USIEF – ARABIC LANGUAGE FELLOWSHIP 2011 – USA
Foreign Language (Arabic) Teaching Assistant Fellowships 2011 in Fulbright USIEF of USA
About Fulbright:
The US Government’s Fulbright Program is one of the world’s most prestigious and widely-known academic exchange programs. The main goal of the Fulbright Program, initiated in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright, is to strengthen the basis for peace by strengthening mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the peoples of partner countries around the world. Student and faculty exchanges at the highest possible level of academic excellence are the principal means employed by the Fulbright Program to achieve this goal.
Detail:
The purpose of the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program is to strengthen the instruction of foreign languages at US colleges and universities, while providing young teachers of English with the opportunity to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States.
Eligibility criteria:
1. Candidates must be Israeli citizens. Dual American-Israeli citizens or permanent residents of the United States are not eligible to apply.
2. Candidates must be between 21 and 29 years of age at the time of application.
3. Arabic must be the candidate’s mother tongue.
4. Fluency in English is mandatory. A score of no less than 79-80 (internet-based test) on the TOEFL is required.
5. Teachers of English who have received at least a Bachelor’s degree and individuals who have received Bachelor’s degrees in the field of English teaching are eligible to apply. Individuals who have received degrees in English language and literature, journalism and media, and American studies, and who are teachers or teacher-trainees in these fields, are also eligible.
6. Candidates must be in good health. Those selected as program fellows are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before the award of their grants can be finalized.
7. Prior conviction or current indictment for a felony may result in disqualification.
Evaluation criteria:
1. English language proficiency is an important evaluation criterion.
2. Leadership qualities are an important evaluation criterion.
3. Preference will be given to applicants who have acquired practical experience in the teaching of English.
4. Preference will be given to applicants who have not had a substantial, recent, academic experience in the United States.
5. Possession of skills required to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Israel is an important evaluation criterion.
Grant benefits:
1. Tuition scholarship for coursework
2. Monthly subsistence stipend
3. Roundtrip transportation to and from the host campus
4. Health insurance
5. Participation in special Fulbright workshops and Fulbright Enrichment Seminars
6. Pre-departure orientation
Conditions of award:
1. Funding is for one academic year only. The Fellowship is non-renewable.
2. Grantees must travel on a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsored by the Fulbright program.
*It is a condition of the visa that upon expiration of their exchange visitor status, grantees must return to Israel and reside in the country for two years before being eligible to immigrate to the US, to return to that country as permanent residents or to enter the US with a work permit. The purpose of the two-year home residency requirement is to ensure that exchange visitors return home and fulfill the exchange objectives of the Fulbright program.
*Holders of J-1 student visas who have departed from the United States after a stay of six or more months must remain abroad for at least twelve months before being allowed to re-enter the United States with a J-1 professor/research scholar visa. There is no such limitation to re-entry to the United States as the holder of a J visa in another category (short-term scholar, specialist, international visitor), or as the holder of a student or tourist visa.
*Program fellows who enter the US as J-1 visa holders must receive a special waiver in order to change their visa status to J-2 while in the United States. The Department of State does not support such change of status requests.
*The FLTA Program does not sponsor J-2 visas for spouses or dependents. Thus, Fellows may not bring spouses or dependents with them to the US.
3. A two-year waiting period must elapse between the end date of an FLTA grant and the start date of a subsequent Fulbright Student Fellowship.
4. Grantees must begin their studies in the United States no later than August 2011. Awards cannot be deferred to the following academic year.
Final deadline for submission of applications: August 31, 2010
Interview of finalists: October 2010
Awards commence: August 2011
Contact:
United States-Israel Educational Foundation
Ben Yehuda 1
P.O. Box 26160
Tel Aviv 61261
Fax: +972-(0)3-516-2016
