Newcastle University Summer Institute

The Fulbright Commission Newcastle University Summer Institute is a
five-week cultural and academic programme for US students held at Newcastle University in the UK.

Participants in this programme will get the opportunity to:

Experience an exciting academic programme at a top ranked UK University in a vibrant cosmopolitan city set in the beautiful North East of England
Explore the culture, heritage and history of the UK, visiting museums, galleries, parks, castles and islands
Develop their learning skills, improving presentation, research and communication skills
Meet people from all over the world, make friends and experience life as a real student in the UK
Become an ambassador for studying in the United Kingdom, and for the prestigious internationally renowned Newcastle University.
Develop their knowledge in the academic
programme of their choice, be taught by world leaders in their field and
receive credit they can transfer to their US University.

This year’s institute will take place from 8 July – 13 August 2012

When asked about the 2010 UK Summer Institute programmes:

– 100% of participants rated their experience with their host university as “excellent”

– 100% stated that they found their classes interesting and rated the academic programme as “excellent”

– 85% of students said their understanding and knowledge of the UK had changed substantially over the course of the institute

For more information about the summer institute please see the Programme Outline

Award Benefits

The majority of the participant costs will be covered. This includes:

round-trip airfare from the US to the UK;
tuition and fees at Newcastle University;
accommodation and social programme;
subsistence e.g. food and drink

Participants are expected to pay for their own travel, health and accident insurance.

Participants
will be housed in their host university’s self catering residence
halls. Accommodation is organised by same-sex flats. Each flat typically
has six bedrooms sharing a communal lounge/kitchen, two showers and two
WCs. More information on the accommodation can be found here

Special Programmes do not preclude participants from applying for a Fulbright Award
later in their academic career. The summer institutes are intentionally
designed in such a way that allows participants to come back to the UK
at postgraduate or postdoctoral level as a Fulbright Student or Scholar.

Selection Criteria

To meet the minimum eligibility for this Institute you need to: 2011 Newcastle Participants

be a US citizen (resident anywhere except the UK) and possess a US passport;
be at least 18 years old by the start of the programme;
be able to participate in the programme in its entirety;
have a high level of academic achievement with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (confirmed by academic marks, awards and references);
have at least two years of undergraduate
study left to complete, i.e. applicants should currently be a Freshman
or Sophomore in college/university;
be mature, responsible, independent, and open-minded;
be willing and able to fully participate
in an academically intensive programme that includes attending all
sessions, completing all assignments, contributing to classroom
discussions and supporting student ambassador style work as required;
have had little or no study or travel experience in the UK or elsewhere outside of the US and;
expect to return to the US and continue your education.

Note: The programme is open to students in all courses of study.

Those holding permanent residency ‘green cards’ may not apply.

Please read the Terms and Conditions for this award before making an application.

In making these awards the Commission is
looking not only for academic excellence but a focused application, a
range of extracurricular and community activities, an indication of
ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a
plan to give back to your home country upon returning.

Individuals from a broad range of ethnic, religious, geographic, and socio-economic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Applying

All applications are due Friday 16 March 2012 by 5pm (UK Time)

Please note: Applications which arrive by
email, by fax or late will not be considered. Please ensure that you
attach sufficient postage when sending forms/letters to the US-UK
Fulbright Commission in London. We will not accept excess charges for
items of mail which have been underpaid – they will be returned
unopened. 2011 Newcastle Participants at closing event

If
you would like confirmation that your application has been received by
the Fulbright Commission, you must send your application via Recorded
Delivery. Commission staff will not confirm receipt of applications by
email or phone.

To apply please click here to download an application form

If you have a query about applying please read the FAQs document before contacting the Commission.

Interviews

Applications will be short-listed and successful applicants will be invited to telephone interview on the 18-27 April 2012. Interviews will only be held these days and may not be rescheduled.

If you are making an application, please
save these dates as an invitation to interview may come within a few
days of the interview date.

The selection committee will be comprised
of Fulbright Commission staff and on occasion representatives from a
relevant field, academics, US Embassy and/or Consulate representatives.

Candidates will be considered without
respect to race, colour, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual
preference or gender (including gender reassignment). Individuals from a
broad range of ethnic, religious, geographic, and socio-economic
backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Important note: The US-UK Fulbright Commission is unable to comment on individual applications or the reason for their refusal.

Timeline

December 2011     Competition opens
16 March 2012     Application deadline
Early April 2012    Short-listed candidates invited to Interview
18-27 April 2012 Telephone Interviews
Early May 2012    Notification for successful applicants
May/June 2012      Preparation and Pre-Departure Information
7 July 2012          Departure for UK
8 July 2012        Arrival in the UK
13 August 2012 Return to USA

Additional Information

Programme Outline

“It may seem ridiculous to rate nearly every single part of the
social program as excellent, but they all truly were. The five weeks
were designed to captivate us while maximizing our exposure to English
tradition and culture.” 2010 participant

The five week programme is divided into two parts:

1. Fulbright Fortnight
For
the first two weeks, the selected Fulbright participants will be
together experiencing an introduction to the University, the city of
Newcastle and the region of the North East of England. Participants will
learn about student life in the UK, undergo an introduction to UK
culture and will explore cultural and heritage sites in the region.
Participants will take part in “Taster Sessions” for the Institutes
academic classes. Last year these included Media and Journalism,
Beginner’s Mandarin, Creative Writing and the Science of Medicine among
others. Students will also receive academic training on researching,
presentation skills and academic writing. Click here to see a timetable of the first two weeks of the 2011 Institute.

2. Newcastle University International Summer School
Students
will spend the next three weeks of the programme joined by
approximately 60 students from all over the world, on the International
Summer School; studying on one of the academic programmes on offer.
Successful students will be asked to state their preferences with regard
to academic programme. The Institute host will do their best to
accommodate student choices. The programme for 2012 is listed below.
Click on the links for more information about the individual study
programmes: 2010 NUISS participants on a field trip

Each programme will be made up of at
least of 16 hours contact time each week (a combination of seminars,
lectures, tutorials and field trips) and approximately 18 hours of
self-directed study. To find out more about what a typical day on the
International Summer School is like please take a look at the draft 2012 Programme and the 2011 Timetable.

For more information on this part of the programme please visit the Newcastle University International Summer School pages.

In
addition to the academic portion of the programme, participants will
visit a range of cultural and historical sites and other places of
interest to learn more about Newcastle and its history. These visits
will complement academic activities and showcase the roles that various
organisations and institutions play in the community. In 2012 group
travel to other cities and regions is likely to include trips to the
capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, the historic Viking city of York, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and the Roman site of Hadrian’s Wall.

In addition the institute will begin with a welcome dinner and
culminate with a closing party, attended by staff and students, to
celebrate the conclusion of Summer Institute.

All course content is subject to change. The information is intended
to provide an initial scope of the programme and should not be
considered final. Content will be updated as details are finalised by
Newcastle.

Support

“The host institution exceeded every expectation I had going into
the program. It is almost unbelievable how hospitable they were. I
could not imagine having a better trip. The support of the Newcastle
University International Summer School staff allowed us to feel
completely comfortable in the UK and really enjoy our time there.” 2011 participant

Students will be fully supported whilst in Newcastle by a dedicated
team of Institute and academic staff. In addition, students will have
access to Summer School Student Ambassadors who will act as peer mentors
throughout the duration of the Institute.