Studying or research
in the USA
Presented by Erica Lutes, Executive Director
Mission
Research
Website
Resource
Library
Education
Advising
Center
Outreach
Email Phone
Language
Teaching
Assistant
Fulbright
Grants
European
Union
Journalism
Why Study in the U.S.
•
•
•
•
•
Wide array of options
Flexibility
Not just academic study
Internationalize your CV
Opportunity to travel to the US
Facts and Figures (USA-Belgium)
Belgium US Student Mobility 2007-2012
2000
1500
1171 1173
1447 1244 1374
US: Study in Belgium
1000
500
812
858 845
904
880
Belgium: Study in US
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Top Undergraduate Institutions
Top Graduate Institutions
New York University
Columbia University
Northeastern University
Harvard University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
Lamar University
Stanford University
Boston University
University of Chicago
Types of Opportunities
• Study
• Research/Lecture
• Internships
Differences to Expect
• No central government authority
• No ranking system
• Application process– letters of recommendation
– personal statements
• Teaching styles
• On-campus life
Levels of Study
o Undergraduate Education
 4 years directly after High School (Lycée).
End result = a bachelors degree (B.A. or B.S.)
o Graduate Education
Higher degrees taken after completion of a bachelors degree
(M.A., M.S., MBA, Ph.D, J.D., M.D., etc.)
 2 years for a masters (1 year LLM)
o Post Graduate Education
Most Ph.D. programs do not require a Master’s degree to apply
PhD longer in US
Grading Scale in Belgium
Scale One: 0-20; minimum pass
is 10 or 50%
Numeric
Percent
Description
Translation
18-20
90-100
Avec la plus Grande Distinction/
With the Highest Distinction
Met Grootste Onderscheiding
16-17
80-89
Avec Grande Distinction/
With Great Distinction
Met Grote Onderscheiding
14-15
70-79
Avec Distinction/
With Distinction
Met Onderscheiding
10-13
50-69
Suffisant/Avec Satisfaction
Sufficient/With Satisfaction
Met Voldoening
0-9
0-49
Ajourné
Failed
Numeric
Percent
Description
Translation
16-20
80-100
Avec Grande Distinction/
With the Highest Distinction
Scale Two: 0-20; minimum pass
is 12 or 60%
Met Grote Onderscheiding
14-15
70-79
Avec Distinction/
With Great Distinction
Met Onderscheiding
12-13
60-69
Suffisant/Avec Satisfaction
With Distinction
Met Voldoening
0-11
0-59
Ajourné
Sufficient/With Satisfaction
Met Voldoening
0-9
0-49
Ajourné
Failed
How to choose a program?
o
o
o
o
o
o
Accredited?
Size?
Location?
Number of international students?
Majors offered?
Cost?
3 Simultaneous Actions
1.
2.
3.
Choose universities & prepare the
applications for each one
Determine which tests to apply
Look for financial support
Searching for Academic Programs
• http://www.petersons.com/grad • Search academic
uate-schools.aspx
publications to see where
• http://www.gradschools.com/
the authors are coming
• http://www.princetonreview.co
from
m/schools/gradSchoolResearch.
• Network at conferences and
aspx
through your current
• http://www.topmba.com/
professors
• http://www.phds.org/
• www.collegeboard.org
• Check the websites of
(Undergrad)
professional organizations
• http://www.nacacnet.org
in your field
Graduate Studies
in the US
Understand your
admission
requirements
Write your personal
statement
Request your
recommendation
letters
Gather your
educational
credentials
Take your
standardized tests
Transcripts
(Under)graduate
coursework
Original or
certified
• Courses completed
• Grades/marks received in each course
• Original transcript or certified copy
• Verification from a foreign credential
evaluation service
Entrance Exams
GRE
GMAT
Graduate Record Exam
Graduate Management Admission Test
o For admission to Graduate Schools
(except Law programs)
o For admission to Business Schools
o Subject-specific tests required for
certain programs
o Scores range from 200-800 and
are available 20 days after the
exam. They are good for 5 years.
o Scores range from 130-170 and are
available 10-15 days after the exam.
They are good for 5 years.
o http://www.takethegre.com/
o http://www.mba.com
English Tests
• $ 240
• Brussels,
Luxembourg,
Paris, Arnhem
• Reading, listening,
break, speaking,
writing (4.5 hours)
• http://www.ets.or
g/toefl
• http://www.toeflg
oanywhere.org/





1/9/201331/8/2014: € 198
1/9/2014: € 202
Accepted by many
but not all
universities
Listening (30min),
Reading (1h),
Speaking (1114min), Writing (1h)
http://www.briti
shcouncil.org/br
ussels-examsielts.htm





$ 270
Accepted by many
but not all
universities
3 hours, Brussels
Score in 5 days
http://www.pea
rsonpte.com/PT
EACADEMIC/Pa
ges/home.aspx
TOEFL Registration
City
Testing Format
Fee
Test Dates
Brussels
TOEFL iBT
$240
$240
$240
$240
$240
Sat., Apr 05, 2014
Sat., Apr 12, 2014
Fri., Apr 25, 2014
Sat., May 10, 2014
Fri., May 23, 2014
Sat., May 31, 2014
Recommendation Letters
Who can
write them?
What should
they include?
• Professors, administrators, or
employers
• Choose someone who knows you well
• Academic and/or professional work
• Specific examples
• Potential to do well
Recommendation Letters
• Develop strong relationships with academic and
professional colleagues
• Ask for letter of recommendation early and inperson
• Talk about your motivation for applying
• Provide them with resources like your CV to help
them know what elements to include
• Give them a pre-addressed stamped envelope
• Follow up to make sure the letter is sent!
Personal Statement
Past
qualifications
and where
your interest
stems from
Why now is
the right time
and there is
the right
place
Details about
how you plan
to use the
degree in the
future
Show that
you are the
right “match”
Post-Graduate
& Research Studies in
the US
Purpose
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Further training
Broaden research experience
Enhance teaching effectiveness
Make contacts with peers in field
Gain experience in grant writing & presenting
Opportunity to publish and position yourself
for a full-time position
Finding a Host
 Network with your own contacts first
 When you read articles, whose direction/scope
appeals to you?
 What impact does this individual have in this
field?
 Speak with present or past students/postdocs
 Do they have time for you?
 Is this field growing?
 What next?
Contacting Potential Hosts
 Contact a year before you will finish your degree

More funding resources and number of positions with
that adviser. Plus, it gives you an incentive to finish!
 Write them a 1-2 paragraph email that BRIEFLY
states




Any personal connections with them
Your reaction/questions about their research
Your academic fit
Any funding you will bring with you
 You can follow up with more details later
Once you have a Host







Keep them informed of your progress
Be realistic about when you can actually arrive
Duration of training?
Goals during training?
Salary? Health care?
Visa? Family status? Student or professor?
Are you working on their project or your original
works?
 Collaboration with others?
Letter of Invitation
• On official department letterhead
• Contact details included
• Should outline:
– Your official status – visiting researcher, professor,
etc.
– Specific dates of stay
– Resources available to you – desk, mailbox, salary,
etc.
• Signed
Internships in the US
Internships
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
Where to begin…
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
Search websites by location, industry, job function, time of year and
keyword.
Networking/informational interviews:
Speak with anyone with US contacts, especially in your fields of interest.
Meet with these individuals for advice about your internship search.
Visit the “Jobs/Careers” section on the website of organizations that
interest you
Call Career Development Offices of U.S. Universities
Internship databases and search engines:
google.com
www.internqueen.com
Not many scholarships for internships
Additional Resources
• 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_Em
ployment_Internships.htm
Logistics
• Internships can be paid or unpaid.
• Academic credit is a possibility
• Could cost between 700-2500 USD to secure a visa
– Negotiate covering cost of visa by employer
• Develop expectations AHEAD of time
• All interns must travel to the US on a J-1 visa, no
matter how long you will be there
Step 1: Find a Sponsor
•
•
•
•
•
•
www.J1visa.state.gov
For business: www.belcham.org
For politics: www.twc.edu/internships
For teaching: www.amity.org
For paid positions: www.intraxinc.com
CIEE: www.ciee.org
The Washington Center
Offers scholarships to Belgian students through
the Flemish government.
• The Blinken Award Scholarship of up to
$5,000 for one student coming from Belgium
for the summer semester 2014.
– Alan Blinkenman Scholarship
– Ackermans and Van Haaren Scholarship
– Leonard and Patrizia Schrank Scholarship
In Cooperation with:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Artevelde University College Ghent
Ghent University
Hasselt University
Hogeschool-Universitait Brussels
Howest, University College West Flanders
University of Leuven-KU Leuven
University of Antwerp
Vrije Universiteit Brussels
Other Benefits Washington Semester Program
• Program Components:
1. Internship
2. Academic Course
3. Leadership Forum
4. Civic Engagement Project
5. Internship Portfolio
Websites to Use
General job sites
• http://www.careerbuilder.com
• http://www.craigslist.org
• http://www.hotjobs.com
• http://www.hound.com
• http://www.indeed.com
• http://www.monster.com
Nonprofit job sites
• http://www.idealist.org
• http://www.opportunitynocks.com
• http://www.philanthropy.com/jobs
Internship and student job sites
• http://www.aboutjobs.com
• http://www.coolworks.com
• http://www.campusinternships.com
• http://www.internjobs.com
• http://www.internships.com
• http://www.internships4you.com
• http://www.internweb.com
Step 2: Apply for a Visa
• Be sure to have all basic requirements a general visa
apphttp://belgium.usembassy.gov/applying.html.
• Original, signed DS-2019 Form
• DS-7002 (Training/Internship Placement Plan)
• DS-160 (visa application and receipt)
• Proof of financial support
• A passport valid for 6 months past departure
• SEVIS fee payment receipt http://www.fmjfee.com/
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.
More questions? Contact usvisabrussels@state.gov
Resume Tips
• Your resume must be short - one or two pages at the most.
• Personal contact information at the top – omit pictures,
nationality, gender, marital status, etc.
• Proofread: take care with the presentation, design, spaces,
and spelling of your resume. Don't use abbreviations.
• Be organized: your resume should be a quick & easy read
• Emphasize sections and things that are important with
underlines or bold type.
• Organize in reverse chronological order
Resume Tips
•
•
•
•
•
Write your resume in third person of the singular form.
Use action verbs
Emphasize your skills and achievements
Do not attach diplomas or documents unless asked to
Adapt your resume for each job that you apply to so it
best fits the position sought and the company's needs.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Items to Include
Education
Work experience
Publications
Scholarships
Affiliations
Skills
Interests (if they can be points of conversation)
Cover Letter
• An American cover letter is an integral part of your job
applications. It should refer to your present and future
plans, showing your prospective employers what you want
to do now and what you will do for them in the future.
Adapt each cover letter to fit with the job to which you are
applying.
• It should be in the same font and style as your resume.
Cover Letter Content
First paragraph:
• State purpose of writing
• Indicate knowledge of the organization
• Explain why you would be a good candidate
• Make it unique, make it personal!
Second paragraph:
• Emphasize reason/interest in position
• Emphasize qualities that best fit the position.
Cover Letter Content
Final paragraph:
• Conclude by saying you will call the contact
person (and then make sure to call them)
• Express interest in having an interview and
state availability.
• Indicate again that you are enthusiastic about
the position.
• Finally, remind them how to contact you.
Tips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Start early!
Follow instructions
Adapt your CV/cover letter
Americanize
Addressed properly
Remember who you contacted and when
Multiple languages
Funding Sources
1. Personal funding
2. Money from U.S. university
oResearch fellowship
oTeaching assistantship
oSalary
3. Loan
o From a bank
o From Lazard Foundation in Belgium
4. Scholarship from other organizations
◦ Fulbright, BAEF, Rotary
◦ http://www.fulbright.be/awards/non-fulbright-awards/
Financial Aid
Primary Source of Funding
(International Graduate Students, 2011 - 2012)*
Foreign Govt or University
4%
U.S. Colleges
&
Universities
42%
Private Sponsors
(U.S. & Foreign)
3%
U.S. Government
1%
Personal
&
Family Funds
50%
*Source: Open Doors Report, 2012
Financial Aid
EducationUSA.state.gov
Financial Aid
STEM
(Science, Technology,
Engineering, Math)
Humanities and Social
Sciences
Other Professions
(Business, Health,
Communications,
Education, Law)
• 82% of PhD candidates, 55% of
Master’s candidates are funded by
their universities
• 56% of PhD candidates, 41% of
Master’s candidates are funded by
their universities
• University funding is rare: most
students are funded by loans arranged
through universities or private sources
Financial Aid
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
On-Campus Employment
Depends on availability - average
earning can be $1,500 - $2,500 per year
EducationUSA.state.gov
On F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa - check with
international student adviser oncampus
Fulbright Grants
Mission
Research
Website
Resource
Library
Education
Advising
Center
Outreach
Email Phone
Language
Teaching
Assistant
Fulbright
Grants
European
Union
Journalism
Fulbright
“ to increase mutual understanding between the
people of the United States and people of other
countries "
former Senator J. William Fulbright
Benefits?
• Cash award of a travel grant up to 30,000 USD
• Health and accident insurance
• Visa sponsorship
• Prestigious title
Conditions?
• Belgian citizen
• Distinction overall
• Return to Belgium/EU for 2 years after grant
How to apply?
Online
Application
3 letters of rec
Notification
Provide letter of
acceptance
Interview
NEW DECEMBER 1 Deadline
• Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program
• Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard
• Research Scholars & Lecturers
• Fulbright - Schuman EU Grants
• Graduate study and research for a PhD
Grants for General Studies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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
MBA and Law Awards
Other Fulbright Commissions
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
Visit the Commission’s website in your home country
for more information
Commission for Educational Exchange
Between the United States of America and
Belgium
Royal Library Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
adviser@fulbright.be
www.fulbright.be
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