Switzerland
3 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodSeptember StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
Teaching assistants – generally future or beginning language teachers – gain experience in language teaching methods and, at the same time, improve their own knowledge of a foreign language. They broaden their knowledge about life in Switzerland and its education system.
In partnership with Movetia, the Swiss National Agency for Exchange and Mobility and the Fulbright Program in Switzerland, offer three grants, which are part of the general Swiss language Assistantship program.
The ETAs will assist permanent teaching staff generally at a secondary school, such as Grammar schools, Specialist Vocational schools, or Federal Vocational Baccalaureate schools.
Applicants can apply to one of three Swiss language regions: French, German, or Italian. They should indicate their language region in the Statement of Grant Purpose.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Generally beginning September 1st and ending June 30th.
Orientation
All grantees are required to attend a pre-departure orientation in June or July as a condition of their grant. The event is organized by IIE, virtual or in-person.
There will also be an introductory seminar upon arrival in Switzerland.
Candidate Profile
1. College or University graduate holding a bachelor’s or higher degree, planning to teach English or work in a related field.
2. Possibly having studied German, English, French, or Italian Language or Literature as a major or minor subject.
3. Applicants must be between 21 and 35 years old at the time of the September grant start date; however, the preference is for candidates 30 and younger.
Eligibility
9 Months
All grantees must travel on their U.S. passport. Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than nine months during the year prior to the beginning of the scholarship in September 2024 are not eligible.
Accepted Degree Levels
- Bachelor's
- Master's
- Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Depending on the Swiss language region, grantees should have German, French at A2 level, or Italian at B1 (Common European Framework of Reference CEFR). Applicants should indicate their language region in the Statement of Grant Purpose.
Placement Type
- Secondary School
- Vocational/Technical School
Placement Locations
- Capital City
- Regional City
- Rural
Supplementary Project
The teaching assistant commitment is 12 hours a week (16 lessons of 45 minutes each). In addition to teaching, the grantee is expected to engage in extracurricular activities within the school and/or community, such as language clubs or other extra-curricular activities or community volunteering activities. The grantee would also promote the full extent of the Fulbright program to other students and teachers. The teaching, extra-curricular, and community outreach activities should make up a full-time program of 40-42 hours per week.
Housing Arrangements
ETAs are responsible for making their own arrangements for housing, which must be in the Swiss canton in which their host school is located, preferably close to the school.
Dependents
The grant stipend is for the cost of living for a single person only.
Visa/Residency Information
Visa and work permit are required. All Fulbright ETAs must use their U.S. passport and are subject to the Switzerland's trainee agreement with the USA. For details, see the candidate profile above. For more details, click here.
Special Application Instructions
ETAs must obtain an authorization to work as a young professional (trainee) by submitting the trainee agreement application immediately upon confirmation of placement. Applications should be submitted to Cultural Vistas, Attn: Internships Abroad, 233 Broadway, Floor, New York, NY 10279, USA. The procedure requires about 8-12 weeks and the service is payable. A visa is required. For more details, click here.
Only finalists must undergo the visa application process and only after they have been accepted by the host school.
Grant Benefits
Grant benefits include a monthly stipend of CHF 3,200 gross per month, with which grantees finance their costs of board and lodging, insurance policies, and travel, including international travel to and from Switzerland.