Teach Abroad through Educators Abroad (EA)
Teach in English, in another language, or in a bilingual (English/Spanish) school.
Choose from locations worldwide.
Open to students fulfilling student teaching requirements.
Placement dates vary according to local school calendars.
Advisor: MaryBeth Petesch, Nursing/Education 113, 920-424-3323
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EA does placements and you meet licensure requirements!
PREPARE yourself to serve the needs of a multiethnic population.
LEARN to teach from a global perspective.
TEACH abroad for ten weeks or more in one of over forty countries!
*To see the list of locations, follow the link for "forty countries", click on "North American Participants", "Selecting a Placement Location", and "Where can I go?."
Teach your subject area entirely in English, entirely in another language, or in a bilingual (English/Spanish) school.
Educators Abroad (EA)
Educators Abroad (EA) is a placement agency which offers prospective teachers the opportunity to develop their teaching abilities and expand their cultural awareness by completing student teaching requirements in countries around the world. UW Oshkosh has affiliated with EA, allowing UW Oshkosh students to complete part of their student teaching requirement abroad while meeting licensure requirements in Wisconsin.
Teaching opportunities are currently open to students in all liberal arts disciplines, in technical and vocational education, and in several fields of special education. Students who would like to teach in other subject areas should contact the OIE for up-to-date placement options before beginning the application process. Classroom and supervisory teaching assignments are made consistent with each student's proposed teaching area/s.
EA supports students using a network of professionals trained by EA in the U.S. The UW Oshkosh COEHS Office of Field Experiences and Office of International Education provide additional support. Following is a list of support professionals and their roles and related responsibilities. The role and responsibilities of the Student Teacher have been included here as well.
COEHS Office of Field Experiences at UW Oshkosh
coordinates all field experiences for COEHS; approves applicants for student teaching abroad; provides endorsement on all teaching and education administration licenses
Office of International Education at UW Oshkosh
coordinates application and payment processes on the UW Oshkosh campus and through EA; offers advising/orientation
EA in the U.S.
coordinates the placement process with Placement Directors abroad.
EA Country Placement Coordinator Abroad
selects an appropriate Cooperating School. The Coordinator is responsible for confirming your placement location and dates, including holidays or school breaks during your placement. You will communicate directly with your Coordinator as your application is considered by a potential host school. *In some cases, your application may be sent directly to a Cooperating School rather than through a Placement Coordinator.
EA Cooperating Schools
assign the Student Teacher to classrooms and Cooperating Teacher/s consistent with the Student Teacher's proposed teaching area/s.
EA Cooperating Teachers
bring to life the professional aspects of the teaching experience! Share expertise with the Student Teacher, observe activities planned and introduced by the Student Teacher, offer advice regarding effectiveness of teaching and management techniques and provide the support that Student Teacher's often need to maintain their professional and personal well-being during this important period when they are making the transition from Student Teacher to professional educator. In addition, Cooperating Teachers prepare at least three formal written reports based on observations of the Student Teacher and prepare final recommendations, in coordination with EA Supervisor, for the Student Teacher's credential file.
EA Supervisor
Once you are accepted by a school, you will be assigned an EA faculty member to be your student teaching Supervisor. You will communicate directly with your assigned supervisor and the school contacts to share your travel arrangements and to request assistance with accommodation, teaching assignments, and instructional ideas and plans to prepare before traveling. Once you are on site, your Supervisor communicates regularly with you and visits the Cooperating School for at least one full day in a ten-week placement to observe and assess the Student Teacher's performance; responsible for the Student Teacher's professional development; prepares final recommendations, in coordination with Cooperating Teacher/s, for the Student Teacher's credential file. In cases where it is not possible for an EA Supervisor to personally visit a Cooperating School, a qualified local school head or teacher educator may fill this role. Placements will not be made where adequate supervision cannot be assured.
Student Teacher
communicates with the EA Supervisor and assigned Cooperating School and uses placement information provided on the EA, password-protected web site to arrange for arrival, accommodation and life in the host community, to plan for teaching assignments, and to learn about Student Teacher responsibilities and program expectations; fulfills teaching assignments and assists in co-curricular and other activities in the school while abroad; pays for travel, room and board while abroad
Eligibility
EA is open to individuals who have met the pre-student teaching requirements of, and are recommended by, the college through which they are completing their teacher education coursework. The UW Oshkosh COEHS Field Placement Office will consider applicants with a major, minor and cumulative G.P.A. of 3.1 or higher and a professional G.P.A. of 3.25 or higher. Applicants must also have a positive clinical evaluation and faculty approval.
All of the information included here is subject to change. Modifications may be required depending on the exigencies of the situation.
Course(s)
Teaching Language
Foreign language skills are not required, though they certainly are useful if you plan to live or teach in a community where English is not the first language. You can choose a location where you teach entirely in English. Alternatively, applicants with sufficient language skills may choose to teach entirely in another language or in a bilingual (English/Spanish) school.
Course Enrollment
UW Oshkosh students can complete 10 weeks of the DPI requirement for student teaching for Wisconsin licensure through EA. Actual course enrollment is student-specific and will be determined in coordination with the COEHS Field Placement Office.
Students will be enrolled in six credits at UW Oshkosh for their state-side placement and an additional six credit at UW Oshkosh for their international placement. Coursework associated with the international assignment will be graded at the end of the program AFTER UW Oshkosh receives the EA progress report.
Accommodation & Meals
While your EA faculty advisor abroad or a member of your host school will offer advice and assistance in selecting appropriate accommodation, it is ultimately your responsibility to research options, select and pay for your accommodation. Typically, student teachers live with a host family recommended by the cooperating school or cooperating teacher.
Flight
Luggage Limits
Check with your airline for restrictions on carry-on, checked and excess baggage.
Money
Carry approximately US$100 (most locations) to US$300 (London & Japan) in cash to cover transportation from the airport to your residence and living costs for the first few days.
Flight
Exchange students arrange and pay for airline tickets on their own. DO NOT purchase these until you have been officially accepted into the program by the HOST university.
Arrival Abroad
Purchase and read your guidebook and read through the orientation materials provided by your host (if available). Be sure to plan your route from the airport to your residence BEFORE traveling. Share your travel plans with your contact abroad before arriving.
Schedule
When will I go abroad?
A Wisconsin placement of 8-9 weeks is followed by a 10-week (or more) placement abroad.
Placement abroad may or may not occur immediately following placement in Wisconsin. The timing of your placement abroad will depend on a number of factors, including your availability, the school calendar in the country in which you hope to teach, and the availability of placement options within your subject area/s in your country of choice. Program coordinators at EA can give information related to the feasibility of teaching in your subject area in a particular location over a particular time period. If you cannot be flexible in choosing a location or travel dates, please check with the UW Oshkosh Office of International Education or EA before beginning the application process for this program.
For more information related to the timing of your teaching assignment abroad, see EA's When Can I Go?
How long does the application process take?
Placements are made between three to seven months in advance of travel, depending on the school system you plan to enter. In addition, you will need to add in the amount of time it will take for you to complete your application. While this depends a lot on you, you should plan on a minimum of two weeks from the time of requesting the required letters of recommendation and approval by the COEHS Field Placement Director (see Application section below for details).
When is the application deadline?
While there is a deadline for the EA program, remember that placements abroad are made as applications are completed (a maximum of seven months in advance). Therefore, it is best to apply as soon as you are ready to commit, rather than waiting until the application deadline, in order to give yourself enough time to prepare for the experience. See the Study Abroad Handbook for more information on application deadlines.
When will I begin teaching?
You will spend the first 1-3 weeks in-country learning procedures, meeting colleagues, clarifying expectations, learning about students and becoming familiar with the curriculum. You should be ready to assume full responsibility for all instruction and teaching duties within the next 3-4 weeks.
Fees
Complete the budget worksheet below for your location and the number of weeks you plan to student teach abroad. Keep in mind that your placement abroad may be up to two weeks longer than the number of weeks you plan to teach if you've chosen a location with a school holiday mid-assignment. Your budget should include, at a minimum, the following approximate costs. °Indicates expense will appear on student's UW Oshkosh bill.
| UW Oshkosh tuition | |
$1,510° |
Tuition (08/09) for six credits of STATE-SIDE student teaching (this is not part of your teach abroad fee but should be considered when calculating your total expenses for the semester) |
| Program Fee Estimate & Expenses in U.S. Dollars | |
$3,550° |
Based on Ten weeks during 08/09 academic year |
| optional | Add $290 for each additional week. |
$ 100 |
Application Fee ($200 for out-of-state applicants) |
$ 100 |
Passport & Pictures |
$______ |
Airfare (fees will depend on your placement) |
$______ |
Visas (each country sets its own fees) |
$______ |
Immunizations |
-$ 50 |
Refund to eligible participants |
| $______ | Total Expense Estimate in U.S. Dollars |
| Expenses in Foreign Currency | |
_______ |
Transportation between the airport and host school |
_______ |
Residency Permit, if applicable (each country sets its own fees) |
| _______ | Accommodations, local travel & Meals $150/week most locations; $200/week London or Japan; this could be more depending on your lifestyle and your travel plans outside the local community |
_______ |
Personal Spending Money ($100/week minimum) |
_______ |
Total Expense Estimate in foreign currency |
| $______ | Total foreign currency expenses in US$ (today's rate of exchange) |
$_____ |
Total Estimated Expenses |
°Indicates the expense will appear on your UW Oshkosh student account.
Program fees cover course-related expenses (no tuition is assessed); pre-travel orientation; and international health insurance. The program itinerary may be tentative and will not be finalized until approximately two weeks before departure.
Program fees do not cover items not specifically mentioned above such as trip cancellation and baggage insurance; passports; immunizations;accommodations; meals; local transportation costs; visa fees; residency permit (if applicable); and all expenses of a purely personal nature.
Work Abroad
EA does not offer paid student teaching positions. All positions are unpaid.
Apply
Apply to Student Teach
Before you are eligibile to apply to the EA program, you must have applied and been approved for student teaching through the Office of Field Experiences in the COEHS. You are requested to complete this process at least one week before the deadline to apply to student teach abroad!
Apply to Student Teach Abroad
While there is a deadline for the EA program, please remember that placements abroad are made as applications are completed. Placements will be made between three to seven months in advance, depending on the school system you plan to enter. It is best to apply as soon as you are ready to commit, rather than waiting until the application deadline. If you have questions or need help completing any of the documents below, please visit the OIE.
| ADDITIONAL documents required for this program. Due by the application deadline: |
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| Expense Estimate Worksheet copy this & fill in the blanks; also to be used for financial aid |
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| EA on-line application (complete on line and submit) | |
| EA PDF Application Packet emailed to you after submitting the on-line EA application; allow time to request a signature from the COEHS Field Placement Director on page 3 |
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| Criminal Background Report Contact Bonnie Gaskill in the COEHS (N/E 113) for a copy of your criminal background report. Attach this to the EA PDF packet BEFORE giving the packet to the COEHS Field Placement Director for signature. |
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| EA Acceptance, Release and Waiver Form | |
| Autobiography & Teaching Strengths Outline (submit to GST on line)
Complete a typed autobiography or candidate statement (2-3 pages) that speaks to your qualifications and serves as your introduction to the host school. Summarize your background, interests, special talents, travel and work experiences, leadership positions, honors received, and aspects of your life that would help the people you will be working with know who you are. Include activities you would be willing to assist with in the school. This is a more elaborate document than the autobiographical sketch required by the OFE (Office of Field Experiences).
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| Letters of Recommendation Obtain two letters of recommendation using the form provided in the link above. At least one must come from a teacher/teacher educator familiar with your work in education. If teaching in a language other than English, the second recommendation must come from a foreign language professor. If teaching English as a Second Language, at least one recommendation must come from a professor in ESL/Bilingual Education. |
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| Due by the Friday following the application deadline: | |
| Digital Photo (submit to GST on line) The photo should be in JPEG format and should be 130 pixels wide and tall (if you don't know how to do this, don't worry about it). You must be the only person in the photo. |
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| Due by the 2nd Friday in October or February: | |
| Flight Itinerary It is your responsibility to arrange for a flight to/from your host country. You must share a copy of your flight itinerary with the OIE and with your GST faculty supervisor abroad. |
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| Travel Details It may be your responsibility to arrange for travel between your host country airport and your host school, depending on how far the school is located from the airport you fly in to. You must share a copy of your travel plan (how will you get to the school?) with the OIE and with your GST faculty supervisor abroad. This should help to avoid difficulties which can arise when specific modes of transportation may not be appropriate or may not be available on particular days. |
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| Accommodation Details It is your responsibility to research options, select and pay for accommodations abroad. You must share your address abroad with the OIE and with the COEHS Field Placement Coordinator. Please also let the OIE know where your accommodation is located in relation to the school, your mode of transportation to/from school, the type of accommodation you have chosen (host family, apartment, etc.), and your method of payment for your accommodation. This will help the OIE in advising you. |
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Resources
Office of International Education Orientation Materials
EA Materials for North American Participants
Visas & Residence Permits
What is a visa?
A visa is an endorsement or stamp placed by officials of a foreign country on a U.S. passport that makes it possible for the bearer to visit that foreign country. In some cases, U.S. citizens and citizens from other countries can enter a foreign country without applying for a visa in advance, instead receiving their visa at the foreign airport. In other cases, U.S. citizens and citizens from other countries must apply for a visa in advance.
Do I need a visa to study or teach abroad?
To check whether you will need to apply for a visa in advance, check the web site of the foreign embassy. You can access these web sites from the U.S. State Department list of Foreign Embassies in the U.S. Once you are on the web site of the foreign embassy, look for their "consular services" or "consular information." You will find information pertaining to visa applications there. Very often the information presented on these sites is more confusing than clarifying. Stop in to see staff in the OIE or call the embassy/consulate directly if you have questions.
Most countries do not require U.S. citizens to obtain a visa before entering as a tourist for a short time, and some do not require visas for unpaid teaching or for study of one semester or less. If you are not a U.S. citizen, contact the OIE immediately so that we can determine whether or not you will need a visa for the country you plan to visit.
Faculty-led and Student Exchange Programs
Visa requirements, if any, are listed on your program's web page.
Student Teaching
Educators Abroad (EA) will let you know whether you need a visa for your program. It is your responsibility to apply for the visa if needed.
How do I get a visa?
If you are on a UW Oshkosh-sponsored faculty-led or student exchange program and you need a visa to study abroad in a particular country, the Office of International Education will make the forms and instructions for applying available to you via the web page for your program. Getting a visa can take anywhere between 24 hours to three months. Applications are always done through the foreign country's local consulate or embassy, generally located in Chicago or in Washington D.C. Sometimes, individuals must travel to the consulate in person to obtain a visa. Other times, individuals can apply by mail. Information on applying for a visa is always listed on the web pages of the Foreign Embassies in the U.S. .
You will need, among other things, a valid passport in order to apply for your visa, so be sure to apply for your passport early!
Residence Permit
A residence permit entitles foreign nationals to the right of residence within the issuing country.
In some cases, U.S. citizens and citizens from other countries can remain in a foreign country without applying for a residence permit. In other cases, U.S. citizens and citizens from other countries must apply for a residence permit either before traveling or after having arrived in the foreign country.
Faculty-led and Student Exchange Programs
Residence permit requirements, if any, are listed on your program's web page.
Student Teaching
It is your responsibility to know, before traveling, whether you need to apply for a residence permit. It is best to check with the Office of International Education to confirm and to ask staff in the OIE to check your residence permit application (if applying before traveling) and other required documents before sending the application to the appropriate consulate or embassy in the U.S. Keep in mind that if you must apply after traveling, you will need to arrive in the foreign country with all of the proper application documentation.
To check whether you will need to apply for a residence permit in advance, check the web site of the foreign embassy. You can access these web sites from the Foreign Embassies in the U.S. list. Once you are on the web site of the foreign embassy, look for their "consular services" or "consular information." You will find information pertaining to residence permit applications there (often under the "student" visa section). Very often the information presented on these sites is more confusing than clarifying. Stop in to see staff in the OIE or call the embassy/consulate directly if you have questions.
Emergency Contact (during program dates)
In a life and death emergency ABROAD
U.S. Department of State Citizen Emergency Center: 1 (202) 647-5225
The Department of State will relay messages to the Embassy in the country in which program participants are traveling. Embassy personnel will try to locate your student, pass on urgent messages and, consistent with the Privacy Act, report back.
To reach your student directly
Use the phone/fax information given to you by your student or, if your student is staying in a hotel, use the hotel contact information listed on the web page for your student's program.
The Office of International Education cannot give out homestay phone numbers unless authorized in advance by the student, but we would be happy to try to contact your student for you in an emergency.
To reach someone at UW Oshkosh during office hours (7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F)
- Office of International Education Phone: 1 (920) 424-0775
- Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor Phone: 1 (920) 424-1410
- Office of the Provost & Vice Chancellor Phone: 1 (920) 424-0300
- Office of International Education Fax: 1 (920) 424-0185
- Dr. William Baurecht: Coordinator, National Student Exchange - baurecht@uwosh.edu
- Jenna Graff: Director, Office of International Education - graff@uwosh.edu
- Becky Triatik : Front Line Advisor - triatikr@uwosh.edu
- Brian Mylrea: International Student Advisor - mylreab@uwosh.edu
- Karlin Stukenberg: Program Manager - stukenbk@uwosh.edu
To reach someone at UW Oshkosh outside of normal office hours
University Police: 1 (920) 424-1216
To reach local contacts associated with our program ABROAD
All contact details for local contacts in countries abroad must be shared by the participant.
Time Zone Differences
This page was last updated on: August 25, 2008