Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program 2025 (Serbia)

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (Fulbright TEA) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Fulbright program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former United States Senator William Fulbright of Arkansas. Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the Fulbright program.

Teachers are nominated to participate in the Fulbright TEA Program based on their educational experience, academic training, leadership and professional experience. Final selection of Fulbright TEA teachers is made by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB). The FFSB is an independent, presidentially appointed board that has oversight responsibility for all Fulbright academic exchange programs.

Objectives

• The Fulbright TEA Program seeks to:
  • Equip teachers with a deeper understanding of best practices in teaching methods, content-based instruction, project-based learning, lesson planning, and instructional technology.
  • Create among educators a more nuanced understanding of the U.S.
  • Develop productive and lasting relationships and mutual understanding between U.S. and international teachers and their students.
  • Contribute to improved teaching in participating countries and communities by preparing participants to serve as stronger teacher leaders who, upon returning home, will apply and share their experience and skills with their peer sand students.
  • Make U.S. students more aware of other countries around the world through interaction with international teachers.

Eligible Teaching Disciplines

• English or English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
• Math
• Science
• Foreign Language
• Social Studies (civics, history, geography, global studies, media studies, and law, etc.)
• Journalism
• Communications
• Special Education in the disciplines listed

Cost Covered

• J-1 visa support;
• A pre-departure orientation held in participant’s home country;
• Round-trip airfare to and within the U.S.;
• Academic program fees;
• Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (Fulbright TEA) Program Application
  • Housing and meals;
  • Accident and sickness health care coverage;
  • Transportation to the practicum school (as needed);
  • A daily allowance for incidentals during the university academic program;
  • A baggage allowance;
  • A workshop in Washington, D.C.; and
  • The opportunity for alumni in good standing to apply for alumni small grants

Program Components

• Teachers who are selected to participate in the Fulbright TEA Program will:
  • Take part in tailored graduate-level seminars at a U.S. host university.
  • Observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise with U.S. colleagues in U.S. secondary schools.
  • Engage in an online professional learning community with other participants to share best practices and other elements of host and home country educational systems; and
  • Take part in other educational and cultural activities while on program in the United States.
  • Upon returning home, teachers will share the knowledge and experience gained on the program with teachers and students in their home schools and communities.

University Coursework

• Weekly Seminars: Teachers will participate in weekly seminars at their host university featuring presentations and discussions led by university staff, faculty members, and invited educational experts. The Fulbright TEA Program provides academic seminars focusing on new teaching methodologies, student-centered learning, content-based instruction, lesson planning, and instructional technology training for teachers.
• U.S. School Placements: The program will also include a practicum of at least 40 hours with a U.S. partner teacher in a secondary school near the host university to actively engage participants in the U.S. classroom environment. Cultural enrichment, mentoring, and support will be provided to participants throughout the program.
• Online Professional Learning Community: Each Fulbright teacher will participate in a virtual community with other international educators to collaborate and share best practices about education and leadership in the participating countries.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be current secondary school-level, full-time teachers of English, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), math, science, foreign language, social studies, journalism, or communications, including special education teachers in those subjects at an institution serving primarily a local population;
  • Have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
  • Have completed at least three years of full-time teaching by the start of the program, with a preference for those who have completed at least five or more years of full-time teaching;
  • Be a current citizen and resident of a participating country at the time of application and of program participation;
  • Earn a minimum score of 450 on the paper based TOEFL or an equivalent English language examination;
  • Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching after completion of the program; and
  • Have submitted a complete application.
• Secondary-level teachers include both middle and high school teachers serving students between approximately 12 and 18 years of age. Teachers responsible for teaching additional grade levels must teach middle or high school students more than 50% of their work time in order to be eligible for the program. The most competitive applicants will have shown evidence of leadership in their schools or districts.
• A limited number of participants with TOEFL scores between 425 and 450 or equivalent may be accepted into a special cohort of the program with additional English language training provided.
• Former participants of the Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program, the International Leaders in Education Program (ILEP), the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program, the Partners in Education (PiE) program, or Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers Program are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Serbia.