their language learning plans in the Fulbright Language Self-Evaluation page of the application.
    - If “none” describes your country-specific language proficiency, take the opportunity to explain your language plan in the short-answer section. Perhaps you’ll download Duolingo, or begin networking with a friend who speaks your host language. Any step toward improving your language skills should be highlighted in this section.
      - If you have some proficiency in the host language, does your language plan provide sufficient language enhancement?
      - If you have no experience with the host language, does your language plan provide, at a minimum, basic host language skills (introductory phrases, common vocabulary, etc.)?

The Abstract (seems small, but is mighty!)

This an overall summary of your application and is usually the first thing a reviewer will read.
You want it to cover the most important highlights of the rest of the information you shared and make the reader excited about the rest of your application.
It should not be something that is completely presented elsewhere in your application.

Session 3: Round 1 Peer Review (Language Plan, Flexibility/Adaptability, Impact of Fulbright Award)

Session 3a: Instructions for Synchronous Peer Review

The peer review will be a great way to get additional constructive feedback on your work, so you are encouraged to make every effort to submit for review.

Why you should participate:

* Motivation to get full drafts of BOTH statements done in time for revision.

* Write your short answers for the first time and get feedback on them.

* Helpful to see other students' work, especially how they frame the review criteria.

* Option to workshop your own work with "low-stakes" readers.

How the peer review process works:

Submit Your Work

* Complete the draft template, submit your draft and indicate your availability for a Zoom peer review feedback meeting (~1.5 hours) on a Google form for submission.

* You will be matched into a small group with similar availability times.

Prep For Peer Review

* You will be assigned to a group after submission.

* If you are someone who likes some extra time to read, review the other group members’ documents before the peer review.

* Read the Peer Review Process.

Peer Review Session

* Arrive at your assigned time for the peer review session.

* After a brief orientation, join your group in a breakout room. Read, feedback, participate!

* At the end of the meeting before everyone signs off, ensure one group member completes the Peer Review Report form to summarize your group's process.

Session 3b: Instructions for Asynchronous Peer Review

Have one group member create a calendar invitation with Zoom information and send it to all group members.
Review the other group members' documents by 24 hours BEFORE your meeting (e.g., meeting is set for Thursday at 4pm, the reviews should be done by Wednesday at 4pm).
Review the feedback on your documents.
Participate in the Zoom feedback meeting. We suggest a 60-minute meeting! If you end early, that is fine!
At the end of the meeting before everyone signs off, ensure one group member completes the Peer Review Report form to summarize your group's process.

When working in your groups:

Participate actively and submit revisions on time.
Don’t look at this as purely transactional; make it fun!
Remember that what you’re looking at is a work-in-progress; read the essays thoroughly and leave comments that are thoughtful and constructive.
Leave feedback as comments on the drafts so everyone can see everyone else’s comments.
Leave comments in the margins and/or use the “suggest” function. Don’t inadvertently modify the document!

How to Organize Your Feedback Meeting:

Feedback Time

15 minutes - feedback for Applicant A
15 minutes - feedback for Applicant B
15 minutes - feedback for Applicant C
10 minutes - At the end of the meeting before everyone signs off, ensure one group member completes the Peer Review Report and fill it out together for your group. It should only take a few minutes.

Session 4: Round 2 Peer Review (Abstract, Statement of Grant Purpose, Host Community Engagement)

Session 4a: Instructions for Synchronous Peer Review