THE US EXPERIENCE

Studying, Research and Internships in the United States of America

MissionMission

Wide array of options Flexibility Not just academic study Internationalize your CV Opportunity to travel to the US

Why study in the USWhy study in the US

Teaching and classroom styles On-campus life and opportunities Ranking system Letters of recommendation Personal statement

Differences to expectDifferences to expect

Some interesting figuresSome interesting figuresTOP 5 UNDERGRADUATE

INSTITUTIONS1 Clemson University

2 New York University

3 University of Cincinnati

4 University of Pennsylvania

5 Saint Leo University

TOP 5 GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS

1 New York University

2 Harvard University

3 Stanford University

4 Columbia 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 MobilityStudent Mobility

Types of institutionsTypes of institutions

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 (MBA, Ph.D, J.D., M.D., etc.)

Undergraduate (Bachelor) vs. Graduate StudyUndergraduate (Bachelor) vs. Graduate Study

Start EarlyStart Early

12 – 18 months…prior to departure

EVALUATE

CHOOSE

DETERMINEREGISTERNOTE

…your motivation & objectives

…5 – 10 universities to apply to

…all requirements

…for required tests

…all deadlines on a calendar

o Accredited?

o Size?

o Location?

How to choose a program?How to choose a program?

o Number of international students?

o Majors offered?

o Cost?

Chea www.chea.org/search

Dept of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation

AccreditationAccreditation

$ 225 Brussels,

Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem

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

http://www.ets.org/toefl

English testsEnglish tests

€ 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.pear

sonpte.com/PTEACADEMIC/Pages/home.aspx

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.

Dates to rememberDates to remember

Education USA – State Dept websiteEducation USA – State Dept website

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.

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

DS-2019 FORM? SEVIS FEE? 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

• 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/

factsheets/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.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

Graduate School

Master’s degrees Typically 2 years in length

Doctoral degrees (PhD’s)Typically 4-6 years in length

Graduate EducationGraduate Education

Entrance ExamsEntrance 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.ets.org/ gre

o For admission to Business Schools

o http://www.mba.com

GREGraduate Record Exam

GMATGraduate Management Admission

Test

Revised GRE General TestRevised GRE General Test

o Skip questions

o On screen calculator

o New scoring system

o http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/know

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

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.

3 Simultanious Actions3 Simultanious Actions

1. Personal funding

2. Loan from a bank

3. Fellowship from U.S. universityo Research assistantship

o Teaching assistantship

o Work Study (20 hrs/wk)

4. Scholarship from another organizations◦ Fulbright

◦ BAEF

◦ Rotary

◦ Etc.

How to finance your studiesHow to finance your studies

Fulbright Grants

MissionMission

COMMISSION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE US +BELGIUM

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

established in 1946

Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US

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

Facts & figures: FulbrightFacts & figures: Fulbright

Study

Conduct Research

For Fulbright GrantFor Fulbright Grant

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

Health and accident insurance

Visa sponsorship

Prestigious title

Benefits?Benefits?

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

Conditions?Conditions?

How to apply?How to apply?

PreliminaryApplication

Print + Send3 letters of

rec

Final OnlineApplication

Provide letter of

acceptance

NotificationInterview

o Students, Researchers, Lecturers

o Mid-career journalists

o Language teaching assistants

o Secondary school teachers

Who can receive a scholarship?Who can receive a scholarship?

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

Deadlines for Fulbright GrantDeadlines for Fulbright Grant

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 General StudiesGrants for General Studies

Ambassador Blinken Award

McKinsey Scholarship

Grants for MBAGrants for MBA

o Allen & Overy Award

o Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

o Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck & Kirkpatrick Award

Note: only for law students in Belgium

Grants for Law (LLM)Grants for Law (LLM)

Other Fulbright CommissionsOther Fulbright Commissions

Visit the Commission’s website in your home country

for more information

Austria www.fulbright.atBelgium and Luxembourg

www.fulbright.beBulgaria www.fulbright-bg.orgCyprus: www.fulbright.org.cyCzech Republic www.fulbright.czDenmark www.daf-fulb.dkFinland www.fulbright.fiFrance www.fulbright-france.orgGermany www.fulbright.deGreece www.fulbright.gr Hungary www.fulbright.huIceland www.fulbright.isIreland www.fulbright.ie

Italy www.fulbright.itNetherlands www.fulbright.nl Norway www.fulbright.noPoland www.fulbright.edu.plPortugal www.ccla.ptRomania www.fulbright.roSlovak Republic www.fulbright.sk Spain www.fulbright.esSweden www.fulbright.se Turkey www.fulbright.org.tr United Kingdom

www.fulbright.co.ukRussia http://fulbright.ruUkraine www.fulbright.org.ua

Opening hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 – 13:00 Closed to the public on Fridays

Phone calls: 14:00 – 16:00

Royal Library Albert IBoulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan

B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72Fax: +32 (0)2 519.57.73

adviser@fulbright.bewww.fulbright.be

Commission for Educational Exchange

Between the United States of America and

Belgium