Comissão Fulbright Brasil

The program helps to improve the teaching of the English language and U.S. culture and values at Teacher’s College at public and private universities throughout Brazil. Students at these institutions attend three-to-four-year undergraduate programs to graduate as English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. U.S. English Teaching Assistants cooperate with Brazilian faculty members and are under their supervision while taking over some responsibilities, such as conducting classes, creating teaching materials and developing workshops and projects related to EFL.

Although ETAs are not full-fledged professors, the program is a professional development opportunity for them to advance their teaching skills and have a positive experience on a Brazilian campus.

The Fulbright Commission assigns at least two Fulbright ETAs to each university campus. We match ETAs with the appropriate host institution, basing assignments on the host institution’s needs and on the ETA’s profile.

Approximately 80 grants are available per year, with full maintenance benefits for the grantee.

ETAs should expect to complete between up to 30 hours per week of classroom teaching, planning and preparation included. Teaching assistantship activities can vary from institution to institution and also depend on the ETA’s background and qualifications.

Community engagement is another component of the ETA Program. ETAs must join in activities related to their personal, career, and/or educational interests during 10 to 15 hours per week.

Candidates should consider a project that they intend to pursue if awarded the grant and, since they will not know where they will be placed in Brazil, these activities should be flexible respective to geographic location. For example, grantees may pursue a course of study, conduct research into topics or issues relative to Brazil, engage in specific volunteer activities, or a combination of these.

1. Being a U.S. citizen.
2. Holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Bachelor’s candidates must have received the Bachelor’s degree by August 31, 2020 to be eligible for the grant starting in February 2021.
3. Having some experience (one to two years) in tutoring/classroom teaching for (young) adults.
4. Candidates with a degree in TESOL, ESL, English, Linguistics, or Education are highly preferred.  Candidates with other degrees, but who demonstrate a genuine interest in English Teaching as a career opportunity should also apply. Fulbright Commission in Brazil will sponsor the TEFL/TESOL certification for these candidates if they go through the final selection. The grant confirmation will be subject to completing the certification before the grant begins, in February 2021.
5. Having good Portuguese proficiency (at least two years of college-level studies). Applicants should have intermediate skills in Portuguese or advanced skills in Spanish at the time of application. Advanced skills in Portuguese are highly recommended for when the grant begins, to settle in comfortably and pursue independent interactions with contacts in the community that are not related to the English teaching project at the host institution. A Foreign Language Evaluation completed by a college-level language instructor is required and must be supported by a Language Self-Evaluation completed by the applicant.
6. Presenting evidence of leadership skills and maturity to represent the United States.
7. Being available to be in Brazil for one academic year, beginning in February 2021 and ending in November 2021, following the Southern hemisphere academic calendar.

1. Monthly stipend of US$ 1,300

2. International round-trip transportation of US$ 1,300

3. Relocation allowance of US$ 500

4. Accident and Sickness coverage

1. Assistance in applying to the appropriate Brazilian visa.
2. Arrival orientation and mid-year meetings, both with mandatory participation.
3. General administrative support through the Fulbright Commission in Brazil.
4. Explore Brazil with the giant ETA network spread throughout the country.

Click here to find in the map of Brazil where partner institutions are located in 2019.

If you fit the requirements, please reflect on the following remarks before starting your application:

1. The ETAs’ first responsibility is to the Fulbright program and the Brazilian institution to where they are assigned. No one should apply for or accept the ETA award unless they are able to commit fully to the calendar of activities at their host institution.

2. The Fulbright Commission places ETAs in groups of up to four ETAs and allocates them over the 30+ host institutions based on the profile of ETAs, and institutions., Applicants should not apply for or accept this award unless they are willing to take on the Commission’s assignment.

3. The grant does not provide financial or logistical support for dependents. Also, because ETAs are placed at universities throughout the country where limitations for family housing, schooling and/or childcare may exist, it is not advisable for dependents to accompany grantees for the full grant term.

4. Requests for travel outside of Brazil should be limited to 14 consecutive days and must coincide with the break in the academic calendar of the host institution. Excluding emergency situations, including those involving family members in the United States, grantees will not be permitted to travel outside of Brazil while host institutions are in session — no exceptions.

5. Grantees may not be in Brazil for more than three cumulative months in the 12 months before the grant start. We can accept exceptions for in-country formal language study only.

The Institute of International Education – IIE handles all application stages. Please check their website.

Applicants affiliated with a university should contact the Fulbright Program Advisor at their institution for application information and deadline. At-large applicants (no longer at a university) should contact the Institute of International Education directly.

The application schedule for the Fulbright Teaching Assistantship Program 2020-2021 will be April 1st to October 8th, 2019, at 5 p.m. EST. 

Specially selected committees will review all applications, and grants are awarded in competition and depending on funds available.

The Fulbright Commission in Brazil administers the ETA Program in close cooperation with the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education – CAPES, which is also the co-sponsor of the ETA Program.

Check below the blogs of former and current ETAs: 

• adamabroadbrazil.wordpress.com
• nadinenobrasil.wordpress.com
• imaginamundo.wixsite.com/website

See the Fulbright Brazil Instagram takeover by our U.S. and Brazilian grantees:

• @fulbrightbrasil

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval of the Fulbright Commission Brazil of any opinions of the grantees.