Switzerland
6 English Teaching Assistant Award
Accepted Degree Levels
|
Grant PeriodSeptember StartGrant Length12 Months |
Award Type
Award Profile
Teaching assistants – future or beginning language teachers – gain experience in language teaching methods and, at the same time, improve their own knowledge of a foreign language. They broaden their knowledge about life in Switzerland and its education system.
In partnership with Movetia, the Swiss National Agency for Exchange and Mobility and the Fulbright Program in Switzerland, offer up to six grants, which are part of the general Swiss Language Assistantship Program.
The ETAs will assist permanent teaching staff generally at a secondary school, such as Grammar schools, Specialist Vocational schools, or Federal Vocational Baccalaureate schools. They will also be expected to engage in extracurricular activities at the schools.
Applicants can apply to one of two Swiss language regions: French and German. They should indicate their language region in the Statement of Grant Purpose.
Grant Length
Grant Period
Switzerland is a federal country where the cantonal governments decide on the educational plan in their canton. There can therefore be differences per canton in starting and finishing date of the school year, and in the dates of the school vacations.
The grant length is generally between 10 and 12 months long, and depending on the canton the school year starts Mid-August or on September 1. The grant ends either in June or July, also depending on the canton where you are placed. The exact starting date and duration will be communicated during the placement.
Please note that in the canton of Jura, language assistant programs only lasts nine months, namely from September 1 until the end of May.
Orientation
U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland will host a webinar about the visa application after all ETAs for Switzerland have been confirmed and placed. This will be around the beginning of May.
All grantees are required to attend a pre-departure orientation in June or July as a condition of their grant. The event is organized by IIE, virtual or in-person.
There will also be an introductory seminar upon arrival in Switzerland.
Candidate Profile
1. College or University graduate holding a bachelor’s or higher degree, planning to teach English.
2. Possibly having studied German, English or French Language or Literature as a major or minor subject.
3. Applicants must be between 21 and 35 years old at the time of the September grant start date; however, the preference is for candidates 30 and younger.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?
Applicants are expected to research their host country. Application materials should indicate a clear commitment to the host country community and a description of how you will engage with it.
Switzerland is one of the safest and wealthiest countries in the world. This makes life in Switzerland very pleasant and comfortable. There is a fantastic public transport system that runs on time and gets you almost everywhere. The health care system is one of the best in the world.
When taking the normal safety precautions, it is safe for women to go out at night and be on the streets alone.
The beautiful countryside invites to go outdoors either for hiking, swimming, camping, picknick in summer, or doing snowsports in winter.
Swiss people, especially in the German speaking part of Switzerland, might initially be a bit reserved in making contact, but that should not stop you from approaching them and aiming to make friends.
Shops are open from Monday to Saturday, from around 7.30am to 7.00pm or 8.00pm. On Sundays all shops, except for the shops on the train stations, are closed. You will also find that on Sunday many restaurants and bars are closed.
Switzerland does have four seasons, meaning that it can be nice and warm in summer with temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius, and quite cold in winter with temperatures going down to -10 degrees. It has dry periods and periods with lots of rain.
Throughout the school year there are several weeks of school vacations: fall vacation of at least one week around October, 2 weeks around the holidays in December, 1 or 2 weeks spring vacation in February, and 1 or 2 weeks in April (usually around Easter), allowing you to explore everyhing Switzerland has to offer.
Before arriving in Switzerland, grantees will receive an extensive information guide with practical information on their time in Switzerland.
Eligibility
9 Months
All grantees must travel on their U.S. passport. Applicants are NOT eligible, in case they have been in Switzerland for more than nine months during the year prior to the beginning of the scholarship in September 2026.
Degree Level of Applicant
- Bachelor's
- Master's
- Doctoral
Special Application Instructions
No translation required
Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) Form
If required, submission of the Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is mandatory, even if you have advanced skills or are a native speaker of the language. Failure to submit the required FLE form may impact your eligibility.
Depending on the Swiss language region, grantees should have German at A2 level or French at B1 level. (Common European Framework of Reference CEFR). Applicants should indicate their language region in the Statement of Grant Purpose.
Foreign Language Proficiency Level by Grant Start
If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Required, applicants must have the following proficiency level by the start of the grant period. If a Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) form is Recommended, applicants are encouraged but not required to have the following level by the start of the grant period.
Depending on the Swiss language region, grantees should have German at A2 level or French at B1 level (Common European Framework of Reference, CEFR)
Placement Type
- Secondary School
- Vocational/Technical School
Placement Locations
- Capital City
- Regional City
- Rural
Award Benefits
- A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
- International travel benefits
- Accident & sickness health benefits
- 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
- 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
- English language teaching preparatory course
Stipend Amount
This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.
Grantees receive a monthly salary paid by their host school. The exact monthly salary will depend on the canton and city where the grantee will be an ETA.
Grantees have to cover their own travel to and from Switzerland.
Supplementary Project
The teaching assistant commitment is 12 hours a week (16 lessons of 45 minutes each). In addition to teaching, the grantee is expected to engage in extracurricular activities within the school and/or community, such as language clubs or other extra-curricular school-related activities, or community volunteering activities. The grantee will also engage in promoting the full extent of the Fulbright program to students and teachers within the host school and the community. The teaching, extra-curricular, and community outreach activities should make up a full-time program of 40-42 hours per week.
Estimated Cost of Living
Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.
ETAs will need to organize their own Swiss health insurance, which must be valid from the day of arrival in Switzerland. To compare health insurance packages, please go to www.comparis.ch. Depending on the amount of deductables, ETAs should expect to pay around CHF 250 monthly.
Room rental around CHF 500 to 700 per month.
Mobile phone plans should be possible for around CHF 50 per month.
Public Transport: We recommend that grantees buy a half fare card for all Swiss public transport upon arrival in Switzerland, saving 50% per ticket. The Half Fare Travel Card for Youth (for anyone between 16 and 25 years old) is CHF 120. For anyone older than 25, the card is CHF 190 per year. (in comparison a return ticket Zurich airport to Bern is normal price CHF 112, and with a half fare card CHF 56).
Anyone under 25 years old can also buy a general transport card for free travel between 7.00pm until the next morning 5.00am. This card which is called GA Night costs CHF 99 and is valid for one year.
Groceries: Groceries are not cheap, especially meat, fish, and dairy products.
Dependents
The salary is for the cost of living for a single person only.
Housing Arrangements
ETAs are responsible for making their own arrangements for housing, which must be in the Swiss canton in which their host school is located, preferably close to the school. The school or former ETAs can be useful resources to find affordable and comfortable housing.
Visa/Residency Information
Visa and work permit are required. All Fulbright ETAs must use their U.S. passport, and are subject to the Switzerland's trainee agreement with the USA. For details, see the candidate profile above. For more details, click here.
Special Application Instructions
ETAs must obtain an authorization to work as a young professional (trainee) by submitting the trainee agreement application immediately upon confirmation of placement. Applications should be submitted to the competent Swiss representation in your region (embassy or consulate general) in the United States. For more information, see www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/representations-and-travel-advice/usa/ch-representation-usa.html The procedure requires about 8-12 weeks and the service is payable. A visa is required. For more details, click here.
Only finalists must undergo the visa application process and only after they have been accepted by the host school.
Grant Benefits
Grant benefits include a monthly stipend of CHF 3,200 gross per month, with which grantees finance their costs of board and lodging, insurance policies, and travel, including international travel to and from Switzerland.