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Fulbright Program: U.S. Applicant Podcast

Transcript For: Language requirements for Fulbright grantees

Program managers discuss language requirements for the Fulbright program at the May 16th Info Session.

Valerie:       Hi, this is Valerie Hymas

Tony:          And Tony Claudino

Valerie:       And we’re here, and we want to announce the questions and answer session for the most recent U.S. student guidance session

Tony:          And so, if you couldn’t make it to any of the six locations that were having these info sessions, here’s a chance to listen to some of the Q & A we have for these sessions.

Question:    I am going to Armenia, and I was wondering if Armenia had a language program that would be beneficial to me.  I could give back being fluent in English as well.  Unless you could use my language skills to work in intelligence?

Answer:      Fulbright except for the Critical Language Enhancement Award and perhaps for a few very specific countries is not designed just for language study.  You need to have a project, you need to be exploring some aspect of Armenian culture or history, whatever your field is.  If your only goal is to learn Armenian that could be problematic.   However if you wish to go to Armenia to pursue a particular research project, and you are going to engage in language study while you are there that is fine.  You are not going to have a compelling project if you are just going to say I am going to go to Armenia and study Armenian language.  It needs to be far more developed than that.  You might want to think about the National Security Education Program since you have an interest in intelligence when you finish your time abroad.  The National Security Education Program is on the IIE website, take a look at it.

Question:    I am not sure in terms of the specific country I want to study in,  I just got the application for this year today.  But I wanted to know about the language because I am interested in studying or researching or teaching in a Spanish speaking country.   How should we attain the reference for the language, should it be somebody in the US, should it be somebody in that country?

Answer:      That’s actually an easy question.   All Spanish speaking countries in Latin America and Spain do require that students have a proficiency in the language.  This usually means at least two years of college level Spanish or the equivalent.   The foreign language report is completed by a faculty member at your college or university.

Question:    They have 11 languages all together.   I am looking into getting some tutoring in Zulu or kosa, How would I indicate that on my application, but it would be very rudimentary?

Answer:      In that case you might want to forego the Foreign Language Report,   the report that is done by the outside examiner of your language skills, and just complete the language background report, that you yourself would complete.   On that form you would indicate what your plans are for currently undertaking the language   as well as for continuing language study between now and when you would begin you Fulbright research the following year.  I say that you shouldn’t have somebody evaluate you language skills because clearly you are not going to have anything to evaluate by that time, so it doesn’t really make much sense to have somebody fill out that form for you.  Again I would encourage you to try and complete the language background report form, and you might also want to indicate what your language preparation will be perhaps in your proposal as well if you have space for it.

Question:    I am in anthropology and I am interested in looking at the spread if Islam throughout Latin American with a specific attention to Panama.   I am not proficient in Arabic but in Spanish yes, so Arabic is sort of like a currency in Panama I assume?

Answer:      If Arabic is something that you require to make your project  feasible  then it is definitely important that you indicate  on the language report,  if it is critical   to your language  experience in that country to have it evaluated as well.   I can say also in terms of the Critical Language Enhancement Awards although you didn’t  ask specifically, you would not be allowed to apply for that award to enhance your Arabic skills,  because you are not doing a Fulbright where Arabic is primary, where it is the first language spoken. 

Valerie:       And that’s it for the questions some candidates have asked us during one of our guidance sessions. Please remember that if you have a question, feel free to email us, or contact us. Our information is all online.

Tony:          And, look for the next podcast. Thanks.