Morocco
8 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodAugust StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program aims to strengthen English language instruction at Moroccan public universities by providing assistance to the permanent Moroccan teaching staff. At the same time, ETAs benefit from cross-cultural interactions, research possibilities, and volunteering opportunities in their placement communities.
This is a video where student researchers and ETAs share their cultural experiences during their Fulbright program in Morocco.
Here is another video where a Fulbright grantee in Morocco shares a day in her life as an ETA.
Grant Length
Grant Period
The ETA grant period begins with the arrival of all ETA grantees no later than the last week in August. The grant period includes a general Fulbright orientation for all new U.S. grantees provided by the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE).
Grant dates correspond to the MACECE orientation and the academic year in Morocco, which will be from late August 2025 until early July 2026.
Orientation
ETAs are required to attend a virtual Pre-Departure Orientation and a 1-2 day orientation with all incoming Fulbrighters. ETAs additionally attend a 1-2 week orientation in Rabat in August/September, which includes lectures and workshops focusing on how to navigate the Moroccan university system.
Candidate Profile
Candidates with degrees in English, American Studies, Middle East Studies, Arabic, French, Education, TESOL, or applied linguistics with some experience in teaching are preferred. Other fields are considered on the basis of excellence and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those with a Master's in a relevant field and those with significant teaching experience. Preference will also be given to candidates with an expressed interest in pursuing a career in education and with demonstrated experience, including volunteer activities. Some relevant teaching experience is required. TESOL certification is strongly preferred.
ETAs should be strong self-starters who can deal with the unexpected, are flexible, adaptive, patient, culturally sensitive, and are self-sufficient. Placements are made by the Commission and are made throughout the Moroccan public university system.
For information concerning all Moroccan universities and related institutes and schools, please see the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Fulbrighters in Morocco experience a wide range of activities, from conducting fieldwork in remote villages to participating in dynamic seminars across diverse cities. These opportunities foster both personal and academic growth. Through partnerships with Moroccan institutions, Fulbrighters engage in scholarly pursuits rooted in the country's history and contemporary challenges. From Islamic art and architecture to North African literature and politics they explore diverse academic landscapes reflective of Morocco's varied terrain. Collaborating with local scholars and students encourages interdisciplinary dialogue, innovative research, and valuable cross-cultural exchanges.
Eligibility
6 Months
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
- Doctoral
Special Application Instructions
Applicants are recommended to include any relevant teaching experience or pedagogical approaches in their application essays.
Foreign Language Proficiency
ETA applicants must be articulate and accurate speakers of English who can serve as a fluent-speaker resource. Expertise in various aspects of English, such as grammar, composition, reading, phonetics, rhetoric, public speaking, and literature are highly desirable. Host institutions also often ask ETAs to teach courses on American culture.
Each ETA grant contains the equivalent of up to $2500 for further language study during the course of the grant.
In order to activate these language funds, the ETA must submit a language study plan to the Commission for authorization. ETAs can use these funds for any language that will be useful for them while in Morocco. Previously approved languages include Darija, Modern Standard Arabic, French, Spanish, and Hebrew. Other languages may be considered if a relevant plan is presented. ETAs may study with an approved tutor (CV and national identity card required) or enroll in a program at a language study center.
Placement Type
- University/Post-Secondary Institution
- Other Educational/Community Institution
ETAs are generally placed in Moroccan public universities throughout the country, often as stand-alone teachers. The Commission matches ETA candidates with placements, based on their previous teaching experience, language skills, other relevant work experience, and the needs of the host institution.
The Commission, in cooperation with host universities, places ETAs at institutions based on the ETA's profile and the host institution's needs. The ETA program is developed and implemented within the context of the goals and needs of the Ministry of Higher Education and the pressing need for English teachers in Moroccan universities in all faculties.
ETAs teach English courses as established in the curricula of the various university programs and are engaged in classroom teaching for no more than 20 contact hours hours per week. This does not include additional time spent for course preparation, grading, and also volunteer opportunities. ETAs adopt a rigorous "work" schedule where they immerse themselves in the teaching profession as well as opportunities for cultural experiences and host community engagement.
Since the concept of "teaching assistant" is uncommon in Morocco, almost all ETAs are stand-alone teachers in the classroom, responsible for developing their own lesson plans and managing their own classrooms. Responsibilities may also extend to offering presentations on topics related to the United States, the English language, or participating in university cultural events or English language clubs. Most ETAs also contribute time to volunteer work in their communities. Independent study and research are also encouraged but should not conflict with teaching duties. Candidates for the ETA program should be comfortable navigating in structured environments as well as operating in situations of ambiguity, as each campus placement will be different and often times unpredictable. Not all ETAs in a given year will have the same number of teaching hours. Schedules will depend on host institutions needs each year. Some ETAs may be given a dual placement and work with more than one institution in the same city.
Applicants for the ETA program should be aware that the universities and departments may have strict requirements for the English classes they teach. The course content, the exam content and structure, and grading requirements may be directed by the university and departmental administration.
The Moroccan university year begins variously from late September to mid-October and runs until early July; there is no summer semester. The autumn semester ends with final exams in January and the spring semester begins 2-3 weeks afterward. The semester start dates at Moroccan public universities are subject to day-to-day and last-minute changes. On-campus protests may interrupt class schedules and courses may be cancelled for weeks at a time without advance notice. Classes may be large (as many as 100-150 students in the classroom), university administrative structures may be weak and at the same time arbitrary, and student levels of English may vary considerably within the same class. Most university classes meet for two hours once a week with some variation. Moroccan students of English have generally never had a native speaker of English teach them before and they tend to be highly appreciative.
More detailed information can be found at the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in both (Arabic) and (French). Other useful websites are Jamiati, Unirank and 9rayti.
Placement Locations
- Capital City
- Regional City
Placement cities can vary and stretch from the far north to the south of Morocco. Examples of past placement cities include: Tetouan, Tangier, Meknes, Rabat (the capital), Casablanca, El Jadida, Settat, Essaouira, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and Agadir. These locations are subject to change. Host institutions typically submit applications each year to the Commission requesting ETA placements. Occasionally, two ETAs may be placed at the same institution, but normally only one ETA serves at each host institution. While placement preferences may be submitted, final placements are based primarily on the needs of the host institutions and ETA skill sets and experience.
Supplementary Project
Award Benefits
- A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
- International travel benefits
- Accident & sickness health benefits
- 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
- 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
- English language teaching preparatory course
Stipend Amount
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
The cost of living in Morocco varies greatly from city to city. Urban centers like Casablanca and Rabat have higher expenses for housing, dining, and entertainment, while smaller towns and rural areas offer more affordable options. Coastal cities may have higher costs due to tourism, while inland regions tend to be more economical.
Dependents
Limited financial support for legal spouses and dependents may be available.
Housing Arrangements
Grantees will be responsible to secure their own appropriate housing based on the city of placement. The Commission will provide access to an online portal that includes a city guide, as well as advice and recommendations from alumni about housing. Commission staff can review housing contracts and provide guidance when needed.
Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Government Clearance and Visa Information
Grantees do not need to apply for any special visa to come to Morocco. Grantees enter Morocco on a 3-month tourist visa, which is stamped in your passport upon entry.
Grantees and their accompanying dependents will need to renew their tourist visas every three months. Grantees are ineligible for cartes de sejour (residency permits) from the Moroccan government. In all cases, grantees need to exit Morocco to another country and re-enter to obtain a new tourist visa entry stamp. All expenses associated with visa renewals and the exit/re-entry costs associated with the renewal process are the responsibility of the grantees, in accordance with their grant terms and conditions. (Some funds are included within the grant for this purpose.)
Security Information
For travel around Morocco, please refer to the most recent State Department Travel Advisory for Morocco. All ETAs will have a security briefing from the Regional Security Officer at the US Embassy in Rabat during the mandatory in-country orientation in September. All grantees have access to the 24/7 phone number that is staffed by the Commission team in case of emergencies.
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Dr. Rebecca Geffner, Executive Director: r.geffner@fulbright.ma
Hafsa El Bastami, Deputy Director : h.elbastami@fulbright.edu