Get high-quality Fulbright Essay Feedback
Once you have something written down—even if it’s just a rough outline—put it in front of people and get feedback! Don’t wait until you have something perfectly crafted. You want feedback throughout the writing process, from people with various perspectives.
Whom to Ask for Feedback
You want feedback from a diverse group of between three and five people. There are four different types of people who can provide particularly valuable feedback. A single person might fit into multiple categories:
Fulbright Experts—This can be your university Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA) or someone familiar with the application process and criteria; a Fulbright alumnus or someone who’s been through a similar program could be particularly helpful here. This person should be able to confirm that your application aligns with Fulbright’s priorities.
People familiar with your field and/or country—Someone familiar with your general field of research or methodological approach and/or familiar with your host country is critical here. If you’re applying for an ETA, someone who’s taught English as a Second Language is a good fit. A professor, colleagues, or former Fulbrighters might fit into this category, as could a potential host affiliation contact. The particular kind of feedback you want from this kind of reader is about the feasibility of your methods or approach and how well you demonstrate an understanding of the country.
People who know you well—You want feedback from people you trust and who know you well, who can be friends, mentors, or advisors. For your personal statement, people close to you can give you feedback on how well you articulate your personal narrative, your leadership experience, and your cultural adaptability. They may also be able to double as general readers and help with your writing.
General Readers and writing feedback—You want feedback from an outsider not familiar with your topic or host country. This can be a friend or someone at your campus writing center. They can give you feedback on how compelling your proposal is to nonexperts and point out any academic jargon that needs to be clarified. You also want someone to help you make your writing clear, concise, simple, and compelling.
How to get targeted, high-quality feedback
There are specific things Fulbright is looking for; and you want to give your readers guidance so that they can provide targeted, actionable feedback that will most improve your application.
Statement of Grant Purpose Feedback
For Research/Study Awards, your readers should comment on:
How clear is your research question? Does it seem relevant to the host country? Is it topical? Timely?
How clear and appropriate are your research methods? Can your reader understand what you plan on doing and how you plan on doing it?
How realistic is your research or project plan? Does the reader think it seems feasible to do everything in your proposal with the skills you have, the amount of time you will be there, the language level you have, and the contacts/affiliations you have?
For ETA Awards, your readers should comment on:
How well do you demonstrate your qualifications to teach English as a second language?
How well do you demonstrate your knowledge of and passion for the host country?
How clear and compelling are your ideas for classroom engagement?
Personal Statement Feedback
Your personal statement should demonstrate your maturity, cultural adaptability, and ability to carry out your proposed work. Ask readers to comment on:
How well do you demonstrate that you are a self-starter, a leader, and someone who can take initiative and make stuff happen.
How compelling is my personal narrative? Does it make the reader want to advocate for you to get the award? (You don’t want your personal statement to sound like an expanded resume)
How well do you demonstrate that you can thrive in different environments and overcome barriers?
Do you demonstrate that you are someone who will carry out the cultural exchange mission of Fulbright and be a good representative of the United States?
Writing Feedback
You want readers to comment on structure, writing style, clarity and grammar.
Ask readers to identify or comment on:
Anything that sounds confusing or they have to re-read to understand.
All irrelevant filler words or phrases that can be deleted (e.g. really, very, such as, in order to, I hope to)
Jargon or any words that don’t make sense to the reader without a definition
All vague, fluffy, meaningless words (i.e.synergy, empowerment)
Any passive voice
Any run-on sentence; any sentence longer than 3 lines
Any repetitive phrases
Free Reader Evaluation Form
We’ve created a reader evaluation form that you can adapt and share with your readers to get targeted feedback. It has three sections for feedback on the Statement of Grant Purpose, Personal Statement, and your writing. Sign up below to get the evaluation form.