BAEF Fellowship awarded to Sébastien Wilmet

Congratulations to Sébastien Wilmet, PhD student in finance working with James Thewissen, on receiving a BAEF Fellowship!

Awarded to around sixty (PhD) students each year in Belgium, this highly selective scholarship will fund a one-year research stay at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, Sébastien will continue his work on organisational changes and corporate reporting.

Each year, the Belgian American Educational Foundation (BAEF) supports more than 65 Belgian students and researchers in pursuing their studies or research projects at leading universities and research centres in the United States.

In the interview below, Sébastien shares his experience and advice for future applicants.

What motivated you to apply for a BAEF fellowship for your upcoming visiting stay in the USA?

I applied for a BAEF fellowship because it represents a unique opportunity to strengthen international research collaborations and to immerse myself in a highly stimulating academic environment in the U.S.

For my PhD project, it allows me to interact with leading scholars in finance and accounting, receive feedback on my ongoing research, and further expand my academic network.

Beyond the academic benefits, I was also motivated by the opportunity to experience a different research culture and gain exposure to new methodologies and perspectives. The BAEF fellowship makes this type of international mobility financially and logistically feasible.

How would you describe the application process?

The application process is serious and well structured, but overall very manageable. It requires some preparation to put together a clear and coherent application package, but it is not excessively time-consuming if you plan ahead.

You need to prepare a solid research proposal, secure recommendation letters, and clearly explain the added value of the stay for your academic development. This mostly involves articulating your project in a focused way and showing how the visit fits into your broader research trajectory.

The most challenging part is usually the interview in front of the selection jury, which consists of around thirteen professors. This step is more demanding and definitely worth preparing carefully, as it requires presenting your project clearly and answering questions confidently.

Fortunately, UCLouvain offers support to help candidates get ready for this interview, including a dedicated preparation session. It is also possible to seek advice from professors who have previously served on the jury, which can be extremely helpful. Overall, with a bit of anticipation and good preparation, the process can be completed smoothly.

What does the BAEF fellowship cover?

The BAEF fellowship provides substantial financial support to make the research stay possible. It covers:

• A stipend intended to cover living expenses during the stay, including accommodation and flights.
• Health insurance coverage

What advice would you give to colleagues who are considering applying for a BAEF fellowship?

A few key pieces of advice:

1. Start early. Give yourself enough time to refine your research proposal and gather all required documents. A rushed application is easy to spot.
2. Be very clear about the fit. Clearly explain why this specific host institution and supervisor are the right match for your project. Show that the collaboration is meaningful and not generic.
3. Tell a coherent story. Your CV, research proposal, and motivation should form a consistent narrative about who you are as a researcher and where you are heading.
4. Prepare actively for the interview. Do not hesitate to make full use of the support offered by UCLouvain to prepare for the oral interview. Even though I could not attend the dedicated preparation session myself, the advice and guidance shared from it were extremely useful to better understand what to expect and how to structure the discussion.
   It is also a great idea to contact professors who have previously served on the jury. Their insights into what the committee expects and how the interview typically unfolds can make a real difference in how confidently and strategically you approach this key step.
5. Be clear and precise during the interview. During the interview, it is essential to clearly explain why this specific host university is the right place for your project. The committee wants to understand what makes this fellowship particularly important for you: the expertise of certain professors, the research environment, the seminars, the methodological strengths, or the unique academic fit with your topic. Showing that your choice is well motivated, and that this is something you could not achieve in the same way in Belgium, strengthens your application significantly.

In addition, it is important to avoid being too vague. The jury appreciates clear, structured, and concrete answers. When discussing your project, explain precisely what you will do during the stay, which paper you will focus on, what analyses you plan to run, who you intend to collaborate with, and what you expect to produce by the end of the visit.

If a question is asked, answer directly and concisely. Being specific, well-structured, and demonstrating a strong fit with the host institution shows that your project is mature, realistic, and carefully planned.