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.

Teach English in Austria, Apply by Jan 15, 2024

Apply for the US Teaching Assistantship Program by 15 January 2024!

Since 1962, the US English Language Teaching Assistantship Program in Austria has provided US college and university graduates with a completed bachelor’s degree (by summer 2024 for program year 2024–25), US citizenship (or dual US/x citizenship), and a required German proficiency level of at least B1/Intermediate Mid by the time of application with valuable opportunities to work as salaried teaching assistants at secondary schools throughout Austria. Roughly 150 US teaching assistants per year not only enhance the instruction of English as native speakers; they are also important resources for first-hand information about the United States and the “American way of life”.

The program will start on 1 October 2024 and run through 31 May 2025(finalists will be notified in spring 2024). The timeline differs from ETA opportunities since this program is separate from the Fulbright grant family – it is an Austrian program managed and financed entirely by the Austrian government, and therefore not a Fulbright program.

The application tool is open from 15 November 2023 to 15 January 2024 but students can start their application now. You can find in-depth information on the program here and a roadmap to the application here. General information on possible school types is listed here and we can also recommend this pageas it provides an overview of the Austrian education system. I’m also happy to help with any questions on schools or placements in general.

Please consider that a teaching assistantship in Austria is not a “traditional” ETA program but a “real-life” job placement at usually one to two (rarely three) Austrian secondary schools for 13 hours per week from October until the end of May. TAs are assigned mentor teachers who guide them and are fully insured and salaried instead of receiving a stipend.

Previous teaching experience is not required but can be beneficial – this includes (but is not limited to) tutoring, summer/language/sports camp counselor duties, YMCA involvement, church group leadership, Boy/Girl Scout leadership roles, previous TA jobs, or any other relevant career opportunities.

You can find more information about the USTA Program, including how to apply, on our websiteStudents are cordially invited to apply online via the USTA application website and to check frequently if any updates are posted. Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu with questions.

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 

August 15 “Intent to Apply” Deadline for Fulbright Applicants

Yes, August 15 is the day! If you’re applying for a Fulbright grant through Middlebury (seniors and alumni welcome!), we STRONGLY encourage you to submit draft materials by this deadline. Why do this? Two reasons: we guarantee that we will provide feedback on your essays and application and we’ll provide you with a nice pdf of your official transcript for your application. You can still apply if you miss this deadline, but we can’t guarantee the feedback or the transcript.

How do you submit your materials? You will do this through Middlebury Apply . You will need to have submitted a registration and Fulbright preliminary application to do this. If you need instructions, visit go/fulbright . Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu with questions!