2024-2025 competition is closed. 2025-2026 competition will open on April 2, 2024

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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.

Thailand


18 English Teaching Assistant Award (up to 18 awards)

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

Teaching Assistantships are for 12 months (including a four-week orientation in Bangkok).

All placements will be made by the Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF).  Approximately 16-18 hours per week of classroom teaching, plus class preparation time and school-related activities are required.  A combination of co-teaching and independent teaching will vary from school to school and will depend on the school's situation as well as the ETAs backgrounds and qualifications.  ETA will be supervised by teachers at the host schools.

In order to help the ETAs better prepare for assignment in Thailand, selected candidates who do not have TEFL/TESOL certificates may be required to take online course(s) for TESOL prior coming to Thailand to take up the grant.  More details on this mater will be provided in the grant documents

Grant Length
12 Months
Grant Period
Fall Start

12 months. All English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) are required to begin their grants in late September 2024 in order to attend the in-country orientation in Bangkok.  Grantees start from the second semester in Thailand and proceed to the first semester of the subsequent academic year. During Thai summer school vacation, grantees are assigned to internships and may be engaged in English camps, outreach or other related community activities.

Renewal for one additional year is available and are awarded based upon satisfactory cultural adjustment and teaching performance.  There are at least two renewal grants.

 

Orientation
In-Country Orientation

The four-week orientation will be held right after arrival in Bangkok.  The orientation programs covers intensive basic Thai language study, ESL teaching techniques, Thai cultural issues, and practical teaching.

Candidate Profile

Candidates must be articulate fluent English-speakers. Candidates are expected to demonstrate the necessary initiative to teach conversational English at elementary, middle-high school, and technical/vocational levels for an average class size of up to 35-45 students with a tradition of rote learning.   Moreover, candidates must be able to adapt and thrive within a variety of intensive cultural environments including the challenges of living in a less comfortable setting. Candidates must be willing and able to physically and mentally adjust to work in the Thai cultural context and the Thai educational system.

Candidates need to be self-motivated, adventurous, flexible, and independent.  Candidates from all majors are welcomed but those with Education/English majors who possess prior teaching experience are preferred. As cultural ambassadors, ETAs are expected to exhibit a high level of professionalism and share aspects of American culture with their schools.

ETAs cannot be accompanied by dependents.

Eligibility
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
12 Months
Dual citizens of this country are eligible

In case of holding a dual citizenship, an awardee has to enter Thailand as an American citizen, using an American passport.

Degree Level of Applicant
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
Foreign Language Proficiency
Not Required

Additional Information: Thai language proficiency is not required, but, some self-study of Thai prior to arrival is recommended in order to promote deeper engagement with the host community. ETAs will be provided basic Thai language as part of the in-country orientation. 

Placement Type
  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • Secondary School
  • Vocational/Technical School

Grantees will teach at either the elementary/middle or middle/high school/technical/vocational level, depending on the placement. ETAs will be assigned to public schools/technical/vocational colleges in cities and towns in the north, south, east, and northeast of Thailand.  ETAs are not assigned to schools in Bangkok.

Placement Locations
  • Regional City
Supplementary Project
Optional

English Teaching Assistantship grants are not study/research awards and teaching takes up most of the grantee's time.  In applying, the Statement of Grant Purpose should focus on the reasons why the applicant seeks the cultural experience of teaching English in Thailand and what candidate will bring to the classrooms, activity to support the ETA's teaching responsibilities, club activity to further focus on using English in the school and/or the community, etc.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Housing Arrangements

Housing arrangements are made by the host schools and with approval by TUSEF.  Housing situations vary from site to site, and this requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptation on the part of the ETAs.

* Riding Motorbike Policy: For safety reasons, TUSEF does not condone ETAs riding or owning a motorbike.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Health Disclosure & Eligibility

In compliance with the Thai 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 and TUSEF 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 Thailand. Any attempts to omit or falsify information are immediate grounds for revoking/terminating the grant. 

Individuals with the following conditions cannot be placed in Thai classrooms:

  • Visual impairments (conditions that cannot be corrected by glasses/contact lenses)
  • Hearing impairments above 40dB

In addition, selectees must also disclose the following conditions:

  • Conditions worsened by stress such as: epilepsy, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, schizophrenia, etc.
  • Severe food allergies including, but not limited to: nuts, shellfish, beans