THE US EXPERIENCE
Studying, Research and Internships in the United States of
America
Mission
Research
Website
Resource
Library
Education
Advising
Center
Outreach
Email Phone
Language
Teaching
Assistant
Fulbright
Grants
European
Union
Journalism
Why study in the US
Wide array of options
 Flexibility
 Not just academic study
 Internationalize your CV
 Opportunity to travel to the US

Differences to expect
Teaching and classroom styles
 On-campus life and opportunities
 Ranking system
 Letters of recommendation
 Personal statement

Some interesting figures
TOP 5 UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS
TOP 5 GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS
1
Clemson University
1
New York University
2
New York University
2
Harvard University
3
University of Cincinnati
3
Stanford University
4
University of Pennsylvania
4
Columbia University
5
Saint Leo University
5
University of California - Berkeley
BELGIAN STUDENTS – BY LEVEL
Type of Program
%
Number
Undergraduate
42.1%%
356
Graduate
36.8%
311
Non-Degree
12.8%
108
OPT
8.3%
70
Student Mobility
1600
1447
1400
1126
1200
1000
881
800
884
890
867
847
901
1171
876
US: Study in Belgium
823
600
1173
743
754
2005
2006
812
858
845
2009
2010
703
670
400
200
0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2007
2008
Belgium: Study in US
Types of institutions
Public
Private
Community
• Also called
State Schools
• Possible
religious
affiliation
• Two-year
schools
• Also called
Junior College
Undergraduate (Bachelor) vs. Graduate
Study
o
o
Undergraduate Education

4 years directly after High School (Lycée).

End result = a bachelors degree (B.A. or B.S.)
Graduate Education

Higher degrees taken after completion of a
bachelors degree (MBA, Ph.D, J.D., M.D.,
etc.)
Start Early
12 – 18 months…prior to departure
CHOOSE
…5 – 10 universities to apply to
EVALUATE
…your motivation & objectives
DETERMINE
REGISTER
NOTE
…all requirements
…for required tests
…all deadlines on a calendar
How to choose a program?
o
Accredited?
o
Size?
o
Location?
o Number of international students?
o Majors offered?
o Cost?
Accreditation

Chea www.chea.org/search

Dept of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation
English tests




$ 225
Brussels,
Luxembourg,
Paris, Arnhem
Reading,
listening, break,
speaking,
writing (4.5
hours)
http://www.ets.o
rg/toefl




€ 185
Accepted by
many but not all
universities
Listening
(30min), Reading
(1h), Speaking
(11-14min),
Writing (1h)
http://www.brit
ishcouncil.org/b
russels-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
Dates to remember








12 to 18 months before departure:
Evaluate your reasons
June - September
Select 5 or 6 universities on the basis of their programs, degrees offered, accreditation, level of
selectivity, cost, location and size
July - August
Find out which standardized tests are required
August - September
Write to 5 or 6 universities to request application forms for admission and financial aid.
October - February
Prepare transcripts and literal translations ,certified at the Commission
Have professors send recommendation letters
Send applications to universities well in advance of deadlines
February - April
Wait for letters from the universities.
March - April
Contact universities to which you have applied, but not yet received a response.
April - June
Accept /Decline offers from other universities where you were also accepted. Contact housing
department and international student office.
Education USA – State Dept
website
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.
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

DS-2019 FORM?


DS-2019 Form is a
Certificate of
Eligibility for Exchange
Visitor Status that must
be obtained through
one of the sponsor
organizations approved
by the Department of
State or by a US
university
Sponsor organizations
SEVIS FEE?
• Student and Exchange Visitor
Information System
• It is a web-based program for
maintaining information on
international students and
exchange visitors and their
dependents in US
• Cost: 180 USD for J visas
• www.ice.gov/graphics/news/fac
tsheets/sevisfactsheet.htm
INSTRUCTIONS 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-158 (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.h
tml
 Mount
Holyoke College Career Services
Website:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/cdc/internships.html
For more information about internships:
http://www.fulbright.be/Other_Possibilities/Stude
nt_Employment_Internships.htm
Graduate School
Graduate Education

Master’s degrees
Typically 2 years in length

Doctoral degrees (PhD’s)
Typically 4-6 years in length
Entrance Exams
GRE
GMAT
Graduate Record Exam
o
For admission to Graduate
Schools (except Law and
Business programs)
Graduate Management Admission Test
o
o
o
Subject-specific tests required
for certain programs
o
New test starting Fall 2011
o
http://www.ets.org/ gre
For admission to Business
Schools
http://www.mba.com
Revised GRE General Test
o
Skip questions
Paper-based GRE
revised General Test
Dates
Approximate Score
Report Mailing Dates
View Scores Online
October 22, 2011
December 2, 2011
November 19, 2011
December 30, 2011
February 11, 2012
March 23, 2012
o
On screen calculator
o
New scoring system
o
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/know
3 Simultanious Actions
1.
Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the
applications for each one.
2.
Determine which tests are needed to apply &
take them (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT).
3.
Look for financial support.
How to finance your studies
1.
Personal funding
2.
Loan from a bank
3.
Fellowship from U.S. university
4.
o
Research assistantship
o
Teaching assistantship
o
Work Study (20 hrs/wk)
Scholarship from another organizations
◦
Fulbright
◦
BAEF
◦
Rotary
◦
Etc.
Fulbright Grants
Mission
Research
Website
Resource
Library
Education
Advising
Center
Outreach
Email Phone
Language
Teaching
Assistant
Fulbright
Grants
European
Union
Journalism
established in 1946
COMMISSION
FOR
EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN
THE
US +BELGIUM
“ to increase mutual understanding between the
people of the United States and people of other
former Senator J. William Fulbright
countries "
Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US
Facts & figures: Fulbright




Since 1946:
 +300,000 Fulbrighters from +155 countries
 +189.000 foreign nationals to US for study, teaching,
research
 +101.000 Americans have gone abroad
140 programs worldwide
funded by the U.S. State Department through annual
appropriations from the U.S. Congress
Fulbright Program is administered by bi-national
Fulbright Commissions. In non-Commission countries, the
Fulbright Program is administered by the Public Affairs
section of the U.S. Embassy
For Fulbright Grant

Study

Conduct Research
Benefits?

Cash award of a travel grant up to 30,000 USD

Health and accident insurance

Visa sponsorship

Prestigious title
Conditions?




Belgian citizen
Distinction every year or big distinction in the
last year of study
Must return to Belgium/EU for 2 years following
grant
No health insurance for state of MA
How to apply?
Preliminary
Application
Provide letter
of acceptance
Final Online
Application
Print + Send
3 letters of rec
Interview
Notification
Who can receive a scholarship?
o
Students, Researchers, Lecturers
o
Mid-career journalists
o
Language teaching assistants
o
Secondary school teachers
Deadlines for Fulbright Grant
October 31
Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program
October 31
Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard
October 31
Fulbright - Hays Journalism Grant
October 31
Summer Seminar in American Studies
February 1
Fulbright Award for Science & Technology
March 1
Fulbright Awards for Research Scholars &
Lecturers
March 1
Fulbright - Schuman Grants
April 30
Fulbright Awards for Graduate Study
Grants for General Studies

Fulbright Awards

Boas Scholarships for Harvard

Ambassador Fox Award

Dorothy Deflandre 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
Note: only for law students
in Belgium
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

Opening hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 – 13:00
 Closed to the public on Fridays
 Phone calls: 14:00 – 16:00
Royal Library Albert I
Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72
Fax: +32 (0)2 519.57.73
adviser@fulbright.be
www.fulbright.be