Deadline: February 2, 2018
 Did you know that the
U.S. Department of Education provides grants to K-12 and postsecondary educators to study and travel abroad?
The Fulbright-Hays Seminars
Abroad Program provides short-term seminars abroad for
U.S. educators in the social sciences and humanities to improve their
understanding and knowledge of the peoples and cultures of other countries.
Each seminar features educational lectures and activities specifically designed
for the group, including visits to local schools and organizations, meetings
with teachers and students, and visits to cultural sites. Participants draw on
their experiences during the program to create new, cross-cultural
curricula for their classrooms and school systems back in the U.S.
In 2018, summer
programs will be offered in Ecuador, India, and Poland. A total
of 48 awards are available (sixteen per program).
The program covers airfare,
room and board, and program costs. Teacher participants are responsible for a
cost-share of $600.
 How to Apply
 The 2018 Seminars Abroad application is
now available on the G5 website at www.g5.gov.
If you
are a new user, click “Sign Up” on the G5 Homepage. Once registered and
activated, click on “Package Submission” under Grant Setup. Follow the
steps provided, filling out the forms and uploading the necessary
files. See the Application package for more detailed directions.
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Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible
for the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad program, the applicant must meet the
following requirements:
- Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United
States
- Must hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited
college or university
- Must have at least 3 years of full-time teaching or
administrative experience by time of departure
- Must be currently employed full-time in a U.S. school,
institution of higher education, Local Educational Agency, State
Educational Agency, library, or museum as a teacher/ administrator
- Must be an educator in the Arts, Humanities, or Social
Sciences (this criterion does not apply to administrators)
- Must work at the grade level of the seminar
- Must be physically and psychologically able
 Webinar: Application
Technical Assistance, January 10th
 Join us for a webinar at 1:00pm ET on January 10, 2018, for technical assistance in preparing your
Seminars Abroad application. IFLE staff will provide webinar attendees
with guidance on how to use the G5 electronic application system, prepare a
competitive application, and troubleshoot technical issues.
In order for the
webinar to best serve the needs of all applicants, please submit any questions
regarding the competition and application in advance to Maria Chang (maria.chang@ed.gov) so that we can be
sure to address them during the session.
When: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 (1:00pm - 2:30pm ET)
How to Participate: A registration link for the webinar will be posted at the Seminars Abroad "Applicant Info" webpage (linked below) as soon as it is available. Please check the website for updates between now and January 10th.
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Testimonials
Janelle Styons, Elementary
School Principal at Lebanon Road Elementary School, in Charlotte, North
Carolina participated
in the U.S. Department of Education-managed Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad program in Peru
in the summer of 2016. During a visit to a school for the
hearing-impaired, which she describes as one of the most meaningful experiences
of the program, she learned that hearing-impaired students in Peru do not
receive formal education prior to high
school, particularly in the rural areas of the country. Once
in high school, they have only limited access to specialized classes and
subjects.
In
order to overcome these challenges, the school embraces a culture of positive
teacher-student relationships, which allows students to learn more effectively.
Styons recalls observing a sign language teacher’s interactions with his
students and how he created an encouraging environment where students felt at
ease and learning was fun. Styons realized during this experience that incorporating
a solid foundation of positive teacher-student relationship building is key to
learning for students.
Upon her return to the U.S.,
Styons shared this unique experience at her school and asked teachers to
dedicate 20 minutes daily to focus on building positive relationships with
their students and to discuss topics of interest, both academic and
non-academic. According to Styons, the number of school suspensions decreased
from 20 in the 2015-2016 academic year to fewer than five in the 2016-2017
academic year. She also shared that standardized test scores have improved
across the board.
Here's what other past Seminars Abroad participants have to say about
the program:
"Without a doubt the ENTIRE trip was amazing! All of the
activities were related to each other and sequenced in a thoughtful way. All
activities were meaningful and left a lasting impression."
"Thanks to the inspired and collaborative contributions from
my fellow participants, I return with an arsenal of lessons that bring a modest
slice of the world back home to my students."
"My Seminars Abroad experience will allow me to introduce to
my students pertinent first-hand information about the world. I plan on doing
so through the development of curriculum units that will give my students the
opportunity to explore cultural heritage and compare their own culture with
other cultures.”
"There have been so many great collaborations to come out of
the Seminars Abroad program, and I'm filled with gratitude. The Fulbright-Hays programs have done
so much for my research and teaching!"
Examples of Past Seminars
Abroad
 Thailand 2017
Exploring the Diverse Culture and History of Thailand
For four weeks in July 2017, sixteen K-8 teachers from the U.S. explored Thailand and its diverse culture and history. During the seminar, participants met and learned from local community members, policymakers, key figures, academicians, and American Fulbrighters working in Thai schools through interactive sessions. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to partake in hands-on workshops to learn about cultural beliefs and practices that have been passed down from generation to generation. Throughout the seminar, participants were immersed in learning about Thailand, encouraged to pursue their individual academic interests, and guided to develop their respective curriculum projects for use back in their U.S. classrooms. By the end of the program, participants gained a better understanding of Thailand to integrate into their classes and share with their colleagues back home.
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 Bulgaria 2017
Bulgaria in the Context of Migration and Challenges to European Cohesion
This past summer's Seminar Abroad in Bulgaria offered an opportunity for sixteen teachers from U.S. high schools to learn about Bulgaria's rich cultural and political history, exploring how its past affects its current national identity. Through meetings with scholars, NGO representatives, politicians, artists and members of civil society, seminar participants investigated the country’s historical and contemporary relationship with the European Union (EU), NATO, Russia, and Turkey and how this past has created challenges for Bulgaria’s European integration. Since Bulgaria is an EU border state on the frontlines of the refugee and migrant crisis, the group learned about the country’s strategies for dealing with the influx of newcomers that threatens regional stability. Seminar participants toured sites of major historical, cultural, and political importance, and also had the unique opportunity to travel to Thessaloniki, Greece, where they visited a major refugee housing center. Now that they have returned to the United States, the teachers will use their experiences in Bulgaria to incorporate content dealing with migration, the refugee crisis, and European cohesion into new curricula for their courses, schools, and school districts.
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Chile 2017
The Construction of Chilean Identity: Socio-economic, Political, and Educational Reforms
The 2017 Seminar Abroad in Chile offered an opportunity for sixteen postsecondary faculty from U.S. institutions to examine the historical construction of Chile's modern-day identity through the lens of its recent social movements and reforms. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, economic, political, religious, and ethnic contexts that exist in the country and that have influenced movements from past to present day. The seminar centered on underlying issues, such as the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state and how religious thought and practice have influenced, and been influenced by, the development of Chilean democracy. The seminar also explored the current reform of Chile’s education sector.
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