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.

Costa Rica


2 English Teaching Assistant Award

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

The English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grantees are placed in classrooms of 25 to 30 students to provide assistance to the local English Teachers. ETAs help teach English and support host institution teachers with various classroom activities, while serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S.  

In Costa Rica, ETAs teach to students at high-school, technical education, and higher education levels, outside of the capital. ETAs should expect to be placed at very rural communities, about 3 to 4 hours away from the capital city. 

Grant Length
10 Months
Grant Period
January Start

Grant Length: 10 months.

Grants begin in mid-January or early February 2025. 

Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation

As a condition of the grant, all grantees to Costa Rica are required to actively participate in the Pre-Departure Orientation in the U.S. prior to the grant.

Candidate Profile

Candidates with degrees in English, Spanish, Education or TEFL/Applied Linguistics with experience teaching or tutoring and who have an interest in working in an international educational environment are preferred. Other fields will be seriously considered if combined with teaching experience and/or coursework in pedagogy.

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 NOT eligible
Degree Level of Applicant
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
Foreign Language Proficiency
Required - Intermediate

Additional Information: Applicants should discuss plans for language study between time of application and the commencement of the grant on Application Form: Language Self-Evaluation.  A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college level Spanish language instructor is also required.

Successful candidates must be articulate English speakers with native fluency.

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

Teaching placements will be made by the U.S. Embassy. ETAs are usually placed at Costa Rican universities outside the capital of San Jose. The sites of the program are in rural areas, so grantees must be willing to live in communities far from the capital.

ETAs will be assigned as language-learning assistants, but will not be responsible for teaching entire courses. Responsibilities may include giving presentations on different topics related to the United States, preparing classroom activities, leading conversation clubs and/or encouraging students to communicate in English.

 

Placement Locations
  • Rural
Supplementary Project
Required

ETA grantees will also pursue an independent research, study, or volunteer project. The project is a secondary activity that will supplement the grantee's ETA responsibilities. Applicants should briefly describe this project in the Statement of Grant Purpose and may address some or all of the following: 1) why the activities are appropriate for Costa Rica; 2) skills, talents or other qualifications that they bring to the project plan; 3) how they view this plan as contributing to their professional or educational development; and 4) if and how the plan contributes to the Fulbright goals of mutual understanding and host community engagement. Remember that the primary activity for ETAs is in the classroom and not carrying out this project.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Housing Arrangements

ETAs are responsible for making their own housing arrangements with the guidance and support of the contacts at the host institution.  ETAs may also contact ETA alumni, who may be able to offer recommendations for housing. 

 

Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Angie Robles: roblesam2@state.gov
Shirley Brenes: brenessx@state.gov