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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Mongolia


8 English Teaching Assistant Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
Grant Period
August Start
Grant Length
10 Months
Award Type
English Teaching Assistant
Award Profile

Each year, the Fulbright program offers up to eight English Teaching Assistant Awards in Mongolia to U.S. graduates. English Teaching Assistants co-teach English for a 10-month period at Mongolian universities, institutes, or vocational training colleges and serve as U.S. cultural ambassadors in Mongolia.

Grant Length
10 Months
Grant Period
August Start

In Mongolia, the Fulbright ETA Program starts in mid-August of every year and ends in mid-June of the next year. Grantees arrive in mid-August to attend an in-country orientation organized by the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Orientation
Pre-Departure and In-Country Orientation

All grantees are required to attend both the pre-departure orientation in the United States and the in-country orientation in Mongolia.

Candidate Profile

Applicants should be mature, articulate, and motivated individuals who understand the challenges of the harsh climate and daily challenges of living in a developing country. The most successful ETAs are flexible, open-minded, independent, and industrious. Applicants must be fluent English speakers. Those already holding certificates/degrees in TESOL are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Residency in host country permitted in year prior to grant
Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
Special Application Instructions

In compliance with the Mongolian government regulations regarding health and assignment in the school system, candidates must include any medical disclosures for the applicable medical conditions listed below in the medical examination forms provided by IIE after being selected as Fulbright finalists. Strict adherence to these regulations is mandatory, and your grant is contingent on the ability to secure a placement in Mongolia. Any attempts to omit or falsify information are immediate grounds for revoking/terminating the grant.

Candidates who are recommended for final review may be contacted for a 15-30 minute interview by the embassy via phone or Zoom.

Foreign Language Proficiency
Not Required

Applicants should demonstrate a clear interest in Mongolia and learning Mongolian. The in-country orientation will include a Mongolian language component, so some level of self-study is encouraged prior to arrival.

Placement Type
  • Vocational/Technical School
  • University/Post-Secondary Institution

Most ETAs are placed at universities, institutes, or vocational training colleges in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, though the Fulbright Mongolia Program seeks to place ETAs outside of the capital when possible.

If an applicant is interested in a placement outside Ulaanbaatar, it should be noted in the Statement of Grant Purpose of the application. Placement decisions are made based on a number of factors, including the level of need for English-speaking instruction in a particular school relative to other schools in the city. However, individuals should not apply for or accept this award unless they are committed to teaching in a placement that may differ from their preferences. 

Mongolia is known for its natural beauty and breathtaking vistas on the open steppe. ETAs assigned to Ulaanbaatar often make it a point to travel outside of the city and enjoy Mongolia’s countryside. Famed for its nomadic traditions, Mongolia is also undergoing rapid modernization. Ulaanbaatar is a burgeoning metropolis with a population over 1.6 million, but severe air pollution is a health risk in the winter months. 

ETAs are expected to conduct approximately 20 hours of classroom teaching, 8-10 hours of class preparation time, and 6-8 hours of extracurricular English language-related cross-cultural student activities at their host institutions per week. ETAs focus on capacity-building through co-planning and co-teaching. 

ETAs engage in embassy-initiated public outreach activities, especially those for promoting English language learning. The mix of co-teaching and independent teaching will vary from school to school and will depend on the host institution’s situation, as well as the ETA’s background and qualifications. 

Placement Locations
  • Capital City
  • Regional City

English Teaching Assistants are typically placed at universities and vocational training centers in the capital and regional cities.

Supplementary Project
Not Permitted

No research or independent study is required. English Teaching Assistantships are not study/research awards, and teaching takes most of the grantee’s time. The Statement of Grant Purpose should focus on why the applicant wishes to teach English in Mongolia and how to make it a memorable cultural experience.

Housing Arrangements

Housing arrangements will be facilitated by the host institutions and the U.S. Embassy. ETAs are typically housed in a school dormitory room with private bathroom. In some cases, if the host institute is unable to offer a dormitory room, it provides a comparable housing allowance or housing in the community.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Special Considerations

Although Mongolians are welcoming towards Americans in general, there have been incidents of crimes against foreigners, especially towards men. These incidents often occur in areas with nightlife and when foreign men are believed to be accompanied by Mongolian women. Women can be targets for sexual harassment such as cat calling and offensive gestures, and there have been incidents of sexual assault. ETAs will receive a safety briefing from the embassy’s regional security officer upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Program participants must make mature and sensible choices about personal safety. 

English Teaching Assistants coming to Mongolia MUST obtain an Employment Visa (C2) to enter the country. The host institutes will assist ETAs in acquiring the necessary documents, but it is the ETA’s responsibility to follow up with the host institutes and acquire a visa in time. Due to the national holiday Naadam in mid-July, Mongolian organizations and the Mongolian Embassy in Washington, D.C. close for up to five days. It is mandatory for grantees to start their visa process well in advance. In general, Mongolians take extended leaves in the months of July and August. For more information on the employment visa, please visit Immigration Agency of Mongolia and Mongolian Embassy in the United States. 

Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Public Affairs Office: exchange@usembassy.mn