For anyone who wants to teach abroad or conduct research abroad, the US Fulbright Program provides a ton of various opportunities to apply for. From part-time teaching assistant work to faculty research, there’s a program for any educator in any place in their career. You’ll find opportunities to go abroad anywhere in the world excluding North America. You may even be able to go study just to become more fluent in the languages you teach in the US. Read on to discover which program is the best fit for you!
Read 5 Affordable Ways to Travel Abroad in 2024 for more opportunities like this.
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program
Countries Served
- East Asia-Pacific: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam
- Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
- Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia
- South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’lvoire, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia
- Western Hemisphere: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
Read more about each country’s program opportunities at us.fulbrightonline.org.
Program Details
Out of all the teacher programs for travel abroad on this list, the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program is probably the most well-known. Established in 1946, it is absolutely prestigious and even supported by the United States Department of State. Safe to say you won’t be getting scammed by them during the application process. If you get accepted, this teach abroad opportunity is almost guaranteed to be backed up by the U.S. government in the area of safety.
The goal of this teach abroad program is to promote cultural exchange and international understanding between all nations of the world. Accepted applicants get the to be part of this bigger project as they teach in schools across the world. Many institutions consider the program to be valuable professional experience, so you’ll want to include this on your future resume after completing the program. The program lasts from six months all the way to one year, depending on the location.
Applicants have the flexibility to select their preferred location and apply based on their personal interests and career goals. There are over fifty countries to choose from, so take the time to research each country online before you apply! Typically, you will be required to teach abroad between ten and thirty hours each week (depending on location). Find more details at exchanges.state.gov.
Application Requirements
There are seven unique categories to the ETA Program application, so get started early. For example, if the application is due in October, I recommend you begin crafting your Summary of Proposal in March. Then you’ll plan to teach abroad the following summer or upcoming school year.
Writing
First, you’ll need to submit basic personal information and write two statements: “Summary of the Proposal” and “Host Country Engagement”. Both have a 1750-character limit. You must also write about your “Plans Upon Return to the U.S.”, which has a 850-character limit.
Next, you’ll need to write a “Statement of Grant Purpose” and a “Personal Statement”. Both must be one page long and have to remain single-spaced. This adds up to about 500 words per statement. Not too bad!
Total required writing: 5,350 words (just under 11 pages)
Language Proficiency
In addition to the writing portions, you will need to show proof that you meet the language standards for the country you want to teach abroad in. Most areas only require English proficiency, but some also require knowledge of the host country’s language as well.
Recommendations
In order to be considered for the Fulbright ETA Program, you will need three recommendation letters from people who can speak on your ability to teach English abroad. Plan to give your recommenders two months to write and submit their letters.
Transcripts
You’ll need to submit all transcripts from every institution attended after high school. This includes all undergraduate programs, masters programs, and beyond. Don’t forget to consider an additional certifications or studies completed outside of a university – those count as well!
You can find more details on each part of the application at us.fulbrightonline.org.
Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars
Countries Served
The host countries for the Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars vary each year. One country will be chosen for each category: grades K-8, grades 9-12, and postsecondary educators. For example, the 2024 destinations were Finland, Thailand, and Colombia. In other words, you will not get a choice on where you go for the summer.
Program Details
This program accepts teachers from every area of education. From K-14 (and beyond), you can apply to the Fulbright-Hays Program. They accept teachers, administrators, pre-doctoral students and also postdoctoral faculty. Typically, this program occurs each summer, but you can also participate in research that lasts up to 12 months abroad. Most teacher programs for travel abroad last at least one year, but a huge benefit of this opportunity is that you might not have to worry about missing work! Most school districts or institutions will likely support your desire to get this experience under your belt. Being a Fulbright Scholar adds quite a bit of value to your resume and there whatever school you work for afterwards as well.
Each institution must employ a project director to submit all applications and disperse funds should any applicants be selected. Typically, the project director is someone in the office of Student Affairs or Graduate Studies. To identify the project director at your institution, read pages 31-33 on the 2024 FRA Applicant Instructions document.
Fulbright-Hays Program Sub-Categories
There are four categories you can pick from when applying to be a Fulbright-Hays fellow. The Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad program is meant for doctoral candidates who wish to conduct research abroad for six to 12 months. The Faculty Research Abroad program provides an opportunity for faculty to maintain and improve their knowledge by researching abroad for three to 12 months. The Seminars Abroad program is designed to allow a short-term event for educators specifically in the area of social sciences and humanities. Lastly, the Group Projects Abroad program allows a group of educators to apply together to complete training, research, or develop curriculum abroad.
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
The Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) program is meant for doctoral candidates who want to research abroad. More specifically, the program seeks out people who have an interest in bringing the knowledge of foreign languages and foreign studies back to the United States. Read on to find out if you are eligible to apply!
Applicant Requirements
In order to eligible for the DDRA program, you need to meet four basic criteria. First, you need to be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a permanent resident. You’ll also need to be a graduate student at a higher education organization, or alternatively, part of a doctoral degree program. You need to be studying modern foreign language and area studies by the time the program starts, as well.
In order to make the most of your research, Fulbright-Hays also requires that you have the advanced foreign language skills necessary to conduct whatever research is proposed for this program. Lastly, you need to have plans to become a teacher in the United States after completing your doctoral degree. (A big part of this application is convincing Fulbright-Hays that you truly intend to become a teacher in the U.S. and that you want to spend your career using the knowledge you will gain during this highly-valuable time abroad!)
Application Information
You will need to submit your applications through your home institution, which they will enter into the G5 grants system. You can also check ed.gov for consistent updates on when the applications are due each year. Typically, applications open in January and are due around March. In addition, the International and Foreign Language Education YouTube Channel provides a ton of information on not only how to apply, but also what to expect when participating in this program.
When proposing a dissertation research project, you may suggest anything from six months to one year in length. You can choose anywhere in the world to study, but the program prefers to avoid any locations already heavily influenced by western culture. You are also allowed to propose research in multiple countries for one project.
After applications close in March, you can expect to receive a response anywhere between April and September.
Past Statistics
The DDRA program funds around 100 awards each year. The average fellowship award is funded for $38,000. As of 2020, there have been 45 different countries visited through this program. The top countries visited are India, Mexico, and Turkey. The top languages studied in are Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese. The most popular area of study was anthropology, followed by history and art history. Don’t be afraid to apply for other areas and languages, however. Programs like the Fulbright Hays DDRA love increasing their international impact by reaching as many various communities as possible.
Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad
Calling all higher education faculty members! As you are searching for ways to teach abroad, the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) program may convince you to consider a slightly different approach. If you have a passion for teaching any other subject besides English (or other university-level topics), this may be the best option for you! Instead of spending the entirety of your time teaching abroad, why not consider research? With the FRA program, you’ll have a greater chance to conduct academic research that will improve your abilities to teach anything at university level- not just English. Research trips are limited to periods between three and 12 months in length.
Applicant Requirements
The basic requirements for applications are similar to most other Fulbright programs. You must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States America. However, the most important distinction is that you need to be employed by a college, university, technical or business school.
The more your research topic relates to the subjects you teach, the better. Ideally, the foreign language and culture(s) you will be studying will align with the subject material you plan to teach for at least two years after the completion of the program. Applicants must submit a research proposal explaining the research they’d like to do and how it will align with their future plans. In addition, applicants must already be skilled enough in the proposed foreign language to conduct the research successfully.
Application Information
When constructing your proposal, make it a priority to construct clear objectives that are easy to measure. You must develop a simple and effective way to gather data and report on your achievements during and even after the research is complete. Consider the stakeholders who will judge your proposal and what they will expect you to achieve. It will also be advantageous to you to create a realistic timeline of when you can expect to make progress towards your goals. Your institution of employment should be able to provide some resources that will help you develop a detailed plan.
Typically, you can submit your applications anytime from February until the end of April. You must submit your application through the institution of higher education that your currently are employed with, and they will send it in for you to the G5 grants system. Learn more about how to apply at ed.gov. There is also a detailed instructions guide on pages 35-37 on the 2024 FRA Applicant Instructions document.
Past Statistics
The FRA program funds all international travel and baggage fees, as well as travel within the host country. Dependents are not covered. You will receive an “allowance” similar to your typical salary for one academic year. They will also cover whatever research materials you need, within reason. In the past, the program has accepted research proposals concerning the following areas of study: anthropology, political science, foreign language and literature, history: area studies, and women’s studies. Past fellows have been sent all around the world, from Kyrgyzstan to Panama, Russia, China, Nigeria, and many more.
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad
The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program is a subset of Fulbright-Hays. There are also 4 sub-categories that you should consider when applying – most of which provide many opportunities study rather than teach abroad. Your group can apply for a short-term seminar, short-term curriculum development, short-term group research, or the (long-term) intensive language project overseas. Read on to discover which program is the best fit for you and your team.
Short-Term Seminars
The short-term seminars are designed to help your team incorporate international studies into pre-existing curricula. The project will usually be one and a half months in length. In addition, there will be a specific focus on one aspect of a culture or language. Both K-12 educators and postsecondary educators can apply. During the short-term seminar, there will be opportunities to gain extensive knowledge on a specific area or culture. You and your team may be able to visit historic sites and interact with local experts. The overall objective is to gain invaluable knowledge on topics that can then be passed down to your students after returning to the United States. In the past, the average short term project was awarded $132,474.
Short-Term Curriculum Development
The short-term curriculum development project is not exactly what is sounds like. After forming a team of teachers and/or administrators, Fulbright-Hays will send you on a month-long trip to gather research materials. It’s amazing to think you would be encouraged to travel across the world to gather documents, artifacts, and instructional materials, but it’s true! After your team finishes their trip, they bring everything back to the United States for use. After the project is over, then your team (and others) will disperse the resources and/or utilize them in developing new curriculum. The Department of Education has declared that funding for short-term projects usually lies between $50,000 and $180,000.
Short-Term Group Research
Although the group research trips are typically longer than the other short-term projects, they still don’t count as “long-term”. A group research trip will last from 12 weeks all the way up to 1 and a half years. The length of the project depends on the requirements for the research. Some projects, for example, may require completing research in multiple different countries. When creating your research proposal, make sure to provide a detailed plan of operation and a very specific budget. Consider the possible funding ($180,000 max) and your time limit (18 months) and what you hope to achieve as a team.
Long-Term Intensive Language Training Overseas
You won’t teach abroad during this training project, but you will be taught! This advanced language project is designed to fully immerse you in a foreign language for up to 12 months. Before applying, you must have already completed two years of training in your chosen foreign language. The language must be indigenous to the host country. In addition, Fulbright-Hays makes it a priority to utilize local educational institutions and personal as much as possible. You will be taught the language at the advanced level, which explains why you must already have two years of lessons under your belt. You must also have plans to teach using this language for at least two years after completing the program.
Visit ed.gov for more information on any of the Group Projects Abroad. Best of luck for your applications!
