Costa Rica
2 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodJanuary StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
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 in very rural communities, about 3 to 4 hours away from the capital city.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Grant Length: 10 months.
Grants begin in mid-January or early February 2027.
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.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Applicants are expected to research their host country. Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it.
Fulbrighters typically get very involved and volunteer in their communities. Many enjoy teaching English as their secondary project in the local community and participating in cultural events. It is also important that Fulbrighters be openminded and feel comfortable dealing with potential bureaucracy within the host institution. Teaching materials and technology may be limited at some locations. Fulbrighters are also expected to attend activities hosted by the embassy.
Eligibility
12 Months
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
Special Application Instructions
Candidates may be invited to participate in a virtual interview as part of the host country review process. The decision to interview a candidate does not indicate future selection status.
Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form
If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.
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.
Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start
If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period. If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.
Placement Type
- Secondary School
- Vocational/Technical 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
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.
One-Time Allowances
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.
- Excess baggage fees
- Registration/Permitting fees
- Research/Materials allowance
- Settling in allowance
- $2,550 base allowance to cover round-trip international travel, transit, excess baggage, settling-in expenses
- $1,000 English teaching materials allowance
- $500 immigration document allowance
- $600 imigration reentry allowance
Supplementary Project
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.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
Please visit this website to help estimate the cost of living, meals, and incidentals in different major cities in Costa Rica. Significant differences can exist in smaller towns where costs tend to be lower.
Dependents
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. Post is unable to provide housing arrangements for grantees.