Fulbright and Watson Notes for Applicants

 It’s almost August (gasp!) and this is usually that time when I get a lot 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.

How do I talk with Dean Gates? Check out go/appt for open appointments through Aug 13. You can also email me with good dates/times (M-F, 9am-5pm ET only). I will post appointment hours for Watson and Fulbright applicants (and UK nominees) the week of August 26 soon.  Appointment hours for Sept. will be posted later in August. Please note, I will be away from the office for parts of 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 deadline: Thursday 9/5 at noon for Watson, Sunday 9/8 at 11:59pm for Fulbright. We also 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 or less feasible at this point in time, so it’s important you get some feedback.

Watson FAQs

I want to apply for the Watson and need to get 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/watson carefully regarding which application sections to complete for the internal deadline. We ask you to complete abbreviated essays and only some sections of the Watson application for the internal deadline. Again, instructions are available in your MiddApply (go/middapply) portal as you complete the Watson materials there.

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 a lot of useful info there and answers to common 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 5, 2024 at noon) a hard deadline? Yes, it is. 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, and what happens if I miss it? This deadline tells us who is planning to apply in this cycle. You can still apply for the Fulbright if you miss it, and you can decide in September that you don’t want to proceed–just tell us. 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.  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 review the guidance at go/fulbright (see Fulbright Guidance Google doc) before sending to us, however. Make sure you are including the information required for the Statement of Grant Purpose in your draft. 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 Aug 15 tasks in MiddApply, we may be less able to provide substantive comments on your essays depending on when you send in your materials to review. You will also need to order your own transcript. If you discontinue your application after this point, that is also fine, just let us know.

Is September 8 at 11:59pm (Sunday) a hard deadline for my Fulbright application? What if I’m missing some recommendations or a letter of affiliation? Yes, this is a hard deadline. You will need to lock your application for campus review by this deadline. If you have a letter (recommendation, affiliation) that is late in arriving, just be in touch with us. 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.

Are you expecting a complete and polished Fulbright application on Sept 8? Yes. But see note above about missing letters–it does happen. But 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, however. You will often receive suggestions during your campus committee interview and may find things you want to tweak. 

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).

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.

Middlebury Is a Top Producer of Fulbrights

Congratulations to all of Middlebury’s Fulbright applicants and grantees who helped us make Fulbright’s Top Producer List yet again! Read more at https://www.middlebury.edu/announcements/announcements/2024/02/middlebury-among-top-producers-fulbrights . Interested in applying? See go/fulbright and check out our info session on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 4:30pm in Library 201.

Postgraduate Research at Marcus Autism Center, Applications due 1/22/24

Research at Marcus Autism Center

Marcus Autism Center is the largest center for clinical care of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families in the U.S., seeing more than 5,000 patients every year. The center also works in partnership with Emory National Primate Research Center, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Georgia Institute of Technology.These varied institutions enable a multidisciplinary and translational approach to ASD research, spanning projects in behavioral neuroscience, neuroimaging, molecular and population genetics, and treatment. The directors of the Fellowship Program lead the social neuroscience, spoken communication, neuroimaging and education sciences research cores within Marcus Autism Center. These research cores use eye-tracking technology, neuroimaging, computational modeling and behavioral neuroscience methods to better understand the causes and developmental mechanismsunderlying ASD, and to develop new tools to improve early detection, diagnosis and treatment of ASD.

Application information

Sponsor institutions:Marcus Autism Center, ChildrenʼsHealthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine

Program directors: Ami Klin, PhD; Warren Jones, PhD; Sarah Shultz, PhD; Laura Edwards, PhD; Cheryl Klaiman, PhD; Stormi Pulver-White, PhD; Katherine Pickard, PhD; Jocelyn Kuhn, PhD; Sally Fuhrmeister, MS, CCC-SLP; Gordon Ramsay, PhD

Termofaward:Two years

Submission deadline: Friday, Jan. 22, 2024

Award amount: $38,000 during first year; $39,000 during second year

All applications must be submitted electronically. The online application portal will open in December 2023.

To complete your online application, you will need a resume or curriculum vitae,
a statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation and a scanned transcript(s).

Visit https://med.emory.edu/departments/pediatrics/divisions/autism/fellow/ index.html or call 404-785-9554 for application materials and additional information.

Mitacs Globalink Summer Research Internships in Canada–Deadline 9/21/23

The 2024 GRI student call is now open! 

Students must submit applications by September 21, 2023, 1 p.m. PT
 

Apply now >


Mitacs Globalink Research Internships can offer you an international experience like no other.

Canada features excellent universities, outstanding research facilities, cutting-edge industry innovation, and unparalleled undergraduate training opportunities.

What a Mitacs Globalink Research Internship offers you:

  • A 12-week internship that increases your knowledge of and explores hands-on research in your field of study
  • Work under the supervision of outstanding faculty members, with graduate students and research associates
  • Access to Canada’s unique research landscape: applied, dynamic, and innovative
  • A rewarding experience combining academic research at a Canadian university, professional skills development courses and social activities
  • A chance for you to explore your independence and gain international experience in a new country
  • The opportunity to connect with potential graduate supervisors should you be interested in returning to Canada for graduate studies with a Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship

For further questions or inquiries, visit our Frequently Asked Questions tab or contact helpdesk@mitacs.ca.

Where do I start?

Mitacs encourages you to start working on the following items before the call opens:

  1. Review all eligibility criteria: in addition to the general GRI requirements, there may be specific eligibility criteria for each country and international partner organization
  2. Confirm that your passport issued by your home country is valid until at least January 2025. (You are welcome to submit an application if you don’t currently have a valid passport. However, you will need to provide valid passport information if your application is approved).
  3. Obtain a reference letter from a professor. Please download the reference letter instructions. All reference letters must follow the instructions provided.
  4. Update your CV: You can submit your own CV or download the Mitacs template
  5. Obtain your academic transcripts (in either English or French). If your university or institution cannot provide transcripts in either language, you are responsible for getting them translated and notarized. Transcripts must be included in your application. Only university transcripts will be considered. Please do not submit your high school transcripts. 
  6. English or French language proficiency tests may be required for some countries. Please check your country’s details for more information.

In the application, you will also be asked about:

  • Your academic discipline, program, and other educational information
  • Your research interests, skills, and achievements
  • Your reasons for pursuing research in Canada


Eligibility requirements for 2024


Applicants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application 
  • Be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or combined undergraduate/master’s program at an eligible institution (see list of eligible institutions by country) 
  • Have one to three semesters remaining in their program as of fall 2024 (see requirement by country) 
  • Meet the grade requirements for their country of study (see GPA requirements for each international partner) 
  • Apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of seven projects and ensure selections are from at least three different Canadian provinces 
  • Be fluent in the oral and written language of the project (English and/or French) 
  • Be available to complete an internship lasting 12 consecutive weeks between May 1 and October 31 
  • Not have been awarded a Globalink Research Internship project in the past