Fulbright Commission France - Lévy-Despas Scholarship

Lévy-Despas Scholarship (Bourse Carlet - Lévy-Despas)

You will spend an academic year (9 months) as a French language assistant at Amherst College, a prestigious private university in Massachusetts, USA. You will receive a monthly stipend of approximately 830 EUR (around $900). Amherst College will also cover your accommodation on campus at the ‘Maison Française’, your meals and your tuition fees (totalling over $40,000). The Fulbright Programme also provides a travel allowance, health insurance and a waiver of the visa fee. You will assist with French language teaching for students for around 10 hours per week and, as a final-year student yourself, will take part-time courses. This year does not lead to a US degree. The scholarship is administered by the Franco-American Fulbright Commission in collaboration with the Fondation Carlet Lévy-Despas, and only one person is selected each year.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a French citizen.
• Degree: You must hold at least one qualification (Bac+3, Bachelor’s degree) obtained within the last 5 years.
• Languages: You speak French and English very well.
• Field of study: Any topic is fine.
• Availability: You can commit to the whole academic year, from August or September to May or June.
• Residence: You are not resident in the USA at the time of application.

How to apply

Complete the Fulbright FLTA application online by 1 December. In addition, submit an essay by email entitled ‘Goals and Motivations’, in which you explain why you are applying for this position at Amherst College. This essay is crucial to the validity of your application. An initial panel will shortlist candidates at the end of December, and shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview (usually via Zoom) towards the end of January.

How realistic are your chances?

As only one place is awarded each year, competition is fierce. However, the entry requirements severely restrict the pool of applicants: you must be a French national, hold a recently awarded bachelor’s degree and write a topic-specific essay relating to Amherst College. If you clearly meet these criteria, have a very good command of English and can demonstrate a genuine interest in a teaching career, a well-reasoned essay is what will set you apart from the rest. Apply right at the start of the application period, as the deadline is strict and late applications will be rejected.