Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program

Please note: Applications are not being accepted at this time for the 2025-2026 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program.

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program sends expert U.S. K–12 educators to participating countries to support projects in schools, teacher training colleges, government ministries, or educational nongovernmental organizations, as identified by U.S. Embassies and Fulbright Commissions.

Program Description 

Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program participants complete short-term international projects, collaborate with colleagues abroad, and share educational policy and practice on a global scale.

This program's projects cover a variety of disciplines, and program cycles may have varying numbers of projects available for application.

Fulbright Teacher Exchanges include roundtrip airfare, visa support, accident and sickness medical coverage, accommodations, and meals related to the travel portions of each program. Participants receive a stipend to offset costs related to their travel. The stipend is not intended to replace a participant's salary and will vary depending on the host country, duration of program, and other factors.

Timeline & Activities

Timeline

Applications typically open in December and close in February. Applicants can expect to be notified in the summer. Travel dates are specific to each country and corresponding project opportunity. Please consult the project descriptions for possible dates of participation.

Please note: Applications are not being accepted at this time for the 2025-2026 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program.

Program Activities

Participants work with an educational institution in a participating country on projects to address specific need(s) of their community. Host institutions in participating countries work with local U.S. Embassies and Fulbright Commissions to develop these educational projects. Participants live and work in their host countries for two to six weeks. 

Upon arrival in the host country, participants receive a country-specific orientation and briefing, then are introduced to their host institution and community and begin working immediately to fulfill the needs of the project. Examples of project activities include:

• developing trainings, 
• writing curricula, 
• supporting pre-service or in-service educators, and 
• collaborating with university faculty to update teacher training processes and curricula.

Eligibility

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program is open to full-time elementary, middle, and high school educators who are employed at a public, private (secular or faith-based), or charter school in the United States, or within the Department of Defense Education Activity at the elementary, middle, or high school level (K–12).

Educational leaders and content-area experts who are ready to put their skills, experience, and expertise to work on a global level should apply to the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program. A wide range of disciplines are represented in each cycle of projects, including STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), English language learning, humanities, art, business, and special education.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program, the applicant must:

• be a U.S. citizen who resides in the United States, a U.S. territory, or who works on a campus within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).
• hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
• have a minimum of three years of full-time instructional experience in a U.S. K-12 educational institution.
• be currently employed full-time in a U.S. K-12 educational institution with a minimum of 50% of contracted hours in a student-facing role.
• have NOT resided abroad for five or more consecutive years in the six-year period preceding the date of application (a candidate who has lived outside the United States, a U.S. territory, or a school associated with the Department of Defense Education Activity for nine months or more during a calendar year is deemed to have resided abroad for that year). 

Application

Application

The application to the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term can be found in IREX’s Online Application System. The application includes sections to enter personal and professional demographics, educational and certification information, language proficiency, and an opportunity to answer, in short essays, questions about the applicant’s goals for the program, their background and experience, and how they might leverage the experience for impact in their school community.

Applicants are asked to demonstrate how their skills and experience qualify them to fulfill the project activities in the project for which they are applying.

Supporting Documentation

The application also requires the submission of references and certain documentation:

• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Professional reference from someone the applicant has worked with in a professional capacity
• Professional reference from the applicant’s school or district lead administrator
• Leave Approval Form
• Verification of bachelor's degree conferred, or certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria

Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term participants are selected through an open, nationwide competition. 

In an effort to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of U.S. and international applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. Opportunities are open to people regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Bureau is committed to fairness, equity, and inclusion.

Outstanding applicants include those with a demonstrated record of professional leadership and accomplishment in teaching, and demonstrated experience conducting professional learning workshops. Applicants are considered individually, and team applications will not be accepted

When applications are received by IREX through the Online Application System, each application is screened for technical eligibility. After confirming that applicants meet the eligibility criteria, an independent committee of experts reviews the applications and makes nomination recommendations. The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board approves all final nominations.

Applications are evaluated on overall quality, the applicant’s qualifications, the benefit of the program for both the applicant and the applicant’s school, and clear demonstration of educational leadership.

Applications are encouraged from individuals who:

• work in high-need schools or districts, defined as having a student population that is of high socioeconomic need, especially where 40% or more qualifies for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS).
• have had at least five years of full-time K-12 teaching experience in the United States, a U.S. territory, or a school associated with the Department of Defense Education Activity.
• hold a master’s degree from a U.S. university and/or a National Board Certification.
• demonstrate commitment to remaining in U.S. K-12 education following their participation in the program.
• have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• have NOT participated in another Fulbright Program and/or had recent significant professional experience abroad. Professional experience abroad includes study, teaching, research, or professional development. It does not include personal travel, undergraduate study abroad, leading student trips, religious or volunteer trips, service in the U.S. Armed Forces, or serving in the Peace Corps.

While previous participation in a Fulbright Program does not disqualify applicants, the program prefers applicants for whom it would be their first such opportunity.

All applicants will receive notification of a selection decision by email, whether they have been selected or not.

"It’s broadened my impact as an educator. I’ve been teaching for 36 years. Now I’m helping kids to learn on the other side of the globe. And that feels pretty cool."

Allan Miller, STEM Educator, United States to Uzbekistan