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How Do I Become A Fellow?
Fellow Selection Criteria
- U.S. citizenship
- Master’s in TEFL/TESL, Applied Linguistics, or other Master's degree with a focus on TESL/TEFL
- Degree must be conferred by end of 2009 spring semester
- Fellows must have a minimum of 2 years professional TESOL experience (two semesters of 16 contact hours/week equals one year of experience); both teacher training and curriculum/materials development experience are helpful.
- Senior Fellows must have minimum four years of teacher training experience; overseas experience in TEFL is helpful.
- In addition to professional qualifications, successful Fellows have other qualities that prove beneficial for a successful fellowship; these include patience, flexibility, determination, and adaptability. They often have to deal with situations and conditions not common in the United States. Please consider the living conditions of (some) English Language fellowships in your decision to apply to the EL Fellow Program. Click here for a list of possible living conditions.
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Georgetown reviews EL Fellow applications and candidate portfolios as they are received. Applications completed and received by March 31, 2009; receive priority consideration for the 2009-2010 academic year (which, for most projects, is September 2009 through June 2010). Applications completed and received AFTER March 31, 2009, may also be considered for the
2009-2010 academic year, depending upon project availability.
Candidate Selection Timeline
Recruitment (ongoing)
The Georgetown Program Management team and the Regional Recruitment Centers screens and processes applications as they are received. Qualified applicants are entered into the EL Fellow candidate database. Georgetown focuses its recruitment efforts on English teaching professionals who closely match the needs of individual country proposals for U.S. Embassy sponsored projects.
Interviews (ongoing)
The Georgetown Program Management team contacts qualified applicants to schedule interviews beginning in January. Georgetown University and Regional Recruitment Centers conducts interviews in person, through webcam conferencing, or by phone. In addition, some candidates may be interviewed at TESOL conferences and events.
Georgetown University will attend at the 2009 TESOL Annual Convention March 26-28, in Denver, CO, to conduct in-person interviews and share information about the Program.
Projects (March)
Approximately 100 State Department approved AY 2009-2010 projects will be posted on the EL Fellow Program website in March.
Candidate Rosters (March - April)
Beginning in March, Georgetown draws upon the pool of qualified applicants to identify finalist candidates for specific U.S. Embassy-sponsored EL Fellow projects. Georgetown presents a roster of candidates for each EL Fellow project to the Office of English Language Programs and to the appropriate U.S. Embassy. Each roster is compiled based on the needs of the specific project, the applicant’s skills and experience, and the applicant’s Regional Preferences.
Selection of Fellows (March - May)
The vetting process of candidates is conducted by the Department of State and is completed by the end of May. The Georgetown Program Management team notifies the successful candidates. Candidates have 48 hours from the time they are notified to accept or decline the fellowship.
Preparation for Departure (June - July)
The Georgetown Program Management team ensures that selected Fellows are well prepared for their assignments. Fellows receive a comprehensive Fellowship Information Package, which includes a program handbook, detailed description of the country project, agreement to program terms and conditions, health benefit plan and health verification forms, and other logistical and travel details.
Mandatory Pre-Departure Briefing in Washington, DC (August 17-20, 2009)
All Fellows will travel to Washington, DC, for a three-daybriefing. The EL Fellow Program provides travel costs, hotel, and a per diem during the briefing. The State Department and the Georgetown Program Management team explain all logistical, legal, security and health-related issues. The briefing also usually addresses issues of leadership, team building, EFL teaching best practices, and cultural sensitivity/awareness training, as well as problem-solving and conflict prevention techniques. Small group and region-specific briefings are conducted at that time.
Fellowship (September - June)
Fellows typically begin their assignments the first week of September. However, some fellowships begin in late September or early October, and other projects begin in early 2009. Throughout the fellowship, Public Affairs Section (PAS) and Regional English Language Officers (RELOs) posted at U.S. Embassies provide on-the-ground support and guidance.
“Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain
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