PhD Possibilities and Requirements in the US

1. Success in the U.S. Presented by Erica Lutes, Executive Director March 7, 2013

2. Questions from you (KUL) • What are the PhD possibilities in the US? • What are the basis requirements of application to get into a PhD programme? • What are the most important criteria for acceptance besides grades? Work experiences, lab experiences? Connections? …? • Is it possible to apply for a PhD from msc first year student? • When can you start to apply for a Phd if you want to begin in September 2014? Can you start now? • Do the PhD-years in the US count for Belgian pension? • How do I work as a medical doctor combined with a PhD in the US?

3. Mission

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

7. Undergraduate vs. Graduate Study • Undergraduate Education= Bachelors • 4 years Graduate Education • Degreestakenafterbachelors • 2 years for a masters (1 year LLM) • PhD longer in US

8. Differences to Expect • No central government authority • No ranking system • Application process- • letters of recommendation • personal statements • Teaching styles • On-campus life

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

11. Entrance Exams GRE Graduate Record Exam GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test • For admission to GraduateSchools (exceptLaw and Business programs) • Subject-specific tests required for certain programs • New test startingFall 2011 • http://www.takethegre.com/ • For admission to Business Schools • http://www.mba.com

12. English Tests • € 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 • $ 240 • Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem • Reading, listening, break, speaking, writing (4.5 hours) • http://www.ets.org/toefl • http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/

13. TOEFL Registration

14. Recommendation Letters

15. Personal Statement

16. 3 Simultaneous Actions • Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the applications for each one. • Determinewhich tests are needed to apply & takethem (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, GMAT, etc). • Look for financial support.

17. Financial Aid Primary Source of Funding(International Graduate Students, 2011 - 2012)* *Source: Open Doors Report, 2012

18. Financial Aid EducationUSA.state.gov

19. Financial Aid

20. Financial Aid EducationUSA.state.gov

21. Fulbright Grants

22. Mission

23. Fulbright “ to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries " former Senator J. William Fulbright

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

25. Conditions? • Belgian citizen • Distinction overall • Return to Belgium/EU for 2 years after grant

26. How to apply? Preliminary Application Final Online Application 3 letters of rec Interview Notification Provide letter of acceptance

28. Deadlines for Fulbright Grant October 31 Foreign Language Teaching Assistants Program March 1Frank Boas Scholarships for Harvard March 1Research Scholars & Lecturers March 1Fulbright - Schuman EU Grants March 1Graduate study and research for a PhD

29. Grants for General Studies • Boas Scholarships for Harvard • Ambassador Fox Award • M. Nicholason Award • Fulbright Alumni Association Award • University of Chicago Alumni Award • Columbia Club of Belgium Award • Harvard Club of Belgium Scholarship

30. Grants for MBA Grants for Law (LLM) • Allen & Overy Award • Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer • Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck & Kirkpatrick Award • Loyens & Loeff Award • Ambassador Blinken Award • McKinsey Scholarship

31. Internships in the US

32. 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

33. 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. Not many scholarships for internships

34. 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

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

36. 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-160 (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

37. AdditionalResources 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

40. EducationUSA New FB application

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 Visit the Commission’swebsite in your home country for more information 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

43. Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium Royal Library Boulevard de L’Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan B-1000 Brussels, Belgium adviser@fulbright.be www.fulbright.be