Fulbright Grants for English Teaching Assistantship*
| Initial Bowdoin Deadline: | September 23, 2009 (noon) |
| Campus Interview: | September 25 & 29 and October 1 & 2, 2009 |
| Final Bowdoin Deadline: | October 15, 2009 (noon) |
| Web site: | www.iie.org/fulbright |
| Campus Contact: | Cindy Stocks, Director of Student Fellowships and Research |
Description.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills. In most cases, English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grantees are placed in schools or universities outside of the capital cities. They are assigned various activities designed to strengthen English language instruction by establishing a native-speaker presence and to improve their students’ language abilities and knowledge of the United States. At the same time, U.S. participants will gain from intensive cross-cultural interaction and international education and/or conduct community work while increasing their own language skills and knowledge of the host country. Please see the relevant “Participating Country Summary” on the Fulbright website for details on placements, responsibilities and opportunities for research or coursework. All ETA affiliations will be made by the appropriate Fulbright office in the host country. Approximately 600 awards are made in over 40 countries.
Benefits.
English Teaching Assistantship grantees will be provided with round-trip transportation; maintenance for the academic year; supplemental health and accident coverage; tuition assistance, in some case; and language or orientation programs, where appropriate.
Eligibility.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application.
- Applicants must hold a B.A. degree or the equivalent before the start of the grant.
- Applicants must be in good health. Grantees will be required to submit a satisfactory Medical Certificate of Health from a physician.
- The language requirements vary greatly by country. Applicants should review the applicable country profile to ensure their written and spoken language skills are sufficient.
- Preference will be given to those applicants who have undertaken their higher education primarily at educational institutions in the U.S. Foreign study during junior year or other periods of undergraduate study that are integral parts of the American institutions will not be considered a disadvantage.
- Preference will be given to those applicants who have not resided or studied in the country to which they are applying for more than six months.
Bowdoin’s Internal Selection Process. Please note that the Fulbright application must be created online.
By the “Initial Bowdoin Deadline” (see above), please bring to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research six collated packets of the following materials:
- Printouts of the online forms. Complete and print out the following forms from the Fulbright ETA online application. Click on the “Preview” button and then print the applicable forms (do not “Submit” your application):
- Forms 1 – 3 Basic Data
- Form 4 Student Record Form
- Form 5 Statement of Grant Purpose (one typed, single-spaced page)
- Form 6 Personal Statement (one typed, single-spaced page)
- Form 7 Language Background Report **
- Form 7A Critical Language Enhancement Award Supplementary Form **
- Unofficial transcript (print off of Bearings)
In addition to the above:
- If applicable, Form 8, the Foreign Language Evaluation. Applicants must enter their language evaluator’s name and email address into the online application well in advance of the deadline. This triggers the online system to send an email with instructions to the evaluator. The evaluator must 1) complete the form online; 2) print, sign, and place the form in a sealed envelope to be given to the applicant; and 3) electronically submit the form.
- Three recommendation forms. Applicants must not enter recommenders’ names or email addresses into the online application at this time. Applicants should complete the top portion of the ETA Reference Form (click to download) and then email it to their recommenders well in advance of the deadline. By the Initial Bowdoin Deadline, each recommender must email the completed document to Sarita Benoit at sbenoit@bowdoin.edu.
Bowdoin is required to rate all Bowdoin applicants (scale is from 1 - 4; 1 = exceptional, 4 = not recommended); this is accomplished through a brief interview. If all of the above materials are submitted on time, you will be scheduled for a campus interview. Once the interview is complete, it is your responsibility to continue revising and collecting your materials.
Early in October, the Office of Student Fellowships and Research will notify applicants when they should enter the names and email addresses of their three recommenders into the online application. This will trigger the online system to send an email with instructions to each recommender. The recommender must: 1) complete online Form 9B (which looks exactly like the ETA Reference Form completed for the initial Bowdoin deadline); 2) print and sign Form 9B; 3) place the signed original document in a sealed envelope to be given to the applicant; and 4) electronically submit the form.
Materials for Final Consideration. The U.S. Fulbright Program requires that applicants file the application online. In addition, applicants must print out the final PDF version of the online application, compile all application components and submit the complete application package to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research, which will forward it Fulbright. Therefore, by the “Final Bowdoin Deadline” applicants must:
- Electronically submit a completed, online Fulbright application
- Provide the Office of Student Fellowships and Research with an original and one copy of:
- Forms 1 – 3 Basic Data
- Form 4 Student Record Form
- Form 5 Statement of Grant Purpose (one typed, single-spaced page)
- Form 6 Personal Statement (one typed, single-spaced page)
- Form 7 Language Background Report **
- Form 7A Critical Language Enhancement Award Supplementary Form **
- Form 11 Creative and Performing Arts Supplementary form and Materials**
- Provide the Office of Student Fellowships and Research with one original of:
- Form 8 Foreign Language Evaluation ** (should have been submitted by the Initial Bowdoin Deadline)
- Form 9B 3 ETA References Forms (signed by recommender and placed in sealed envelope)
- Original transcripts from all institutions of higher education you have attended, including foreign institutions. Order these early as they are not typically processed quickly!
- The Office of Student Fellowships and Research will add Form 10, the Campus Committee Evaluation Form, to your electronically submitted application and to your hard copy. This will complete your application packet
Please note that applicants are responsible for all photocopying needed for the internal selection process and as required by the foundation.
*Information derived from www.iie.org/fulbright
**Include where applicable