Teach Languages Abroad: Funded Opportunities

Last week, we have covered the necessary skills and qualifications as well as top programs that enable English speakers to teach English internationally.

Teach English Abroad Programs

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program brings international secondary-level educators to the United States for a six-week professional learning opportunity at a host university. Fellows attend academic seminars at a host university that focus on topics such as new teaching methodologies, student-centered learning, and content-based instruction. Participants complete a minimum of 40 hours in a practicum with a U.S. partner educator in a local secondary school.

The scholarship

Teachers will be provided with round-trip airline tickets to the United States. Participants will live on or near the host university campus in housing that is arranged for them. Fulbright teachers will receive a maintenance allowance during the program to cover expenses such as supplies for classes, household items, personal items, etc. Also included in this total is a daily stipend to purchase groceries, meals at local restaurants, or food from on-campus dining services.

Main criteria

The program is open to full-time, secondary-level educators in all disciplines including English as a foreign language, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), social studies, special education, and others at institutions serving primarily a local population. Applicants must possess a Bachelor’s degree, and demonstrate English language proficiency.

Summer Russian Language Teacher Program

The Summer Russian Language Teacher Program offers current and prospective U.S. teachers of Russian language and culture from schools and universities an opportunity to reach new levels of competency in Russian.

The four-week program will take place at the Russian State Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg. It is designed to incorporate grammar and conversation courses with lectures and workshops in culture and civilization and foreign language pedagogy. The academic program will consist of Russian language instruction, language pedagogy and portfolio development, and seminars on Russian culture.

The scholarship

Fifteen finalists will be selected to receive program funding. All program expenses (tuition, housing, visa, international airfare, cultural activities, and insurance) will be paid for these participants. Participants will receive five graduate hours of academic credit through Bryn Mawr College. As for accommodation, fellows will stay with a host family or at a university dormitory with two meals per day covered.

Main criteria

The program is open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates should be in-service K-12 or university-level teachers of Russian language and culture, or graduate students who intend to pursue a teaching career in the field. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by the application deadline.

Teach and Learn in Korea

Teach and Learn in Korea, also known as the TaLK Program, is a unique scholarship opportunity for undergraduates who are seeking professional and educational experience in the Republic of Korea. The program is designed to support public English education in the rural areas of Korea, where access to higher-quality educational resources is limited.

It is the only program that provides an opportunity for individuals with at least 2 years of post-secondary education to come to South Korea for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Scholars lead a classroom in Grades 1 through 6 as English as a second language instructors.

The scholarship

Scholars work an average of 15 class hours per week with a monthly stipend of 1,500,000 Korean Won (KRW). Under exceptional cases, individuals are able to choose a six-month commitment, with the normal requirement lasting one year. All participants begin their scholarship term with an intensive, month-long training that provides the new scholars with information on Korean culture, education, and classroom management.

Benefits of the program include health insurance coverage, accommodation, entrance and exit allowance, and cultural experience field trips. The TaLK Office accepts applications all year round.

Main criteria

The TaLK Program places an emphasis on awarding scholarships to Education and English majors, potential applicants entering their 3rd or 4th years of undergraduate study, or recent graduates. Applicants must be a citizen of one of the following countries where the national language is English: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

European Solidarity Corps Programs

The European Solidarity Corps is the new European Union initiative which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad. European Solidarity Corps projects will be available to people up to the age of 30 years. Participants could be invited to join a wide range of projects including the ones focusing on teaching foreign languages.

Their search engine allows looking for projects based on their duration, location, or activity type. For teaching languages you should select the “Education and training” project topic.  Here is an example of one of the programs.

Our Culture – Our Heritage in Poland

The project will take place in a local middle school in Klodzko, Poland. The volunteer will take part in school activities such as running conversation classes both in English and German, organizing cultural events, and assisting teachers. The volunteer will participate in orientation training during the first week of the project organized by Europejskie Forum Mlodziezy. The project will run for a total of 25 week(s) during the period from 1 September 2020 to 1 March 2021.

The scholarship

The volunteer will live in the volunteers’ house in a double room with shared bathrooms on each floor and a large, equipped kitchen. There are washing facilities in the house and free wireless internet throughout. The volunteer will receive a monthly allowance for food at the beginning of each month. Any transport connected with the project will be covered by the receiving organisation.

Main criteria

Candidates should be between 18-30 years old. Volunteers should be willing to integrate and socialize into a new culture and to exhibit open-minded behavior. He/she will have to be ready to learn how to cooperate and work in an international group. Participating countries are Armenia, Italy, and Georgia.

Depending on your qualifications and interest in long-term or short-term commitments, you may also want to look into Erasmus in School. Their programs allow international volunteers to assist in language teaching in European cities with six-to-nine-month-long programs. Most of the placements provide accommodation, food, and remuneration for the work. Teaching languages abroad will allow both international travel and experiences that will set you apart from others.

Read more on Alternative Tourism and Volunteering!

Photos: Shutterstock / Photomontage: Martina Advaney

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