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Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

U.S. Fulbright Applicant
Newsletter

Issue 19 | June 2008

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships
table of contents

 Program Updates

Find Your Campus Fulbright Program Adviser


If you are currently enrolled at a U.S. institution, your campus Fulbright Program Adviser is available to assist you in applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Click here to select a U.S. State (or territory) to find your campus Fulbright Program Adviser.



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De-Mystifying Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships (ETA)

by Jody Dudderar, Assistant Director, Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright program has offered opportunities for U.S. students to serve as English teachers and teaching assistants at schools, colleges and universities abroad for many years. In recent years, countries offering ETA programs have grown from a handful to 32 for the 2009-2010 competition. Since you may only apply to one country and one program, it is important to select carefully based on your educational and career goals, academic background and preparation, language proficiency, and geographic interests.

For example, ETAs in Asia are placed primarily in elementary and secondary schools. Knowledge of the host country language at the time of application is not required. ETAs in South America will be working with university and adult students, and must have proficiency in the host country language. In Europe, the programs and prerequisites vary widely.

Applicants are advised to carefully read the pertinent 'Participating Country Summary' to understand the nature of each program and specific requirements. You should make certain that your 'Statement of Grant Purpose' very clearly states the following: why you have chosen a particular program and country, what your relevant experience, training and skills are, and what you expect to contribute to and gain from an ETA experience.

Most ETA programs expect that grantees will engage in an independent academic, vocational, or community service activities. You should briefly describe what you would like to do in the 'Statement of Grant Purpose.' Since applicants will not know exactly where they will be located in the host country, this statement is not expected to be detailed, nor should you attempt to forge an affiliation at this stage. You simply need to indicate the activities that you intend to pursue outside of the ETA responsibilities, and why you have chosen this/these activities for the country to which you are applying.

Finally, a few tips for choosing a country and preparing your Statement:

  • Beware of the competition statistics. Some ETA programs are only a year or two old and, therefore, may not have received applications or much publicity in the previous year. In addition, the number of applications for ETA programs has doubled in the last two years, a reflection of the growth in the number of countries participating. Given this, you can not reliably predict the number of applications for this competition based on last year's numbers.
  • Supplementary grant activities. If you have a very specific proposal for study or research, you may wish to consider the full grant option, since in the ETA program, you will not be able to choose where you will be placed. Furthermore, successful ETAs are those who first and foremost value the experience of working in an educational environment.
  • Prior experience or training in teaching. This may be required or strongly preferred in some countries, and not particularly relevant in others. Read the 'Participating Country Summary' and speak to an IIE Program Manager when in doubt.
  • Extensive experience or training in teaching. Remember, this is a Student Fellowship. Persons with university-level teaching experience or more than four years of teaching in schools and persons who have completed a master's degree in TESOL or a related field may be overqualified for this program. If you fit into one of these categories and have specific reasons why you feel you would benefit from a Student ETA Fellowship, then be sure to express this clearly in your Statement. Contact an IIE Program Manager if you have questions.


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Fulbright Videos on YouTube


Videos featuring interviews with Fulbright Commission Directors and Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni are now available on YouTube. Click here to view videos and subscribe.

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Student Perspective on Establishing a Host Affiliation

by Minerva Sanchez, 2004-2005, Poland

"You never forget when you move to another place," my mother used to tell me. I find this adage to remain true. As with selecting any place to relocate to, one must learn everything about a new home. I can recall the extensive research I did when I decided which school to attend for my undergraduate degree. I analyzed every school appropriate for my major based on its U.S. location, admissions requirements, size (overall student body and class), cost, application deadline, comparison of applications versus acceptance rates, setting (rural or urban), type of institution (public or private), predicted graduation rate versus actual graduation rate, etc. As you might guess, I did not forget the experience of researching where I would be moving when I finally selected my undergraduate university.

Years later, when it came to completing my Fulbright application, I experienced déjà vu; only this time, it was not quite as overwhelming. With the possibility of undertaking a Fulbright grant in one of 140 countries, it was inspiring to consider my options! With my enthusiasm under control, I began focusing on where I would see myself living for the next year, and conducting research on my interests.

Minerva Sanchez 
Minerva Sanchez, 2004-2005, Poland
 
Based on my experience of selecting which undergraduate university would be best for me, I put my skills to work. For some time, I had been following the accession of ten new countries into the European Union (E.U.) in May 2004. The E.U. had grown from six countries to fifteen since 1951, and was preparing for its fifth, largest round of expansion with the addition of ten countries from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. It was argued that the prospect of Poland’s membership to the E.U. would allow the country to play a role of regional leader again by taking important political and economic initiatives. Poland had arguably demonstrated the importance of its strategic geographic location with the examples of the expedited, democratic changes within Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and perestroika in Russia. These democratic changes first appeared in Poland and had a domino effect across the rest of the continent. With my passionate interest in Poland, I began concentrating my efforts on establishing a host affiliation there.

Since organized crime is my specific area of interest, I searched which professors throughout Poland had published on this topic. Then, as luck would have it, I met one of the professors who is considered a guru on organized crime - particularly drug smuggling - at my U.S. university during a special guest lecture. I was able to track him down via the Internet, and send him an email about my proposed research. Later, I called him and we had a detailed conversation. After several phone conversations, email and fax exchanges, he sent me a formal letter agreeing to the following conditions: sponsoring my research, providing me with office space, arranging dorm housing, and attending some classes. I was also able to obtain another letter of support from a Polish National Police officer, who was on leave.



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Fulbright Podcasts on iTunes


We are now producing two types of podcasts which will be available on iTunes during the summer:

Applicant Podcast: Schuyler Allen and Tony Claudino host interviews on how to complete a successful Fulbright application; these podcasts are currently available.

My Fulbright Life: These podcasts, available this coming summer, will feature interviews with current Fulbrighters talking about their projects and experiences overseas. Check iTunes regularly for updates.



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Send Us Your Question


If you have thoroughly reviewed the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website and have not found the answer to your question, click here to send us your question. You will receive a reply via email from one of our Program Managers.

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