Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Programme for New Zealand Teachers

You are eligible to apply for this award if you:

• are a New Zealand citizen;
• and are not a permanent resident or citizen of the US;
• and are not currently living in the US.

Preference for Fulbright awards is given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright award, or had extensive recent experience in the US (ie. have not studied, taught, researched or worked in the US for a period aggregating more than nine months/one academic year during the past five years).

• Return travel (domestic and international)
• Host institution fees and related expenses
• Monthly maintenance allowance to assist with living costs during the programme
• Basic supplemental health and accident insurance
• Accommodation (Note: grantees accompanied by dependents are required to source and fund their own housing. They will receive some assistance from the host institution to source alternative housing options)
• Official workshop programme in Washington DC
• The New Zealand Ministry of Education will fund full relief costs to the grantee’s school through the Teach NZ Prestigious Awards Programme.
• Note: No maintenance allowances are provided for accompanying dependents. Grantees are responsible for all costs for dependents while in the US and must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds available to support their dependents while in the US. Grantees may also apply for professional development funds to support development and research, or to help cover the expenses of attending a conference or workshop related to their field of expertise while in the US.

• • • Your award must be approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC;
    • The period of your award is approximately four months (from mid-January to May);
    • Your award must commence in January in the year following the application closing date. Note that you will be eligible to arrive and depart from the US 30 days either side of your award dates;
    • You will be required to undertake a full medical examination before applying for your visa;
    • You must travel on a New Zealand passport, and US immigration documentation must be completed from within New Zealand. Grantees must use the DS-2019 form provided by Fulbright New Zealand to obtain an Exchange Visitor (J1) non-immigrant visa to enter the United States. You will be required to attend a visa interview at the US Consulate in Auckland in order to obtain your visa at your own cost;
    • International travel will only be funded between New Zealand and the US;
    • You may be required to fulfill some Fulbright New Zealand media requirements before your departure for the US, during your exchange and/or on return to New Zealand;
    • You must provide Fulbright New Zealand with copies of any articles, research papers or theses resulting from your award. A final report must also be completed before you depart from the US;
    • Fulbright grantees must travel to the US on an Exchange Visitor (J1) non-immigrant visa. A requirement of this visa is that you must return to your home country for a cumulative total of two years at the end of your exchange visitor programme before becoming eligible to apply to live in the US. This home-country foreign residency requirement is in keeping with the philosophy of the Fulbright exchange programme, that you return to New Zealand to share your experiences. Note that you will not be prohibited from travelling to the US for short-term visits on the visa waiver program or a non-immigrant visa.
    • Children and spouses may accompany international teachers, but the bulk of the expenses and all of the arrangements for dependents, including schooling where appropriate, will be the responsibility of the grantee to arrange for the duration of the program.
    • Dependents may come to Washington, D.C. for the workshop and stay in the same hotel room. Minors are not permitted to attend the orientation sessions.
    • DS-2019s for international participant dependents’ J-2 visas will be issued upon receipt of proof of adequate financial resources and health insurance for dependents who will accompany participants for 80 percent or more of the program.

It was Senator J William Fulbright’s mission to build peace through the mutual understanding of cultures. Fulbright applicants and grantees are expected to understand and support this mission and be effective ambassadors for New Zealand. In addition to the monetary, educational and cultural exchange benefits made possible by the award, Fulbright grantees carry the prestige of the Fulbright programme along with them throughout their careers. Alumni are expected to succeed and be ‘thought leaders’ in their respective fields/careers, and to support and remain engaged with the Fulbright programme for the rest of their lives.

• You must complete and submit an online application by the application deadline;
• You must also submit all required support documents by the application deadline;
• Interviews will be conducted via Skype.

Note that if the application deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline is extended to 5:00pm on the next business day.

Application advisers

If you are inexperienced at writing grant applications, please feel free to contact one of these appointed advisers for advice and guidance on preparing your application. All advisers are previous recipients of this award.

Further information is available here, or please email Programme Manager Paul Altomari with any questions.

Fulbright New Zealand has Campus Advisers stationed on all major New Zealand campuses. Our Advisers are all Fulbright alumni who are available to discuss their exchange experiences with students and staff, as well as to give basic information about our awards.

Please note this award is currently on hold.

Programme Overview

Please contact Programme Manager Paul Altomari with any questions.