MAIN ELEMENTS OF AN APPLICATION USA Application Process MAIN ELEMENTS OF AN APPLICATION Shilpa Menon PhD student, Anthropology University of Illinois at Chicago

USA Application Process Main elements Statement of Purpose (SoP) Letters of Recommendation Academic CV Writing Sample Exam scores: GRE, TOEFL/IELTS Transcript

USA Application Process TIMELINE

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Longlist, then shortlist Budget

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process See uni websites: GRE General Subject GRE TOEFL or IELTS

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Master draft: get input Writing sample: tweak existing work Recommenders: contact in advance, share material Tips and Info: The Professor Is In (blog)

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Tailor documents: word limits and content SoP: word limits, highlight relevant info Other statements: personal history, research proposal

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Don’t wait until the last day to upload

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Grad Café: forum for grad students

USA Application Process Timeline Month(s) Task(s) June-August Register for exams; begin preparation Shortlist Mail faculty and students June-September Write exams September-October SoP master draft Writing sample Recommenders October-November Prepare separate application packets and drafts December-January Application deadlines; portals close February-March Admit decisions; check Grad Cafe May-June Start Visa application process Be in touch with programme coordinator and adviser

Some External Funding Options Inlaks Scholarships Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships (for Masters in certain disciplines; an option for Masters-integrated PhD programmes) Wenner Gren Wadsworth International Fellowships (Anthropology) AAUW International Fellowships: American Association for University Women