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ETA - Developing the Statement of Grant Purpose Printer-Friendly Version

ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS


Developing the Statement of Grant Purpose

Print these instructions and keep for reference as you work on your Statement of Grant Purpose.

If you are applying for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant, this section provides helpful hints on preparing the Statement of Grant Purpose. If you are applying for a traditional Study/Research Fulbright grant, click here.

Now that you have chosen the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) country to which you will apply, you need to consider what to say in your Statement of Grant Purpose. Be sure that you have read carefully the specific Country Summary to understand the nature of the program and specific requirements. In addition, you should have done research on the host country, its culture and society, people, history, and its relationship with the U.S.

Since you are applying for an ETA grant, you are not expected to present extensive research plans. The following are guidelines as to what you could include in your Statement.

  • Why you would like to undertake a Teaching Assistant assignment
  • Why you have chosen the particular country
  • Specific qualifications, training, and/or experiences that you have had related to the overseas assignment
  • How you expect to benefit from the assignment, and what use you will make of the experience upon your return to the United States
  • What use you will make of your time outside the classroom. (Most ETAs work no more than 20 to 30 hours per week.)

Keep in mind that the maximum length for the Statement of Grant Purpose and Personal Statement is one-page each.  Therefore, you should construct these Statements in such a way as to include all pertinent information, but so as not to be redundant.

Most ETA programs expect that grantees will engage in an independent academic, vocational, or community service project. 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, this description is not expected to be detailed. 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. In addition, any community service activities or extra-curricular activities that you think you might conduct should be described.

If you have a very specific proposal for study or research, you may wish to consider the Study/Research option, since in the ETA program you will not be able to choose where you will be placed and you will not have very much time for independent research or study. Furthermore, successful ETA's are those who value the experience of working in an educational environment first and foremost.  We have seen highly qualified applicants not selected because the impression from their statements indicated that they were more focused on a project than on the ETA assignment.

Please adhere to the following format items in preparing your Word document:
  • For ETA grants, the Statement length is limited to a maximum of one typed, single-spaced page. Longer statements will not be presented to screening committees.
  • To ensure a smooth upload and readability, use 1” margins all around and Times Roman 12 pt. font.
  • At the top the page of your Word document type the following, so that it appears in the PDF version of your hard copy application. Do not place this information in a header; it will not upload.
    • On line 1,  type STATEMENT OF GRANT PURPOSE
    • On line 2,  type your Name, Country of Application, and English Teaching Assistantship
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