Category: Teaching English Abroad

August Notes for Fulbright and Watson Applicants

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Teaching English Abroad

It’s August (gasp!) and this is usually a time when I get questions from students and alumni wanting to apply for a Fulbright or Watson fellowship. Below are some frequently asked questions about applying for Watson or Fulbright fellowships. Read on–and read carefully! It is long.

How do I speak with Dean Gates? Check out go.middlebury.edu/appt  for open appointments. You can also email me with good dates/times (M-F, 9am-5pm ET only).   Appointment hours for Sept. will be posted later in August. 

I missed the preliminary deadline for Watson or Fulbright. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can! The HARD deadlines coming up are Middlebury’s internal deadlines:

  • Thursday 9/4/25 at noon for Watson
  • Wednesday 9/10/25 at noon for Fulbright

We strongly encourage Fulbright applicants to complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply with drafts of their essays–this will ensure you receive feedback before the internal deadline.

I’m just thinking about applying for a Watson or Fulbright right now. How do I get started?
Review the information and directions at go/fulbright or go/watson and start the application processes in MiddApply. Some application types may be more feasible at this point in time, so it’s important you get feedback.

Watson FAQs

I want to apply for the Watson and need access to the Watson online application. How do I do this?
If you are not yet registered for the Watson online application, contact fellowships@middlebury.edu. Read the instructions at go.middlebury.edu/watson  carefully regarding which application sections to complete for the internal deadline. Again, instructions are available in your MiddApply (go/middapply) portal as you complete your Watson materials there.

Where do I find info about the Watson internal application process?
Instructions for nomination materials and submission are online at go.middlebury.edu/watson. Please review the linked Google documents carefully–there’s useful info there and answers to commonly-asked questions. You will need to complete the tasks in MiddApply (go/middapply) and selected sections of the Watson online application.

Is the Watson Internal Deadline (Thursday September 4, 2025 at noon) a hard deadline? 

Yes. If you anticipate any difficulties with this, talk with us.

Fulbright FAQs

I’m an alum and interested in the Fulbright. Can I still apply through Middlebury? 

Yes! You will need to adhere to our internal deadline and interview with our campus committee via Zoom in September. 

What is the August 15 “Intent to Apply” deadline? What do I do? What happens if I miss it?
This deadline tells us who is planning to apply in this cycle. This deadline gives us a sense of the number of Fulbright applicants we will interview and, most importantly, TIME to send you feedback on your drafts before the internal deadline. If you miss our “intent to apply” deadline, you can still apply for the Fulbright, and you can decide in September that you don’t want to proceed–just tell us.  

For August 15, complete the tasks in your MiddApply (go.middleury.edu/middapply ) portal. Follow the instructions carefully. You will provide your abstract, statement of grant purpose, short answers in a Google doc. This gives us the materials we need to review! Note: Make sure you review the guidance at go/fulbright (see Fulbright Guidance Google doc) before sending to us. Recommendations, transcripts, affiliation letters, etc. are not needed at this time (but if you have an affiliation lined up, include a copy of that). We will review your materials, send comments as needed, and you can continue working on your application. We will provide official transcripts for those who complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply.

If you do not complete your August 15 tasks in MiddApply, we may not be able to provide substantive comments on your essays. You will also need to obtain your own transcript (unofficial or official). If you discontinue your application after this point, that is also fine, just let us know.

Is September 10 at noon (Wednesday) a hard deadline for my Fulbright application?  Yes, this is a hard deadline. Please mark your application “ready for campus review” by this deadline.  If you want to apply after this deadline, you may do so, but will not be able to participate in the campus review process and may not receive feedback. As always, if you have questions or issues, talk with us.

What if I’m missing some recommendations or a letter of affiliation on September 10?
If you have a letter (recommendation, affiliation) that will be late, email us at fellowships@middlebury.edu.

Are you expecting a complete and polished Fulbright application on September 10?
Yes. Everything in your control should be done and finalized at this point. Essays must be polished with no grammatical or spelling errors. You will be able to continue working on your materials after this date. During your campus committee interview, you may also receive suggestions and incorporate this feedback. 

How do I learn more about Fulbright?
Webinars and tutorials are ongoing this summer. Check out http://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/videos-tutorials and http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions  (click on webinars to see schedule).

Considering a Fulbright ETA in Bulgaria, Poland or Romania? Join this Zoom meeting Aug 6!

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Teaching English Abroad

Please join the Fulbright commission team on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET for a Zoom info session on Fulbright grants in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, to learn more about Fulbright opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe.

During this meeting, you will meet representatives of Fulbright Bulgaria, Fulbright Romania and Fulbright Poland to learn more about Fulbright grants for US Students, Scholars, and English Teaching Assistants (ETAs). Hear from Fulbright U.S. alumni who completed grants in these countries as they share experiences with the Program. This will be followed by a Q&A.

This meeting is designed for potential U.S. applicants, Fulbright Advisors and other university staff and administrators who would like to meet us and learn more about current Fulbright opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe. We hope to see you there!

Register for the meeting.

A Few Words from Dean Gates on Fellowships (plus FAQs), July 2025

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Research, Teaching English Abroad

 It’s summer and I usually receive lots of questions from students and alumni wanting to apply for a Fulbright or Watson fellowship. It’s also a time of year when I am not always in the office so try to answer some frequently asked questions below. Read on–and read carefully! It is long.

I need help with application questions or draft reviews. How do I reach the Fellowships Office?
Email fellowships@middlebury.edu. Either Heidi Greenwald or Lisa Gates will respond to you. During July, Lisa is available for meetings the week of July 15 only; please email me with some day/time options (9-5pm ET only!) and we will arrange a meeting. Check out go/appt for open appointments beginning the week of Aug 5. I will offer Zoom drop-in times for Watson and Fulbright applicants (and UK nominees) after August 15. Heidi will be in the office while Lisa is out, so she can also help you!

I missed the preliminary deadline for Watson or Fulbright. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can! The firm deadlines for Middlebury’s internal review are:

  • Thursday 9/4/25 at noon for Watson
  • Wednesday 9/10/25  at noon for Fulbright

We strongly encourage Fulbright applicants to complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply with essay drafts–this ensures you receive feedback before the internal deadline.

I’m thinking about applying for a Watson or Fulbright now. How do I get started? Review the information and directions at go/fulbright or go/watson and start the application processes in MiddApply. You will be working in both MiddApply and the online application system for Watson or Fulbright. Make sure you understand the process. Some types of application are more feasible than others at this point, so it’s important for you to get feedback.

WATSON FAQs

I want to apply for the Watson Fellowships and need access to the Watson online application. How do I do this?
Complete the Watson preliminary application in MiddApply and we will register you for the Watson online application. You will receive an email confirming that this has been completed.

Where do I find info about the Watson internal application process?
Instructions for nomination materials and submission are online at go/watson . Please review the linked Google documents carefully–there’s useful information  and answers to commonly-asked questions. You will need to complete the tasks in MiddApply (go/middapply) and selected sections of the Watson online application.

Is the Watson internal deadline (Thursday September 4, 2025 at noon) a hard deadline?
Yes. If you anticipate difficulties, talk with us.

FULBRIGHT FAQs

I’m an alum and interested in the Fulbright. Can I still apply through Middlebury? Yes! You will need to adhere to our internal deadline and interview with our campus committee via Zoom in September.

What is the August 15 “Intent to Apply” deadline? What do I do? What happens if I miss it?
This deadline tells us who is planning to apply in this annual cycle. This deadline gives us a sense of the number of Fulbright applicants we will interview and most importantly, TIME to send you feedback on your drafts before the internal deadline.  

You can still apply for the Fulbright if you miss this deadline – and you can decide in September that you don’t want to proceed – just let us know. 

For the August 15 deadline, complete the tasks in your MiddApply (go/middapply) portal. This gives us the materials we need to review. Note: Drafts are fine at this point! Make sure you: 1)  review the guidance at go/fulbright (see Fulbright Guidance Google doc) before sending to us. 2) Include the information required for the Statement of Grant Purpose in your draft. 3) Know that recommendations, transcripts, affiliation letters, etc. are not needed now, but if you have an affiliation lined up, please include a copy). We will review your materials, send comments as needed, while you continue working on your application. The Fellowships Office will provide official transcripts for those who complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply.

If you do not complete your Aug 15 tasks in MiddApply, we may be unable to provide substantive comments on your essays. You will also be responsible for ordering your own official transcript. If you choose not to apply after this point, please just let us know.

Is September 10 at noon (Wednesday) a hard deadline for my Fulbright application? Yes, this is a hard deadline. Important: Mark your Fulbright application “ready for campus review” by this deadline. 

What if I’m missing some recommendations or a letter of affiliation?
If you have a letter (recommendation, affiliation) that is late in arriving, let us know. 

Are you expecting a complete and polished Fulbright application on Sept 10?
Yes. Everything in your control should be done and finalized at this point. Essays must be polished with no grammatical or spelling errors. We understand that some recommendation letters may still be outstanding. 

You may continue working on your materials after this date and we encourage that! . Campus committee interviews often provide additional suggestions for your application which you may wish to incorporate. 

What if I miss Middlebury’s internal Fulbright deadline? Can I still apply through Middlebury?
Yes, but you will not be able to participate in the campus review process. We cannot guarantee feedback at this point in the process.  

How do I learn more about Fulbright?
Webinars and tutorials are ongoing this summer. Check out http://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/videos-tutorials and http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions  (click on webinars to see schedule).

Middlebury College Named Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars, 2024-25

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Teaching English Abroad

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has recognized 130 higher education institutions from across the United States — including Middlebury College — with the highest number of candidates selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs in the 2024-2025 academic year. See articles on the Fulbright website and in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Teaching Assistant Roles in Austria for 2025-26 – Apply by Jan. 15, 2025 

Heidi Greenwald / / Postgraduate Opportunities, Teaching English Abroad

The US Teaching Assistantship (USTA) Program managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), is now seeking applicants for the 2025-2026 academic year to teach in Austrian classrooms and serve as an ambassador of the US. This opportunity is open to US citizens (dual citizenship okay), with a completed bachelor’s degree by summer 2025 with intermediate proficiency in German. This program is administered by Fulbright but is funded differently. Register for upcoming Zoom sessions (11/21, 11/29, 12/6, 12/12 and 12/19) to learn more. Apply directly on the website by Jan. 15, 2025.