The Fulbright FLTA Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). As part of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, the Fulbright FLTA Program is designed to develop Americans’ knowledge of foreign cultures and languages by supporting teaching assistantships in over 30 languages at hundreds of U.S. institutions of higher education. The program offers educators from over 50 countries the opportunity to develop their professional skills and gain first-hand knowledge of the U.S., its culture and its people.
U.S. campuses enhance their teaching of languages and expose students to a true understanding of people of different nations. Like the more than 1,800 Foreign Fulbright Fellows that enter U.S. academic programs each year, Fulbright FLTAs apply to the program through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy in their home countries. The Institute of International Education (IIE) arranges academic placement for most Fulbright FLTA nominees and supervises participants during their stay in the United States.
Eligibility Requirements
All Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) program applicants must be nominated by a U.S. Embassy or a Fulbright Commission; independent applicants do not qualify. You are eligible to participate in the Fulbright FLTA program if you:
- Reside in the country of nomination at the time of application
- Possess the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelor’s degree with a good academic record; Master’s degrees are highly desirable at many institutions
- Are an early career teacher of English or training to become a teacher of English, or are an early career educator in a related field; prior teaching experience is preferred
- Have a sincere interest in teaching your native language and culture to students in the U.S.
- Are fluent in English, as demonstrated by a recent score of no less than 550 (Paper Based TOEFL), 79-80 (Internet Based TOEFL – IBT), or 6.0 (Overall Score International English Language Testing System – IELTS); test scores can be submitted to IIE by indicating the institutional code 2326 on the day of the test
- Are able to work creatively and be self-reliant while being willing to work cooperatively as part of a team with faculty, staff, and students
- Are flexible and have a willingness to learn
- Are adaptable to living in rural or urban areas
- Clearly demonstrate maturity, dependability, integrity, and professionalism
- Do not hold U.S. citizenship; dual citizens are not eligible for the program participation
Benefits
- Will be up to 20 hours per week in various educational activities designated by the Supervisor.
- Will include the opportunity to take two courses per semester on an audit or credit basis, that is beneficial to their teaching career, as determined in consultation with the Supervisor.
- One course taken during the year must be in U.S. studies.
- If selected for participation in the Fulbright FLTA Program, you will have the opportunity to spend one academic year sharing your culture and language with American students by supporting an existing language program or helping to establish a new one on a U.S. university or college campus.
- FLTA duties vary widely from institution to institution – some FLTAs are expected to teach language courses on their own with minimal in-class supervision, while others may be much more involved in extracurricular support of established language programs such as leading conversation groups, participating in community events or lectures, working in language laboratories, or contributing to language materials development.
In addition to duties as a teaching assistant, all FLTAs are required to participate in coursework. This provides an opportunity to increase your understanding of topics related to your personal and professional goals, increase your English proficiency, as well as allowing you the opportunity to benefit from the cultural exchange inherent in sharing ideas with American students within a classroom setting.
The Fulbright FLTA grant is one academic year (approximately 9-10 months) non-renewable opportunity. The program is non-degre
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