Panama
2 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodJanuary StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
ETAs will share their academic and professional knowledge with students and professors in the classroom of their host institution for 25 hours per week. They will share their understanding and first-hand experience of U.S. culture by organizing and executing educational, cultural, and social activities, both within the classroom and in extracurricular programs. In addition to their principal work at their assigned institution, ETAs will also design and dedicate 15 hours per week to a culturally-oriented supplementary project. ETAs are responsible for prioritizing their work in their affiliation center and will be expected to submit a monthly report to Post in which they will provide updates on their work.
The U.S. Embassy will arrange placement with Panamanian universities, schools (middle and elementary), NGOs and other educational/governmental institutions. Institutions may be located in the capital city but preference is given to other provinces in more rural settings. ETAs will be assigned as language-learning assistants, but will not be responsible for teaching entire courses. Responsibilities may include supporting English teachers in the classroom according to the schedule agreed upon; designing and implementing projects that support the improvement of communicative skills of students, administrative staff and teachers, according to the needs and resources of the Host Institution; and also preparing students and applicants for international English exams and essay writing.
Details of assignments will be subject to communication between the U.S. Embassy and the host institution and based on the academic profile of the selected candidate and the host institution's needs. In these cases, the U.S. Embassy will discuss project alternatives with the grantee when the placement is made.
Post encourages applications for ETAs in rural areas/other provinces outside of Panama.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Grants may begin between January and February and will end between November and December, depending on the placement.
Orientation
As a condition of the grant, all grantees to Panama are required to participate in the Pre-Departure Orientation in the U.S. in summer 2026, where Post (Embassy) will participate virtually, respond to questions and clarify doubts.
An onsite Embassy briefing session will be conducted within one week of the grantees' arrival in Panama.
Candidate Profile
The U.S. Embassy in Panama welcomes applications from candidates with a demonstrated interest in working in an educational environment. Applications are welcome from graduating seniors and graduate students. Candidates with degrees in English, Literature, English for Specific Purposes, 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.
Preferred candidates will demonstrate maturity, leadership skills and the willingness to act as informal cultural ambassadors in the communities in which they will be placed; an ability to build good working relationships with both students and teachers; good organizational skills; flexibility and creativity.
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.
A successful experience for ETAs is deeply related to strong intercultural abilities, adaptation skills, flexibility, resilience, and a willingness to teach others. As the ETA program in Panama is very diverse in terms of the host institutions, grantees may encounter diverse challenges not only in intercultural aspects but also in their professional experience. The demands and needs of each language program/department/insitution may vary one from the other.
Eligibility
6 Months
Applicants who do not hold U.S./Panamanian dual citizenship are preferred, but dual citizens of this country are eligible.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
Special Application Instructions
Applicants travelling to Panama must complete the process to obtain their Temporary Resident Permit under the immigration category of Fulbright Students. Post will guide applicants through the process, which involves some documents that must be requested, notarized or apostilled in the United States.
Before entry to the country the grantee must contact the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section staff who will assist them with the necessary information to issue the Fulbright Temporary Resident Permit which allows them to stay in the country for a period longer than three months.
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: A Foreign Language Evaluation by a college level Spanish language instructor is required.
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
- Elementary School
- Middle School
- Secondary School
- University/Post-Secondary Institution
- Other Educational/Community Institution
Given the range of placements, applicants may highlight a preference for primary/secondary school or higher education/other educational center placement based on their professional background and career goals.
Placement Locations
- Regional City
- Rural
Post will consider the options of the candidates but placements will be determined depending on Panama´s educational needs.
Placements may be made in any province, except in the Province of Darien. Please refer to the State Department's Panama Travel Information webpage for the latest updates.
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.
- Research/Materials allowance
- Settling in allowance
- $1,700 base allowance to cover round trip international travel, transit, excess baggage, settling in
- $1,000 English Language Materials allowance
Supplementary Project
ETA grantees will also pursue 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:
- Why the activities are appropriate to Panama;
- Skills, talents or other qualifications that they bring to the project plan;
- How they view this plan as contributing to their professional or educational development; and
- If and how the plan contributes to the Fulbright goals of mutual understanding and host community engagement.
The project will not take precedence over primary classroom teaching responsibilities and may also need to accommodate requests from the U.S. Embassy for participation in other activities.
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 capital cities. Significant differences can exist in smaller towns where costs tend to be lower.
According to some research carried out on this topic, cost of living in Panama is more expensive than in 73% of countries in Latin America. The single person estimated monthly costs are between USD $1,800 and $2,000 (rent and utilities included).
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Grantees are responsible for housing arrangements, but Post may assist in putting them in contact with former grantees who can share with them housing preferences and information.
Special Considerations
Due to security risks, travel may be restricted to some regions of Panama. Travel beyond Santa Fe, Province of Darien is prohibited. Please refer to the State Department's Panama Travel Information webpage for the latest updates.
Before entry to the country, the grantee must contact the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section staff who will assist him/her with the necessary information to issue the Fulbright Temporary Permit which allows them to stay in the country for a period longer than three months.
Fulbright Program Management Contact
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Additional Online Resources
Panama. Live for more: https://www.tourismpanama.com/things-to-do/