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The US Experience

The US Experience. Studying, Research and Internships in the United States of America. Mission. Why study in the US. Wide array of options Flexibility Not just academic study Internationalize your CV Opportunity to travel to the US. Differences to expect. Teaching and classroom styles

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The US Experience

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  1. The US Experience Studying, Research and Internships in the United States of America

  2. Mission

  3. Why study in the US • Wide array of options • Flexibility • Not just academic study • Internationalize your CV • Opportunity to travel to the US

  4. Differences to expect • Teaching and classroom styles • On-campus life and opportunities • Ranking system • Letters of recommendation • Personal statement

  5. Some interesting figures

  6. Student Mobility

  7. Types of institutions

  8. Undergraduate Education 4 years directly after High School (Lycée). End result = a bachelors degree (B.A. or B.S.) Graduate Education Higher degrees takenaftercompletionof a bachelorsdegree (MBA, Ph.D, J.D., M.D., etc.) Undergraduate (Bachelor) vs. Graduate Study

  9. Start Early 12 – 18 months…prior to departure Choose …5 – 10 universities to apply to Evaluate …your motivation & objectives Determine …all requirements Register …for required tests Note …all deadlines on a calendar

  10. How to choose a program? • Accredited? • Size? • Location? • Number of international students? • Majors offered? • Cost?

  11. Accreditation • Chea www.chea.org/search • Dept of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation

  12. English tests • $ 225 • Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem • Reading, listening, break, speaking, writing (4.5 hours) • http://www.ets.org/toefl • € 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.pearsonpte.com/PTEACADEMIC/Pages/home.aspx

  13. Dates to remember • 12 to 18 months before departure:Evaluate your reasons • June - SeptemberSelect 5 or 6 universities on the basis of their programs, degrees offered, accreditation, level of selectivity, cost, location and size • July - AugustFind out which standardized tests are required • August - SeptemberWrite to 5 or 6 universities to request application forms for admission and financial aid. • October - FebruaryPrepare transcripts and literal translations ,certified at the Commission Have professors send recommendation letters Send applications to universities well in advance of deadlines • February - AprilWait for letters from the universities. • March - AprilContact universities to which you have applied, but not yet received a response. • April - JuneAccept /Decline offers from other universities where you were also accepted. Contact housing department and international student office.

  14. Education USA – State Dept website

  15. Internships in the US

  16. Internships 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

  17. Where to begin… • Search websites by location, industry, job function, time of year and keyword. • Speak with anyone with US contacts, especially in your fields of interest. • Meet with these individuals for advice about your internship search.

  18. 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

  19. Tips • Start early! • Follow instructions • Adapt your CV/cover letter • Americanize • Addressed properly • Remember who you contacted and when • Multiple languages

  20. DS-2019 form? SEVIS fee? • 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 • 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. Graduate School

  24. Graduate Education • Master’s degrees Typically 2 years in length • Doctoral degrees (PhD’s) Typically 4-6 years in length

  25. Entrance Exams • For admission to Graduate Schools (except Law and Business programs) • Subject-specific tests required for certain programs • New test starting Fall 2011 • http://www.ets.org/gre • For admission to Business Schools • http://www.mba.com GRE Graduate Record Exam GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test

  26. Revised GRE General Test • Skip questions • On screen calculator • New scoring system • http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/know

  27. 3 Simultanious Actions • Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the applications for each one. • Determine which tests are needed to apply & take them (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT). • Look for financial support.

  28. How to finance your studies • Personal funding • Loanfrom a bank • Fellowshipfrom U.S. university • Researchassistantship • Teachingassistantship • WorkStudy (20 hrs/wk) • Scholarshipfromanotherorganizations • Fulbright • BAEF • Rotary • Etc.

  29. Fulbright Grants

  30. Mission

  31. Commission for EducationalExchange Betweenthe US +Belgium established in 1946 “ to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries " former Senator J. William Fulbright Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US

  32. Facts & figures: Fulbright • 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

  33. For Fulbright Grant • Study • Conduct Research

  34. Benefits? • Cash award of a travel grant up to 30,000 USD • Health and accident insurance • Visa sponsorship • Prestigious title

  35. Conditions? • 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

  36. How to apply? Preliminary Application Provide letter of acceptance Final Online Application Print + Send 3 letters of rec Interview Notification

  37. Who can receive a scholarship? • Students, Researchers, Lecturers • Mid-career journalists • Language teaching assistants • Secondary school teachers

  38. Deadlines for Fulbright Grant October 31 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program October 31Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard October 31Fulbright - Hays Journalism Grant October 31Summer Seminar in American Studies February 1Fulbright Award for Science & Technology March 1Fulbright Awards for Research Scholars & Lecturers March 1Fulbright - Schuman Grants April 30Fulbright Awards for Graduate Study

  39. Grants for General Studies • 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

  40. Grants for MBA Grants for Law (LLM) • Allen & OveryAward • FreshfieldsBruckhausDeringer • Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck & KirkpatrickAward Note: only for lawstudents in Belgium • Ambassador Blinken Award • McKinsey Scholarship

  41. Other Fulbright Commissions Austriawww.fulbright.at Belgium and Luxembourgwww.fulbright.be Bulgariawww.fulbright-bg.org Cyprus: www.fulbright.org.cy Czech Republicwww.fulbright.cz Denmarkwww.daf-fulb.dk Finlandwww.fulbright.fi France www.fulbright-france.org Germanywww.fulbright.de Greecewww.fulbright.gr Hungarywww.fulbright.hu Icelandwww.fulbright.is Irelandwww.fulbright.ie Italy www.fulbright.it Netherlands www.fulbright.nl Norwaywww.fulbright.no Polandwww.fulbright.edu.pl Portugalwww.ccla.pt Romaniawww.fulbright.ro Slovak Republic www.fulbright.sk Spainwww.fulbright.es Swedenwww.fulbright.se Turkeywww.fulbright.org.tr United Kingdomwww.fulbright.co.uk Russia http://fulbright.ru Ukraine www.fulbright.org.ua Visit the Commission’swebsite in your home country for more information

  42. Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium • Openinghours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 – 13:00 • Closed to the public on Fridays • Phone calls: 14:00 – 16:00 Royal Library Albert I Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72 Fax: +32 (0)2 519.57.73 adviser@fulbright.be www.fulbright.be

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