Fulbright Program Spain - Fulbright Grants for Spanish Language Assistants in American Universities

What you get

You will spend an academic year (9 months) as a Spanish language assistant at a US university or college. You will teach Spanish and gain an insider’s view of American society. Your host institution will pay you a monthly allowance, usually between 350 and 900 US dollars, depending on the local cost of living. This is equivalent to around 322 euros per month. In addition, you will receive a one-off payment of approximately 3,700 euros (4,000 US dollars) to cover general expenses and travel costs. The host institution often provides free accommodation and meals on campus. If this is not the case, the monthly allowance will be higher. The Fulbright Programme also covers your health and accident insurance in full. The scholarship is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Spain. Up to 13 places are available. The scholarship cannot be extended or renewed.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a Spanish national and are resident in Spain at the time of the call for applications and throughout the selection process. You are not eligible to apply if you also hold US citizenship.
• Degree: You hold a university degree worth at least 240 ECTS credits. This could be, for example, a four-year ‘Grado’ or a three-year ‘Grado’ followed by a Master’s degree.
• Teaching background: You have a degree in an educational or linguistic subject, or up to 7 years’ professional experience in teaching a language.
• English level: You must pass one of the following tests: TOEFL iBT with a score of at least 90, IELTS Academic with a score of at least 6.5, or Duolingo with a score of at least 110.
• No prior US study or Fulbright: You have not undertaken postgraduate studies in the USA, nor have you previously received a Fulbright scholarship, nor have you worked as a Spanish language assistant in the USA. Preference will be given to applicants with no previous experience in the USA.
• Come alone: You’re taking up space without any family, friends or pets.

How to apply

Applications are made via the Fulbright Spain online form. You will need to submit a brief project description in Spanish and English, your degree certificates and the results of your English language tests, as well as three letters of recommendation. If you are shortlisted, you will attend a face-to-face interview in Madrid. The US institutions then select their assistants from the shortlisted candidates, and each candidate receives a single offer.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a highly selective scholarship. Only Spanish nationals who have completed a university degree, have a background in education and have achieved a very good result in an English language test are eligible, and there are only up to 13 places available. Although the pool of applicants is small, the interview and the subsequent placement at US universities mean that competition is fierce. If you clearly meet all the requirements and can produce a compelling project proposal in both languages, your chances are good.