June 2024 Notes for Fulbright and Watson Applicants

If you’re thinking about applying for a Fulbright grant or Watson nomination in the fall, let’s get moving! Summer goes fast. Many of you have already talked with me about your ideas or completed a preliminary application this spring–which is a great way to get started! And yes, you can absolutely still apply for these in the fall even if you did not submit a preliminary application! Below are a few notes for those of you just considering a Watson or Fulbright fellowship or those of you already working on the applications:

If you haven’t sent in a preliminary application for Watson or Fulbright, you can still apply! Alumni, you can apply for Fulbright through Middlebury; you just have to follow our internal process and deadlines. Fill out the Fulbright and/or Watson preliminary application at go/middapply .

Watson applicants only: I will need to register you for the Watson application however, so you’ll need to get in touch. I automatically register all students for the Watson online application if they complete the Watson preliminary application. As of today, everyone who has submitted a preliminary Watson application has been registered in the Watson application platform! If you can’t find your link, check your junk/clutter/spam filters. For technical or password problems with the Watson online system, you must contact the Watson office for help.

I am happy to talk with you, answer questions and review essay drafts during the summer. You can email questions to me fellowships@middlebury.edu and/or make appointments at go.middlebury.edu/appt . I have limited appointment hours during the summer–June and July appointment hours are posted! If you don’t find available appointments that work for you, you can email some good days/times. Zoom and in-person meetings are possible. Email works too–that’s a great way to get feedback on essays or ask quick questions. Please note, I will be out of the office June 19-July 4, so drafts submitted in that period will not be reviewed until after my return.

Make sure you know the internal deadlines and application processes! See https://go.middlebury.edu/fulbright and https://go.middlebury.edu/watson for details. I often get questions that can be answered by reviewing the information on these pages, so please review carefully and then send your questions. You will also find information about internal deadlines and application instructions on these pages. 

For more Fulbright info, check out the webinars offered by the Fulbright team–see the schedule here: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions. There are some great sessions coming up, including answering the short answer questions on the Fulbright application and office hours focused on the Study/Research and ETA grants with program staff. For Fulbright applicants, the main dates to focus on now are the August 15 “Intent to Apply” deadline, which guarantees we can provide at least one full round of feedback on your materials.

Internal Deadlines for Fall 2024:

Fulbright: Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11:59 pm (aka midnight!). For this deadline, you must LOCK your application. DO NOT CLICK SUBMIT at this time. This is a change from last year. Watson:  Thursday, Sept. 5 at noon. You must complete tasks in MiddApply AND the specified sections of the Watson application.

How to reach me (Dean Lisa Gates)? Email fellowships@middlebury.edu , book appointment at go/appt, or stop by Library 212.

Delegate Applications for Yenching Global Symposium Due 1/31/24

Middlebury seniors and alumni are invited to apply for the 2024 Yenching Global Symposium (YGS), the annual flagship conference of the Yenching Academy of Peking University. This is a fully-funded symposium taking place at Peking University in Beijing, China, from April 11 to 14, 2024. The application link and more information regarding eligibility criteria for“Equilibrium: Our World in Balance” can be found here. Applications opened on January 1, 2024 and will close at 11:59pm CST on January 31, 2024.

The theme of this year’s Symposium is “Equilibrium: Our World in Balance”. Finding equilibrium in light of changes in technology, the natural world, and human culture is key to promoting shared prosperity in the 21st century. Focusing on the interplay between these dynamic forces, YGS 2024 will examine how societies respond to contemporary challenges and how the local cultural, economic, and political contexts shape these responses. Fully in person for the first time since COVID-19, this three-day, fully-funded interdisciplinary conference will dive into a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence to China’s eco-cities to expression of nature through literature and artwork. 

YGS consists of engaging lectures, panel discussions, and interactive sessions about China’s impact on the world and the influence that the world has on China. The Symposium serves as a platform for today’s leaders to share their insights with a select audience of 200 students and young professionals from around the world, all united by their passion for exploring China’s role in their work and research.

Blakemore Fellowship for Asian Language Study, Deadline Dec. 30, 2023

The Blakemore Foundation is now accepting applications for its  Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study and the new Blakemore Kingfisher Art History Language Fellowships. Both programs provide full tuition and a stipend for living, travel and study expenses at approved language programs in Asia for an academic year of full-time intensive language study during the 2024/2025 academic year.

Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study are awarded to graduating seniors, college graduates, graduate students and young/mid-career professionals for advanced study of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, or Vietnamese in Asia.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, have completed (at minimum) the third year of study of the Asian language, and are ready to advance to professional fluency.

Blakemore Kingfisher Art History Language Fellowships will be awarded for study of Chinese or Korean in East Asia. These grants are open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada who have a well-demonstrated intent to study the pre-twentieth century history of Chinese or Korean art at the doctoral level. Applicants must have received a bachelor’s degree by the start of a grant and have completed (at minimum) two years of classroom study of the language in rigorous college-level language programs.

Who should apply? The Blakemore Foundation is looking for exceptional candidates who will make significant contributions to their career field. The ideal candidate is someone with stellar grades, outstanding recommendations, and a demonstrated commitment to the Asian country and language. Beyond commitment, we are looking for a mature purpose: a career path that will require and benefit from fluency in that Asian language throughout that individual’s life.

Applications may be submitted athttps://blakemorefoundation.communityforce.com with a deadline of December 30, 2023.  

More detailed information on our fellowship programs is available at www.blakemorefoundation.org

Approved Language Programs

● International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan
● Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China
● Inter-University Center for Korean Language Studies at Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul National University, Sogang University 
● Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, Japan  (Blakemore Freeman Fellowships only)
In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are also available for advanced language study in: ● Thailand ● Vietnam ● Indonesia ● Cambodia   

Graduate Study in China with the Yenching Scholarship; Application Deadline December 3

The Yenching Academy offers a highly customizable Master’s program in China studies for English speakers with varied levels of Chinese language competency. At the core of the program lies its emphasis on interdisciplinarity and the value it assigns to thinking about China; past, present and future – from both Chinese and international perspectives. It also aims to push the study of China beyond the boundaries of traditionally defined humanities and social science disciplines, and is designed to incorporate the experiences and intellectual training of a diverse international student body.

2024 Applicant Qualifications
Application for the 2024 cohort of Yenching Scholars will be open from August
15 to December 3, 2023. Candidates must submit all materials before 12:00 noon
(Beijing time) on the deadline. Letters of recommendation must also be received by
this deadline. See https://yenchingacademy.pku.edu.cn/ADMISSIONS.htm
Eligibility

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or be currently enrolled in a
    Bachelor degree program and be on track to graduate no later than August 31
    of the year in which they wish to enroll;
  • An outstanding academic record;
  • Strong interest in interdisciplinary study of China;
  • A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social
    responsibility, and leadership potential;
  • English proficiency.
  • While there is no age cut-off for applicants, the average age of students entering the
    program is 23. No one older than 28 has been admitted.

Questions? Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu .

Fulbright Info Sessions in August

Fulbright applicants, check out these info sessions run by Fulbright!

Student Webinar Schedule

Alumni Ambassador Panel – BIPOC 
August 4, 2023 | 3pm-4pm Eastern Time   
 
Alumni Ambassador Panel – ETA 
August 8, 2023 | 2pm-3pm Eastern Time 

Study/Research Q&A Webinar 
August 10, 2023 | 2pm-3pm Eastern Time     

ETA Q&A Webinar 
August 14, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time 

Regional Office Hours: East Asia/Pacific 
August 16, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time 

Regional Office Hours: South/Central Asia 
August 18, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time     

Regional Office Hours: Europe/Eurasia (Study/Research) 
August 21, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time