Written by: Izzah Zaheer
In March 2022, I received my acceptance letter for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Belgium. I was thrilled for the opportunity to spend almost a year in Belgium working at a French-speaking university. However, before arriving in Belgium, there were many logistics that I needed to handle. The pre-departure planning can be overwhelming, so I wanted to walk through my personal experience.
Visa: Start Early
Likely for any Fulbright program, you will need to fill out a visa application. The exact type of application will depend whether you are working or doing research, but it is necessary to do the research to know what forms are required. For example, I was required to complete an FBI background check with fingerprints and a medical form that needed to be notarized and apostilled. My advice is to start as early as possible since the consulates can be very particular concerning the necessary documents. In fact, my application got rejected three times before finally going through with the help of my Fulbright commission!
Opening a Bank Account: Begin Before You Arrive
Wherever you go for your Fulbright, you will likely need to open a local bank account to receive payments from your respective commission. I recommend you get started by downloading the Wise App and you will be able to open accounts in the currency you need and receive a Wise debit card. I would also recommend trying to open a bank account with the local bank as there are certain businesses that might not accept the Wise card. Personally, I opened an account in both a local bank and Wise account in order to transfer money to my US account with little fees and used my credit card to build points.
Finding an Apartment: Start the Process
If you are lucky, your Fulbright program may have a place ready for you when you arrive. However, many programs, including mine, required me to look for my own housing. In my personal experience, I spent many days (and nights) of the summer scouring housing Facebook pages for Brussels as well as messaging people constantly. I would recommend reaching out as well as trying to set up visits for when you arrive. However, many people may not prioritize you if they can not meet you in person. Additionally, it is beneficial to see the apartments in person because trust me: pictures can still hide a lot.
These are the three main priorities that you should have on your to-do list prior to departing on your Fulbright. This process can be stressful, so never be afraid to ask your commission questions and lean on your fellow cohort members.
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