top of page
Search

Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program 2027–2028

  • 22 hours ago
  • 4 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program sends early-career Vietnamese English teachers to the United States for nine months to teach Vietnamese at a U.S. university, while studying and taking part in cultural exchange. For the 2027–2028 cycle, applications close at 5:00 PM on 8 July 2026 (Vietnam time).



At a glance

Who can apply:

Vietnamese citizens with an undergraduate degree, currently working full-time as English teachers (or in a related role), with no more than seven years of teaching experience.

Duration:

Nine months in the United States.

Funding:

Full funding — round-trip airfare, a living stipend, health insurance, tuition for required coursework, and the J-1 exchange visitor visa.

Grants:

Up to five primary candidates and two alternates per year.

Deadline:

5:00 PM, 8 July 2026 (Vietnam time).

Application portal


1. Who can apply

To be eligible for the FLTA Program in the 2027–2028 cycle, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

Citizenship:

A Vietnamese citizen, without dual citizenship, residing in Vietnam throughout the application and selection process.

Qualification:

Holding at least an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree.

Teaching experience:

Currently teaching English full-time, with in-person classroom instruction (self-employed, one-on-one, and online teaching do not qualify), with no more than seven years of experience — the programme is aimed at early-career teachers.

English proficiency:

Meeting at least one of: TOEFL iBT 80, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo English Test 110, or TOEFL Essentials 8.5. The test must have been taken after 8 July 2024.

Related fields:

Teachers of American Studies, Journalism and Media, English/American Literature, and teachers of Vietnamese as a foreign language may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Vietnamese:

Because FLTAs teach Vietnamese in the United States, applicants need to use Vietnamese fluently at a professional level.


2. What the grant provides

The FLTA grant is fully funded by the U.S. Department of State. Its official benefits are:

Round-trip international airfare:

Between Vietnam and the United States

Monthly living stipend:

The exact amount is not published; it depends on the host institution and city.

Health insurance:

Health and accident coverage funded by the U.S. Department of State.

Tuition for required courses:

A waiver of tuition fees for the required coursework at the host institution.

J-1 visa:

Fulbright sponsors the J-1 exchange visitor visa for successful applicants.


3. Programme obligations

Teaching Vietnamese:

Up to 20 hours per week, including preparation time. This is both a programme rule and a legal limit of the J-1 visa.

Required coursework:

Enrol in at least two courses each semester, one of which must be in American Studies. Courses may be taken for credit or as an audit, depending on the host institution.

Cultural exchange:

Take part in sharing Vietnamese culture on campus and in the local community; the application asks for a cultural-sharing plan.


4. Application materials

A complete application is submitted online through the IIE portal (apply.iie.org/flta2027), and includes:

Personal Statement:

Showing who the applicant is, their experience and strengths, and how they explain any inconsistencies in the application.

Responses on teaching methods and a plan for sharing Vietnamese culture in the United States.


Three (3) letters of reference:

All three are required — a missing letter makes the application incomplete.

Transcripts and diplomas for each post-secondary level.


A CV.


An English test score meeting the minimum (taken after 8 July 2024).


5. Selection process

Applicants are assessed on leadership, the ability to inspire learners, and a commitment to teaching the Vietnamese language and culture to U.S. students.

Round

Stage

Description

1

Application review

The Fulbright Program in Vietnam reviews eligible applications.

2

Interview and nomination

Shortlisted applicants are interviewed (usually in English, around September 2026); up to five primary candidates and two alternates are nominated.

3

IIE placement

IIE matches each candidate with a host institution. Candidates cannot choose the host — the programme aims to place FLTAs across all U.S. states.

4

J-1 visa and departure

Once approved, candidates complete J-1 visa formalities and prepare to depart.

6. Timeline

  • Application deadline: 5:00 PM, 8 July 2026 (Vietnam time).

  • Interviews and nominations: Around September 2026.

  • U.S. placement: Around March–May 2027.

  • Pre-departure orientation: Around May–June 2027.

  • Departure and programme start: Around August–September 2027; the programme runs for nine months.

7. Important conditions

Two-year home-residency requirement:

After the programme, grantees must reside in Vietnam for at least two years before becoming eligible for certain U.S. visas. This is a condition of the J-1 visa.

No accompanying dependents:

The programme does not support dependents; grantees may not bring a spouse or children to the United States for any part of the programme. Applicants who expect to give birth during the programme period cannot take part.

No choice of host institution:

IIE assigns the host; candidates cannot request a specific institution or state. The host may be a large university, a community college, or a liberal arts college, in any state.

The 20-hour weekly limit is a legal rule:

Exceeding the teaching limit risks a visa violation and removal from the programme.


8. Contact


About HAPRI

The Health and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (HAPRI) regularly shares scholarship opportunities, research collaborations, and academic events for Vietnam’s research community. Follow updates at hapri.org.


bottom of page