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
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
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
Write your personal
statement
Request your
recommendation
letters
Gather your
educational
credentials
Take your
standardized tests
Entrance Exams
GRE
GMAT
Graduate Record Exam
Graduate Management Admission Test
o For admission to Graduate Schools
(except Law and Business programs)
o For admission to Business Schools
o Subject-specific tests required for
certain programs
o New test starting Fall 2011
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/

€ 185


Accepted by many
but not all
universities


Listening (30min),
Reading (1h),
Speaking (1114min), Writing (1h)

http://www.briti
shcouncil.org/br
ussels-examsielts.htm



250
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
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
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
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.
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?
Preliminary
Application
Final Online
Application
3 letters of rec
Interview
Provide letter of
acceptance
Notification
Deadlines for Fulbright Grant
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
Grants for General Studies
•
•
•
•
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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
MBA
Grants for Law (LLM)
• Ambassador Blinken Award
o
Allen & Overy Award
• McKinsey Scholarship
o
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
o
Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck &
Kirkpatrick Award
o
Loyens & Loeff Award
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.
3.
Search websites by location, industry, job function, time of year and
keyword.
Speak with anyone with US contacts, especially in your fields of interest.
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
Tips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Start early!
Follow instructions
Adapt your CV/cover letter
Americanize
Addressed properly
Remember who you contacted and when
Multiple languages
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_E
mployment_Internships.htm
EducationUSA New FB application
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
42
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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