The following are some sample essays for applying for a Fulbright scholarship. This Fulbright essay example is gathered from great people like you. They are great because they dare to try and are willing to share. For the essay example of personal statement, please check here: Fulbright Scholarship Essay Tips (part 2).
Study Objective (1)
I want to pursue a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Courses that I am especially interested in are Curriculum Design and Language Teaching Methodology. This degree is relevant to my educational background – A bachelor’s degree in English language and literature – and my current profession as a teaching assistant at Hasanuddin University and Muhammadiyah University. I am confident that a master’s degree will enhance my academic qualifications and help me gain professional development to become a full-time lecturer soon.
My experience as a teaching assistant and various English tutor positions are my most valuable assets in pursuing a master’s degree in TESOL. I will also contribute to the coursework that I will undertake by sharing my experiences teaching English as a foreign language in Indonesia.
My skills and interest in TESOL have been further improved upon by the seminar and workshop that I participated in. As for study commitment, I believe my distinction as the best university graduate with a 3.99 GPA is a testament to my commitment to excel academically.
Firstly, I need to undertake my master’s degree in the US because I would like to be immersed in a different learning atmosphere. I also want to challenge myself to continue my studies in the United States and gain a more comprehensive knowledge of its cultural values. As a teacher of English as a foreign language, I believe that knowledge about the culture of an English-speaking country is fundamental as culture is an inseparable component of understanding a language. There is a need to share those cultural aspects with the students through designing a curriculum to combine language and culture learning. Hopefully, the students would be able to use the language in the appropriate cultural context and appreciate and respect foreign cultural values.
Furthermore, by continuing my studies in the US, there will be many opportunities to attend famous international TESOL conferences that are often held in the US. I will gain insight into current trends in English language teaching, connect with experts in TESOL, and learn from their research.
Upon returning to Indonesia with my master’s degree in TESOL, I hope to teach a broader range of courses. At Hasanuddin University, the Faculty of Letters is planning to open a stream specifically for students interested in becoming English teachers as a foreign language. Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah University plans to start international classes in Teacher Training and Education. Both programs will make good use of the knowledge that I acquire in the US. Training teaching assistants will also be one of my goals. From my experience, the teaching assistant’s role in the university has never been given adequate acknowledgment.
I also intend to continue helping out the Lentera Negeri community, which helps make English language education available for less fortunate students. In the end, the chance given to me to continue my studies in the US would benefit me and help ensure the future development of Indonesian students and aspiring English language teachers.
Study Objective (2)
I am interested in studying for a master’s degree in English language and literature in the United States. The concentration within the field is Composition and Rhetoric. It is relevant to my educational background—Bachelor’s degree in English language and literature—and to the needs of the college where I am currently working. A master’s degree program will provide me with more in-depth learning and advanced training to have the expertise I need inside and outside the academic world. Indeed, a master’s degree will enhance my academic qualifications and help me gain professional development as an English lecturer in STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat. In STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat, I teach English subjects. The subjects are Writing I (Paragraph development) and Writing II (Essay writing), Translation I (English-Indonesian translation) and Translation II (Indonesian-English translation), Cross-Cultural Understanding, Speaking III (Speech), and English Correspondence.
Recently, I have a plan to teach other subjects, such as Introduction to Literature, Reading Comprehension, Public Speaking, and Academic Writing. Since I do not possess a master’s degree, the chances of realizing the plan are still out of reach. Therefore, a master’s degree program in English language and literature will surely improve my knowledge base in those subjects to realize the plan mentioned above.
In the master’s degree program, I will focus my study on Composition and Rhetoric. This is because the college needs lecturers who have academic skills and experience in writing or rhetorical situations. The future objective is to accomplish my master’s degree program; I will take responsibility as an English lecturer whose specialization is writing. Besides, I will be involved as a member of the editorial board in the research unit of the college. The unit’s task is checking and revising the language of research articles before they are published in academic journals.
The head of the English department and Chairperson of the college have encouraged me to pursue a master’s degree by focusing on composition and rhetoric in English. They officially want me to serve as one of the trainers in the Professional Teacher Education (PTE) program in 2011 to teach subjects related to Writing in the college. The program itself is conducted under the regulation of the Directorate of Higher Education of Indonesia. Therefore, I need to understand composition and rhetoric to be admitted as a trainer in the program.
I want to obtain a master’s degree in English language and literature in the United States because it is an English-speaking country and has an excellent reputation for the quality of education. Studying English in the United States can help me acquire greater fluency in the English language, which, in turn, will help my future students. After completing my study, I will better understand English as a research field and a communicative tool when I come back to Indonesia. In addition, I will appreciate the cultural values of daily life in the United States. These values, then, can be shared with my students in the college to help them better understand the importance of cross-cultural understanding.
An additional thing that I want to learn in the United States is to know and understand how American students learn in their classes. In this case, I would love to share the knowledge of Indonesian cultures with students in the United States. This activity will positively contribute to my personal experience as a lecturer. This kind of experience is rewarding for me. I want to apply the positive sides that I have seen in the United States to my STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat students.
Conducting research dealing with students’ ability in composing academic writing and sharing a well-shaped concept of English and American cultures with my students will benefit them in their university lives and the future. I also hope to enhance and promote the future or long-term objectives of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat, one of Indonesia’s critical educational assets. In the end, a Fulbright scholarship will help me ensure the future development of Indonesia’s students and teachers.
Study Objective (3)
Infrastructure is a primary driver for the economic growth of a nation. As a developing country, Indonesia is upgrading its infrastructure development and equitably expanding it to reduce the Eastern and Western Indonesia gap. Located in a complex geological condition urges geotechnical engineering to be conducted as an essential part of preliminary study for civil engineering works in Indonesia to prevent construction failure. While earning a bachelor’s degree in the Department of Geological Engineering Universitas Gadjah Mada, I focused my study on environmental geology. Geotechnics became one of the elective subjects. Having a piece of sound knowledge in understanding ground conditions and predicting potential geological hazards is the strength of a geologist. I decide to pursue a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering, particularly in underground construction and tunneling.
As a result of my excellent academic, I was chosen to participate in Indonesia Geology Olympiad 2014 as a leader of the engineering geology and hydrogeology team. It was a valuable chance to enhance my knowledge, especially slope stability. I obtained real experience by joining a community development service in 2013, empowering people to mitigate landslides in the area. It became a pioneer of landslide mitigation in Kandangserang, Pekalongan, which was then followed by installing an early warning system (EWS) in the next year.
I constantly challenge myself to study other topics of geotechnical engineering. I am currently working as a research assistant on a GEOCAP project looking at geomechanics in a geothermal reservoir. Although I have learned many topics, underground construction and tunneling have always attracted my interest. I believe it is projected as a future technology in Indonesia, especially in overcoming traffic congestion. However, research related to this has not been well developed yet. Studying this topic in a developed country with sophisticated construction technology will improve my theoretical and technical skills.
Although I have never traveled to the US, I have explored the quality of geotechnical engineering in the US by reading the textbook. Most fundamental books in geotechnical engineering come from US universities, making the US a house of dreams for people who want to advance their knowledge in this study. Furthermore, a great chance of a professional career as a geotechnical engineer enables me to gain practical experience by taking an internship. Excellent academic research and professional career will be a perfect combination of experience I will obtain from the US.
Continuing my study abroad will broaden my horizon and enhance my competitiveness in facing the ASEAN Economic Community and other global communities. Upon completing my master’s degree in geotechnical engineering, I hope to contribute to research and the academic sector. Lecturers in my department, mainly those who teach engineering geology and geotechnical engineering, earned their postgraduate degrees in Japan, Australia, and Europe. It might be the time to bring experience from the US.
Being a Fulbright awardee will open my way in connecting joint research between US universities and my department. In addition, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (KemenPU-PERA), plans to open the first tunnel engineering program in Indonesia. It would be a good chance to implement my knowledge and upgrade the quality of geotechnics research, which still becomes the second priority in my department.
Study Objective (4)
As a policy advocate, I have been involved in Public Health campaigns and policy advocacy for more than five years. As a cycle of policy advocacy, I have done many important things, such as conducting policy research, writing a policy brief, and lobbying the government accordingly. As a tobacco control advocate, I have developed National TobaccoControl Roadmap, which is considered a crucial milestone in tobacco control advocacy in Indonesia.
Engaging with stakeholders and interacting with policymakers is dynamic and demands a broader perspective, knowledge, and skills. I am aware that I need to improve theoretical and practical exposure, which can benefit me in holding my responsibility. Specifically, I want to improve my understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I also want to improve my capacity to develop, advocate, and evaluate policy and enhance skills in technical policy analysis such as cost-benefit analysis, the survey of population problems, and so forth.
The United States’ tertiary education offers high-quality programs. It provides broader and new insights through the latest theory, trends, and advanced research that could enhance my theoretical and conceptual understanding of the development issue. The States abundance of best practices and experiences in developing public policy, specifically in light of tobacco control policy, will equip me to influence the policymaking process. Furthermore, living in a multicultural society will also give me an international perspective. It will furnish me with a broader knowledge of its cultural values.
Therefore I would like to pursue a master’s degree in public policy, which combines a theoretical and practical approach. Alternatively master of development will also fulfill my need to enhance my academic qualification and help me to gain more credibility in my professional development. I believe that academic exposure and the environment in the United States can provide what I need.
Upon completion of my study, there are two main things I want to do. First, I want to play a pivotal role in the Health Council of Muhammadiyah to mobilize the network in Muhammadiyah and other civil societies to implement the SDGs agenda. Indonesia failed to achieve some goals. Millennium Development Goals taught me that civil society ownership of the development agenda is crucial. Second, I will take a role within a world health organization to gain international influence regarding public health and development issues.
I am confident that the opportunity given to me to continue my studies in the US will enhance my capacity to take more roles and contribute to Indonesia as a developing country.
