DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed on this website are mine alone, and do not represent The Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange, The Institute for International Education or the United States Department of State.
The Fulbright Program, founded by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, is an academic program that allows Americans to study, teach and conduct research abroad. It also allows foreign nationals to do the same in the United States. Grantees are given a stipend to cover transportation and living expenses, along with language training if necessary. In order for U.S. citizens to apply, you have to go through the Institute for International Education's website, which filters and forwards the most qualified candidates to the in-country Fulbright Commission or the local U.S. Embassy. Foreign nationals should look at the Fulbright Commission website in their home country.
In Bulgaria, the Fulbright Program is bringing many talented and intelligent Americans to teach and do research in a wide array of subjects, including business, creative writing, theology, music studies and sociology, to name a few. The English Teaching Assistant grant is awarded to recent graduates who want to participate in meaningful cultural exchange through language teaching at public high schools. Most ETAs also conduct side projects such as individual research, community engagement or volunteer work. An example of this is The Yarn Project- a student-centered storytelling website started by three ETAs from the 2010/2011 academic year. I also started a project, Learning Through Our Differences, which develops intercultural skills through workshop events for high school students.
Due to the generous and enthusiastic support of The America for Bulgaria Foundation, the ETA program is growing bigger and better every year. Through their assistance, the number of native speakers has gone from just two in 2009/2010, to ten in 2010/2011 and twenty in 2011/2012. Because most ETAs are located in towns outside the capital and other urban areas, the program is positively affecting the development of English language skills across a large section of the Bulgarian youth population.
If you have any questions about Fulbright in general or its role in Bulgaria, please don't hesitate to contact me!
The Fulbright Program, founded by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, is an academic program that allows Americans to study, teach and conduct research abroad. It also allows foreign nationals to do the same in the United States. Grantees are given a stipend to cover transportation and living expenses, along with language training if necessary. In order for U.S. citizens to apply, you have to go through the Institute for International Education's website, which filters and forwards the most qualified candidates to the in-country Fulbright Commission or the local U.S. Embassy. Foreign nationals should look at the Fulbright Commission website in their home country.
In Bulgaria, the Fulbright Program is bringing many talented and intelligent Americans to teach and do research in a wide array of subjects, including business, creative writing, theology, music studies and sociology, to name a few. The English Teaching Assistant grant is awarded to recent graduates who want to participate in meaningful cultural exchange through language teaching at public high schools. Most ETAs also conduct side projects such as individual research, community engagement or volunteer work. An example of this is The Yarn Project- a student-centered storytelling website started by three ETAs from the 2010/2011 academic year. I also started a project, Learning Through Our Differences, which develops intercultural skills through workshop events for high school students.
Due to the generous and enthusiastic support of The America for Bulgaria Foundation, the ETA program is growing bigger and better every year. Through their assistance, the number of native speakers has gone from just two in 2009/2010, to ten in 2010/2011 and twenty in 2011/2012. Because most ETAs are located in towns outside the capital and other urban areas, the program is positively affecting the development of English language skills across a large section of the Bulgarian youth population.
If you have any questions about Fulbright in general or its role in Bulgaria, please don't hesitate to contact me!
