Book Review: The Zen of Fulbright
My first go at a Fulbright grant was five years ago. Freshly graduated with my bachelor’s degree from Portland State University, I attended a summer info session presented by PSU’s study abroad program. One of the most valuable take-aways was a book recommendation: The Zen of Fulbright by Thomas Burns. I immediately ordered this Unofficial Guide to U.S. Fulbright Scholarships on Amazon. Over the next few years, I frequently referenced this guide, penciling notes in the margins, highlighting excerpts, and dog-earring pages. Here are my favorite features of the book and key takeaways:
Features:
This book is best used as a reference, not a cover-to-cover read. The detailed Contents section allowed me to easily reference relevant topics, like “Fulbright and the Arts,” “Host country affiliation,” and “Your Statement of Grant Purpose.”
The book’s design keeps readers engaged and makes it easy to refer back to material:
A variety of checklists throughout invite reflection: FAQs, a candidacy checklist from weak to strong, examples of past Fulbright projects, and essay writing tips.
Nearly every page includes stories and bits of advice in the words of Fulbright alumni.
Sample essays from successful applicants are included in the appendix.
The book’s wide, blank margins are ideal for taking notes and jotting down ideas.
Four key takeaways:
Fulbright is not an end to itself. Your project should constitute something you are passionate about and intend to pursue whether or not you receive the grant. “It sure would be cool to put ‘Fulbright scholar’ on my résumé” is not a compelling reason to apply. As Burns says in the first chapter, “Pushing ahead with an overseas project you believe in despite the status of your Fulbright application is, ironically, a very Fulbright thing to do.”
Self reflection and goal formulation lead to a meaningful Fulbright proposal. Whatever the end result, the application process is a means to foster personal growth and hone career ambitions. I can attest to this as someone who applied three separate times for the grant. At times I felt excited and inspired, other times burned out and cynical. Ultimately, I grew through the process and created a clearer picture of who I want to be as a classical pianist (pages 48-49).
More about the three times I applied for Fulbright in this blog post.
Essay-writing advice: As with any essay, ample time is essential. Take it from someone who tried to write her essays in the last twenty-four hours before the deadline the first time she applied. :-) The Fulbright application requires two essays: a Personal Statement and a Statement of Grant Purpose. Burns frames the latter as the focal point of the entire application: “All other elements of your application - your letters of recommendation, language evaluaron, letter of host affiliation, even your Personal Statement essay - work to support this proposal.”
A serious Fulbright applicant may apply more than once. Naturally, I didn’t want to hear this when I first opened the book in 2018, but it proved true. When I was wait-listed in 2022, I felt mixed emotions. While it was an honor to be an alternate, it didn’t feel practically any different than an outright rejection! At that point, Burns’ advice at the end of chapter 3 was monumental: “If you are serious about the Fulbright Program, plan on applying more than once - chances are you won’t be accepted on your first try.”
If you are serious about applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, I highly recommend referencing Thomas Burns’ The Zen of Fulbright throughout your application journey.