Teaching English Abroad - Alternatives to the Fulbright ETA
OPPORTUNITIES IN ASIA
JET (Japan)
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program was founded in 1987 by the government of Japan. The JET Program is a competitive employment opportunity that allows professionals to live and work in cities, towns, and villages throughout Japan. Being a JET is an opportunity to work and to represent the United States as cultural ambassadors to Japan. Most participants serve as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and work in public and private schools throughout Japan; some work as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) as interpreters/translators. Applicants for the JET USA program must be US citizens with an interest in Japan.
EPIK (South Korea)
EPIK was established in 1995 and is affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Education. Since its inception, EPIK has had the goals of improving the English-speaking abilities of Korean students and teachers, developing cultural exchange between Korea and abroad, and of introducing new teaching methods into the Korean education system. To help accomplish these goals, EPIK invites responsible, enthusiastic native English speakers with a motivation to share their knowledge and language with Korean students and teachers within the Korean public school system throughout the country. EPIK teachers must be citizens of and have graduated from a univeristy in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, or South Africa.
Ambassador Year in China (AYC) is an employment opportunity in cultural exchange for university graduates to spend a year exploring, learning, teaching, and making a difference at placement schools across China by becoming Assistant English Language Teacher. Applicants must be native English speakers with a passport from U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, or Canada who have bachelor's degrees.
EFT (Taiwan)
Grantees in the English Teaching Flagship Program may solo teach or co-teach with Taiwanese teachers in elementary schools, junior high schools, or join special programs with support from local coordinators and professional advisors. Applicants must be US citizens with some teaching experience.
Teach Thailand Corps (TTC), established by the American-Thai Foundation -- a 501(c)(3) US nonprofit -- in collaboration with Yonok Foundation, focuses on strengthening primary and secondary school education in Thailand, particularly in high-need areas. TTC recruits and places American and Chinese graduates with bachelor's degrees or higher to teach English and Chinese and some basic subjects in less developed provinces.
OPPORTUNITIES IN EUROPE
NALCAP (Spain)
American college students and graduates - who are native-like speakers of English - partner with elementary and secondary schools in Spain to bolster language programs, as language assistants (TAs) under the supervision and guidance of teachers in Spain. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens with a valid passport. Canadian citizens should visit the NALCAP Canada website.
TAPIF (France)
Each year, TAPIF places around 1,200 Americans into French public schools to work as English language teaching assistants for 12 hours a week. The seven-month contracts, which can be renewed three times (consecutively or not), enable young adults to gain valuable classroom experience, improve their French language skills, and immerse themselves in the francophone world. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents with intermediate proficiency in French (B1).
USTA (Austria)
Each year, Fulbright Austria recruits recent college graduates to be placed in schools across Austria. Teaching assistants work in one or two Austrian secondary schools, teaching 13 hours every week. Teaching assistants receive a monthly salary along with medical insurance and are required to apply for the appropriate work and residence permits. Although Fulbright Austria administers this program, US teaching assistants are not Fulbright grantees, but rather salaried employees of the provincial school districts employing them. Applicants must be US citizens with intermediate-mid German proficiency.