Tips for Graduate Enrollment Abroad (Part 1: Medical Check-Up and Preparing Your Grant Contract)

DISCLAIMER: This is supposedly much easier considering I am, unfortunately, under specific unusual circumstances, cannot deny these facts: [...] (4) The fact that my spatial knowledge about Jakarta is really poor and I deliberately exclude buses and public transport to reach necessary agencies considering that it takes much longer than hiring ojek or taxi; (5) The fact that I tried so hard not to sacrifice office hours for all preparatory matters that will be explained below; (6) The fact that I live in Indonesia.

So my story is usual difficulties ++ but it causes the excitement and story behind also ++

Transitions are always tough, and these past few months before my departure to Portland have been really, really tough for me. Although you can ensure yourself and everyone that you're excited and happy and not under pressure, you can't deny the fact that stress symptoms will show itself frequently to you in this phase. Knowing all the things that you must prepare therefore important, and more importantly, knowing the timely manner to prioritize such complicated, never ending arrangements you have to do even for an-only 10 months LL.M. programs abroad.

For Fulbright grantee, this post will only useful for those who already confirm the school. Before it, you will need to prepare: (1) How to fundraise for shortfall (if any); and (2) How to create your Bank Statement and Letter of Guarantee. Although sometimes the two are not easy as well, I refuse to write them as well. Let the individual experience tell you.

Medical Check-up

Both for visa requirement (for US Student it will be J-1 Visa requirement) and the school requirement you have no choice but doing this. This thing will require sufficient amount of energy and time, and it is better for you not to push between office break times. I myself took 5 visits to 3 different institutions because the unavailability of vaccines or test required. The more visit you make, the more energy, time, and money wasted. So, to minimize it, here are some tips:

Fulbright Medical Form: Page 4 of 7

• Make sure what kind of medical things your visa require and what your school require. Some of them will differ, i.e. specific school will require Meningitis vaccines while your visa don't, and you must satisfy both requirements;
• In medical requirement, you will normally provided forms. Try to obtain both forms and compare it, ask first to your university whether it is possible to use IIE Forms and provide additional requirements separately;
• Research the availability of requirements in the Hospitals. Call first to check! Do not go show without knowing what the hospital has. Try to get the hospital with complete packages. It is usually require: (1) General medical check-up (including eye specialist, ear-nose-throat / THT specialis); (2) TB Skin Test; (3) MMR Vaccines (1-2 doses, vary to programs); (4) DPT Vaccines; and (5) Polio Vaccines.
• Medical check-up will usually consume 1 whole day. It usually opens until afternoon in Mo-Th, and close early in Friday. My suggestion will be: call the hospital first to attempt to make appointment (although sometimes it will not work!) and come very early (like 7.30 or 8am on your intended day). If during the check certain specialist is absent and you the hospital told you to come later, persist to be checked with other available doctor. They must have it so all you need is persistence.
• Do not assume to get all vaccines in one occasion. Your doctor will not give the permission, unless she/he is totally absent-minded. Injecting vaccines is injecting alien virus to your body, and it consequently will require specific reaction until the body form its antibody. MMR will require 3-4 weeks before you can inject another vaccines, although some doctors will consent with less weeks. You can take DPT and Polio altogether. Try to take TB Skin test in your neutral time, means do not take it altogether with any vaccines. Consult your doctor and try to make appointment in advance for all the subsequent requirements.
• In some hospital, vaccines are only given in by Pediatrician Clinic. And it's a shame that some administrator will confuse themselves in facing some adults asking for vaccines. If the administrator don't understand, educate them. Tell them that it is visa requirement, and it is confirmed that they can give such vaccines to adults.
• Price does matter! Do not go to expensive hospitals like Mayapada if you don't really have budget, they charge you ultra high. Ask the price precisely every time you call.
• You better use the hospital that have had experience to take care of such requirement. First, the form will be in English. Second, you don't have to waste your time too long with some stupid, confuse front desk / receptionist. Some good records including: Fatmawati Hospital (the administrative is chaos, but it's cheap and well-experienced) but they don't have TB Skin Test; another one is MH Thamrin which also cheap and have pretty doctor and hey, they're open in Saturdays! I took the TB Skin Test in Mayapada Hospital and regret it to hell, the indiscipline internist really waste my time and even the security and receptionist seems frustrated of her.
• Check it yourself and give the completed medical form to your supervisor. Sometimes, if something is incorrect, you have to come again!
• Keep all medical prove for you to bring abroad with you later. Ask the doctor to remove the vaccine and the mantoux (TB Skin) test stickers and stick it to your medical form.
• Cost: The price is vary. My fellow in Salatiga spent much less. But please not that higher price will not guarantee higher level of satisfaction. General check-up consumes approximately 550k. MMR can consume 350k, I got punked by Mayapada's 650k's TB Skin Test (the other are approximately 300-400k), and Polio about 50k while DPT vary, the one that makes your body react with fever only for 50k or a little bit more, but the 'good reaction' cost you 150k. Please bring in mind that the price is not only for the vaccine. The price above including the doctor service, which in many case, much higher than the price of the vaccine itself.

Preparing Your Grant Contract

In Fulbright, we call it Terms of Appointment: Academic Year (ToA AY). It should be easy, you will obtain it after or during Pre-Departure Orientation, before or after you give your medical form. But, from a contracting party perspective, you really really need to pay attention to this:

Fulbright ToA: Important Sections

• Your terms of installment (Grant payment date). This is holy important and is negotiable and indeed you must, must, pay special attention to this. Check your school Deadline for tuition payment and make sure IIE make such installment before the deadline! Make sure the conditions, whether you will charged with penalty if you're late, whether your account will be suspended, etc. And make sure such payment arrangement will not put you into trouble. In some cases when you don't have any shortfall, IIE will pay directly and your allowance will be supplied on monthly basis. If your on campus housing requirement require payment in advance (of each semester), ensure you let IIE knows about this, so they will provide you the money in advance as well.
• The health insurance is mandatory, and if your school accept Fulbright's insurance, then it's nice for you and you can proceed forward waiving the school insurance which will be replaced by Fulbright's. If not, then you have to find the insurance that meet your school requirement. Usually, you will end up taking your school insurance. It will be covered by your own expense.

Next: What If You Lose Your Passport? (when your departure date is approaching)