T HE US E XPERIENCE Studying, Research and Internships in the United States of America

Education Advising Center Website - Phone Outreach Resource Library Fulbright Grants ResearchJournalism European Union Language Teaching Assistant Mission

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

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

Some interesting figures T OP 5 U NDERGRADUATE I NSTITUTIONS 1Clemson University 2New York University 3University of Cincinnati 4University of Pennsylvania 5Saint Leo University T OP 5 G RADUATE I NSTITUTIONS 1New York University 2Harvard University 3Stanford University 4Columbia University 5University of California - Berkeley B ELGIAN S TUDENTS – B Y L EVEL Type of Program%Number Undergraduate42.1%356 Graduate36.8%311 Non-Degree12.8%108 OPT8.3%70

Student Mobility

Types of institutions Public Also called State Schools Private Possible religious affiliation Community Two-year schools Also called Junior College

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

Start Early 12 – 18 months …prior to departure E VALUATE C HOOSE D ETERMINE R EGISTER N OTE …your motivation & objectives …5 – 10 universities to apply to …all requirements …for required tests …all deadlines on a calendar

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

Chea Dept of Education Accreditation

$ 225 Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Arnhem Reading, listening, break, speaking, writing (4.5 hours) rg/toefl English tests € 185 Accepted by many but not all universities Listening (30min), Reading (1h), Speaking (11-14min), Writing (1h) ishcouncil.org/b russels-exams- ielts.htm 250 Accepted by many but not all universities 3 hours, Brussels Score in 5 days rsonpte.com/PT EACADEMIC/Pa ges/home.aspx

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

Education USA – State Dept website

Internships in the US

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 Internships

W HERE TO BEGIN … 1. Search websites by location, industry, job function, time of year and keyword. 2. Speak with anyone with US contacts, especially in your fields of interest. 3. Meet with these individuals for advice about your internship search.

L OGISTICS Internships can be paid or unpaid. Academic credit is a possibility Could cost between USD to secure a visa Negotiate covering cost of visa by employer Develop expectations AHEAD of time

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

DS-2019 FORM ?SEVIS FEE ? 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 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 tsheets/sevisfactsheet.htm

I NSTRUCTIONS 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: ( Original, signed DS-2019 Form SEVIS fee payment receipt DS-158 (online application) DS-7002 (Training/Internship Placement Plan) Proof of financial support Call to set up an appointment at the US embassy in Brussels. Have your credit card ready as the call will cost 15 Euros

A DDITIONAL R ESOURCES ON I NTERNSHIPS Yale University Career Services Website: tml Mount Holyoke College Career Services Website: For more information about internships: nt_Employment_Internships.htm nt_Employment_Internships.htm

Graduate School

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

Entrance Exams o For admission to Graduate Schools ( except Law and Business programs) o Subject-specific tests required for certain programs o New test starting Fall 2011 o gre o For admission to Business Schools o GRE Graduate Record Exam GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test

Revised GRE General Test o Skip questions o On screen calculator o New scoring system o Paper-based GRE revised General Test Dates Approximate Score Report Mailing Dates View Scores Online October 22, 2011December 2, 2011 November 19, 2011December 30, 2011 February 11, 2012March 23, 2012

1. Choose 5-10 universities & prepare the applications for each one. 2. Determine which tests are needed to apply & take them (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT). 3. Look for financial support. 3 Simultanious Actions

1. Personal funding 2. Loan from a bank 3. Fellowship from U.S. university o Research assistantship o Teaching assistantship o Work Study (20 hrs/wk) 4. Scholarship from another organizations ◦ Fulbright ◦ BAEF ◦ Rotary ◦ Etc. How to finance your studies

Fulbright Grants

Education Advising Center Website - Phone Outreach Resource Library Fulbright Grants ResearchJournalism European Union Language Teaching Assistant Mission

C OMMISSION FOR E DUCATIONAL E XCHANGE B ETWEEN THE US +B ELGIUM “ to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries " former Senator J. William Fulbright established in 1946 Be an ambassador of Belgium to the US

Since 1946: +300,000 Fulbrighters from +155 countries foreign nationals to US for study, teaching, research 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 Facts & figures: Fulbright

Study Conduct Research For Fulbright Grant

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

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 Conditions?

How to apply? Preliminary Application Print + Send 3 letters of rec Final Online Application Provide letter of acceptance NotificationInterview

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

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

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 Grants for General Studies

Ambassador Blinken Award McKinsey Scholarship Grants for MBA o Allen & Overy Award o Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer o Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck & Kirkpatrick Award Note: only for law students in Belgium Grants for Law (LLM)

Other Fulbright Commissions Visit the Commission’s website in your home country for more information Austria Belgium and Luxembourg Bulgaria Cyprus: Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovak Republic Spain Sweden Turkey United Kingdom Russia Ukraine

 Opening hours: 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) Fax: +32 (0) Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America and Belgium