U.S. STUDENT FULBRIGHT ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP (ETA) GRANTS

Instructions for the Referee: Applicants for English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Grants

The Fulbright Program requires the submission of FORM 9B: ETA REFERENCE FORM and not a general letter of reference.  The Fulbright Program will NOT accept reference letters for ETA applicants.

Fulbright applicants register referees in the Online Application System to give them the opportunity to complete the form online so that they can be submitted with the student's online application.  

We also require that references be submitted in hard copy. Once you complete the reference form, you may print the PDF form and provide a copy to the applicant in a sealed envelope.  See Steps below.

If you are not familiar with the U.S. Student Fulbright Program, you may also wish to visit our website.   The most useful pages for referees are the section on Thinking of Applying/Types of Grants and the Country Summary for the applicant’s proposed host country.

SUMMARY OF FULBRIGHT ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP PROGRAM

Fulbright ETAs are not responsible for designing curricula or teaching full courses. Rather they serve, under supervision, at their assigned placements and will be expected to develop and carry out a variety of learning activities, make presentations on U.S. culture and society, and/or assist faculty in an English Language Department with their teaching responsibilities, as needed.

In responding to the questions on the FORM 9B: ETA Reference Form, please keep in mind that the candidate will be serving as a citizen representing the United States and that personal suitability, as well as academic excellence, is an important criterion to be considered.

Facility with and knowledge of English usage, grammar, and writing is also important.  You may be able to comment on the applicant’s abilities in those areas from tests or papers they have prepared for your course or from formal presentations, classroom discussion or individual interviews with the applicant.

In addition, some countries request that applicants describe an academic or other project or activity that they would pursue concurrent with the ETA assignment. This is a secondary component of the grant and may provide insight into the applicant's interest into the host country, academic or career interests, and/or suitability for the ETA program.

FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION

In formulating responses to the questions on the ETA Reference Form, consider the following general characteristics of U.S. Student Fulbright ETA Programs. Generally, ETA grantees:

• Are placed in elementary or secondary schools or universities outside of capital cities, depending on the country. Please consult the individual country entry at Country Summary for a description of the program in this applicant's chosen country.
  
• Are assigned various activities designed to improve host country students' abilities in spoken and written English and knowledge of the United States.  As such, both clear and precise diction and demonstrated grammar skills should be a factor in evaluation.
• Are fully integrated into the host community, increasing their own language skills and knowledge of the host country.
• May pursue individual study/research or engage in community activities, in addition to ETA responsibilities.
• Have some background or training in education and/or teaching/tutoring.

Steps to submit your Form 9B: ETA Reference Form online;

1. The student will register your name and email in the Online Reference System of the application.
2. An email will be generated and sent to you.  If you do not receive this email, please let the applicant know or email Technical Support directly:  support@embark.com and tell them the name and email address of the applicant and your name and email address.
3. Login to the system using the User ID and Password sent to you in the email.
4. You will see a page with the names of applicants who have listed you as a reference with this particular Online Application System.
   
5. Click on the applicant’s name (corresponding to the program and year if there is more than one entry for the applicant).
6. In Step 1, complete information to verify your status and respond to the question.
7. In Step 2, respond to the questions for English Teaching Assistants (ETAs).  Referees are asked to complete the Reference Form.   Free form letters of reference will not be reviewed for this program.
8. When you have answered all the questions, you may Preview a PDF of the form.
9. If you are satisfied, print out the PDF version of the form, sign it and provide a copy to the applicant in a sealed envelope, with you signature across the back flap.
10. The final step is to Submit the reference. Before you click Submit, be sure that this is the reference that you wish to have reviewed by screening committees in the U.S. and abroad.

Once you submit the reference, you will not have access to edit or change it.  However, you will be able to print the Reference Form from the system after you have electronically submitted it.