Kyrgyzstan
4 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
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Grant PeriodSeptember StartGrant Length10 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
As unofficial cultural ambassadors, Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) live and teach English mainly in cities throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. Through their exchange, these Americans form powerful and enduring people-to-people ties with Kyrgyzstani students, colleagues, and community members.
Grant Length
Grant Period
September through June. ETAs will arrive in early September to participate in an orientation in Bishkek, prior to teaching. Additional Russian/Kyrgyz language classes are available throughout the grant period. ETAs will begin teaching in their respective universities from September through May in accordance with the Kyrgyz Republic's academic year.
Orientation
Candidate Profile
Applications are welcome from articulate and flexible graduating seniors, recent graduates or Master’s students who demonstrate a high level of maturity and the initiative to teach English at the secondary level. Successful candidates must be articulate, fluent English speakers and without dependents. Candidates with degrees in English, Education, or TEFL/applied linguistics are preferred, but candidates from all majors are welcome to apply. Some previous teaching/tutoring experience is preferred.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Natural, cultural, and culinary wonders await you in the Kyrgyz Republic!
The Kyrgyz Republic, sometimes called the "Switzerland of Asia," boasts unparalleled natural beauty, fresh produce and dairy, and a warm and welcoming culture. With highly-motivated students and enthusiastic faculty, it is an ideal country to spend a year teaching and researching. The country hosts relatively few Americans, making our Fulbrighters instant family among their colleagues and students. Our U.S. participants regularly give lectures and trainings across the country at the American Spaces and other universities and collaborate with their Kyrgyzstani counterparts. They also receive invitations from students and faculty to attend local holiday celebrations and weddings - unforgettable experiences with festive food and dancing.
Kyrgyzstani citizens have worked to build an open and democratic society in the heart of Central Asia. Slightly smaller than South Dakota, the Kyrgyz Republic borders China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The country is known for its unique felt crafts, traditional oral legends, its postcard perfect mountains, the world’s largest natural-growth walnut forest, and endangered species, including the snow leopard and Marco Polo sheep.
In their free-time, our Fulbrighters take advantage of accessible hiking, mountain biking, mountain climbing, skiing, horseback riding, ice skating, camping, bird-watching, and swimming on the pristine Lake Issyk-Kul. Fulbrighters also enjoy attending nomadic sports matches, concerts featuring traditional Kyrgyz instruments, recitations of the epic "Manas" poem, traditional Turkish and Russian spas, and cooking and felting classes. Many take Kyrgyz or Russian lessons as well! From fresh baked naan bread and pastries at the bazaar, to excellent and inexpensive international and national restaurants (Kyrgyz, Georgian, Italian, American, Japanese, Korean, Turkish etc.), the country's culinary offerings cater to every palate. You won't go hungry! Fulbrighters generally rent apartments (both new builds and Soviet-era units) within walking, bus, or biking distance of their host institutions. And, on winter break, our participants have traveled to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to see historic silk road sites.
The U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic's Public Diplomacy Section supports participants on every step of their Fulbright journey - from detailed pre-departure and in-country orientations, to coordination with host institution counterparts on housing, teaching, and visa issues. We are committed to helping you take full advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Eligibility
6 Months
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
Foreign Language Proficiency
Basic knowledge of Kyrgyz or Russian is recommended, but not required. Grantees are provided with a stipend to study a local language while in-country as part of their grant benefit.
Placement Type
- Vocational/Technical School
- Teacher Training
- University/Post-Secondary Institution
- Other Educational/Community Institution
Host Placement Responsibilities and Expectations: ETAs will complete 20 hours per week of in-classroom teaching, including all class preparation time and additional school-related activities at their host institution. ETAs will generally either teach on their own, or assist in teaching conversational English with a Kyrgyzstani co-teacher to university students and professionals at the host institutions.
Additional Responsibilities: Under the guidance of PDS, ETAs will also have the opportunity to participate in community outreach and cultural activities, such as directing reading and conversation groups at an American Space, working with English Access Microscholarship Students, and assisting PDS with a variety of cultural and educational activities and exchange programs. ETAs are encouraged to propose creative ideas for programming to engage students and other audiences, which should account for at least five hours of additional teaching or cultural outreach per week.
Alumni and participants of other U.S. Government-sponsored programs, such as the English Language Fellows program, will act as local mentors, as available. Additional resources for ETAs include strong English-teaching associations in country.
The Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section views English Language as a key tool to counter disinformation and provide access to information. ETAs are involved in a wide scope of English teaching activities that reach beyond the classroom and illustrate engaging ways that teachers and students can learn English. ETAs are involved in the annual I Love English Video Contest as judges and mentors; the annual countrywide American Song Contest for university and secondary students as judges; and also lend imagination and creativity to cultural events around the country that want to highlight American culture, holidays, and historical figures. ETAs with specific interest in STEM may find themselves involved in mentoring TechGirls, young students interested in STEM or even the burgeoning Satellite Girls program in Kyrgyzstan which aims to build the Kyrgyz Republic's first CubeSat to be launched into space.
Here are some videos made by an EL Fellow as examples of work that can be done: https://youtu.be/9Nzk-M9rv6M; https://youtu.be/7a1wQpng_6g.
ETAs may also elect to register for a course at the “Lingua” school, a teacher-training center in Bishkek, to improve their teaching skills.
Placement Locations
- Capital City
- Regional City
Previous placements have included Bishkek, Osh, Naryn, Karakol, and Tokmok. All teaching assignments will be made by the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy.
Supplementary Project
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.
The monthly stipend for a single grantee without dependents is $2,250.
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.
- Excess baggage fees
- Housing allowance (separate from living stipend)
- Language training allowance
- Settling in allowance
Base amount of $1,500 is intended to cover baggage fees, in-transit costs, and relocation expenses. Round trip travel is included as a grant benefit and grantee flights are coordinated and pre-approved by the Fulbright program's approved travel agency.
English language material allowance: $500 (included in 1st grant payment)
In-country orientation allowance: $500 (included in 1st grant payment)
In-country travel allowance: $1,000 (included in 1st grant payment)
Language study: Up to $1,500 in costs allowed, paid as reimbursement.
Additional Grant Benefits
- Diplomatic pouch
- Housing placement
Student grantees are eligible to use country-bound diplomatic pouch service to send educational materials to the Kyrgyz Republic.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
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Bishkek |
Karakol |
Naryn |
Osh |
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Estimated Housing (cost per month) |
$500 - $1000 |
$300-$600 |
$250-$500 |
$400-$800 |
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Food at the cafe/restaurants is good and inexpensive |
$6-$12 |
$5-$10 |
$5-$10 |
$5-$10 |
|
Estimated Grocery |
$200-$400 per month per person |
$200-$400 per month per person |
$200-$400 per month per person |
$200-$400 per month per person |
Dependents
Housing Arrangements
Housing arrangements will be made with the assistance of the host university, with involvement from the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, if necessary. Upon arrival, ETAs will stay in a hotel for 3-4 days before moving into an apartment.