U.S. citizens teach English at Colombian universities for one academic year (10 months).
Colombia stands as an exceptional academic destination for U.S. professors and researchers seeking a transformative and enriching collaborative research or teaching experience. With a diverse and vibrant culture, scholars can immerse themselves in a nation known for its warm hospitality and resilience.
In recent years, Colombia has stood out for its prominent leadership in the fields of sustainability and innovation as a solid pathway towards equitable development, social justice, and consolidating a culture of peace. This decisive leadership reflects the country’s strong commitment to strengthening education, research, and entrepreneurship. It offers an inspiring setting for scholars to contribute meaningfully to their disciplines and develop lasting connections and a deeper understanding of this dynamic nation.
U.S. citizen with an undergraduate degree, interested in supporting English teaching at educational institutions in Colombia, ideally with experience teaching English or working with young adults and other populations. Degrees in Education, English, Spanish, or Applied Linguistics are especially valued, particularly those with specializations in TESOL, TSL, or TEFL.
The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program (ETA), a collaboration between the Fulbright Commission in Colombia, the Ministry of National Education, and ICETEX, offers academic-year exchanges in Colombia. The program aims to strengthen English instruction at higher education institutions in Colombia through the presence of native speakers.
The program lasts ten (10) months, from August to May, with no possibility of changes or deferrals. The Fulbright Commission in Colombia offers the option to extend participation for a second academic year through the Senior ETA Program, with the same benefits, including round-trip airfare.
First-year grantees are assigned to a host institution based on their academic background and the institution’s needs. They are expected to work up to 30 hours per week (20 hours of classroom teaching and activities, and 10 hours for planning). Responsibilities may include giving presentations about the United States, preparing classroom activities, and encouraging Colombian students to communicate in English.
“Your work as an English Teaching Assistant will likely be full of surprises. You may find yourself teaching in settings you would never have imagined. Depending on the needs of your host institution, you could wind up leading English lessons in business administration courses, science communication classes, or even paleontology seminars! The unpredictability of this work is part of what makes it so fun. The next ten months will go by fast, but the skills and connections you build here will be valuable long after your grant ends”
“Mostly, I am proud of the community I have built and formed in Bogotá. I love living in this city for a variety of reasons, but mostly because I am astounded at all of the ways I can involve myself in the worlds that are most important to me. Here I am able to combine my love for theater with education in a way that I really have not been able to in the United States, and I am proud of the progress I have made as an educator and artist over the past few months here. I am so excited to see where the connections being built eventually take me”
“I think a significant achievement was realizing that through my activities and teaching, I am impacting my students in very beneficial ways. The fact that they want to visit my extracurricular activities and email me about other opportunities is very fulfilling”
Colombia: A country of vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality.
ASSISTANCE DURING MIGRATION PROCEDURES
The team at the Fulbright Colombia Commission provides ongoing support during immigration procedures, including liaising with relevant institutions to follow up on specific cases, solving questions that may arise during the Visa or Foreigner ID Card application process, and monitoring.
FULBRIGHT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
This program aims to support our new grantees in the process of adapting to life in Colombia, to mitigate cultural shock upon arrival in a new country. Through this initiative, the Commission assigns Colombian Fulbright alumni to voluntarily support and guide the inbound Cohort of U.S. grantees.
FULBRIGHTER NETWORK
More than 3,200 Colombian citizens have been awarded Fulbright grants to pursue graduate studies or conduct research or teaching activities in the U.S. Belonging to the Fulbright alumni network is one of the main benefits of the Fulbright award. Upon request, the Fulbright Commission team can facilitate connections, interactions, and collaborations among U.S. grantees and former Colombian grantees located in their city or placement region, or working in specific fields of interest.
FULBRIGHT ALUMNI EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENT
We promote a dynamic Fulbright community through various activities, including casual Happy Hours for alumni in various cities, academic lectures, sports events, and Fulbrighter Week. Our approach combines social, academic, and networking elements to provide grantees with a well-rounded and enriching experience, fostering both professional skills and lasting connections.
ORIENTATION & ENRICHMENT SEMINAR
Before arrival, the Fulbright Commission offers a series of informative webinars in which relevant information is shared regarding the grantees’ preparation, the visa application process, and grant document processing, among other key aspects for a successful grant start. The grant period begins with an Orientation Seminar organized by the Fulbright Colombia Commission in late July, developed under the hybrid modality. Attendance to the Orientation Seminar is mandatory for all ETA grantees.
Grantees will also participate in the Mid-Year Enrichment Seminar. This space is designed to enhance the pedagogical skills of Fulbright ETA grantees by providing them with advanced methodological strategies and access to innovative teaching approaches to enrich their ability to teach English effectively.
U.S. EMBASSY SPEAKERS PROGRAM
The program features lectures on topics relevant to U.S. grantees and their projects in Colombia, led by speakers from the team at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia. These sessions enhance their knowledge and provide insightful experiences for a greater impact and fruitful collaborations. Some examples of topics having been covered as part of the U.S. Embassy Speakers Program are:
U.S. EMBASSY SECURITY BRIEFING FOR U.S. GRANTEES
The U.S. Embassy in Colombia offers a one-hour Security Briefing, led by a representative from the Regional Security Office (RSO), which provides general recommendations and security guidelines for Colombia.
VTRACK
Since 2023, the Fulbright Commission in Colombia implemented a digital platform designed to facilitate the tracking of U.S. and Colombian Fulbright grantees, reception of reports, documents, and updates, as well as to maintain up-to-date contact information.
ASPE
The ASPE (Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges) Health Benefits Plan is a self-funded, limited, health care benefit plan designed to pay emergent covered medical expenses for eligible Exchange Participants. Click here to learn more about this benefit for Fulbright grantees.
Calle 37 # 15-73
Bogotá D.C. – Colombia
+57 (601) 7454548
ZIP code: 111311