The application period for the 2026–27 program year of the US Teaching Assistantship (USTA) Program administered by Fulbright Austria on behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education (BMB) is now open!
Please note that this program is managed and funded entirely by the Austrian government and thus is not part of the Fulbright grant family – recent US funding cuts do not target the US Teaching Assistantship Program. It is scheduled to take place as planned.
Requirements for Applicants:
* US citizenship (dual US citizens are welcome to apply),
* A required German proficiency level of B1/ Intermediate Mid or above by the time of application (applicants without the required proficiency cannot be considered),
* A completed bachelor’s degree (by summer 2026 for program year 2026–27) or any higher degree. No age limit applies.
Good to know:
* Applications can be submitted on the online application platform until 15 January 2026! Uploads: CV, personal statement (1,000 words), proof of German proficiency, current official transcript, two letters of recommendation (uploaded by recommenders), signed application form. Students can start their applications now.
* Program dates: 1 October 2026 – 31 May 2027 (Applicants will be notified of their status in spring 2026. Alternate candidates could be offered spots between spring and early summer if spots became available).
* A teaching assistantship is a temporary job placement at two (rarely one or three) Austrian secondary schools. TAs work with mentor teachers at their schools.
* Info sessions on Zoom with Q&As for students and recent graduates will be offered in November and December (starting on 21 November; each at 19:00 CET/13:00 EST/10:00 PST) – students can register here! (other session dates: 11/28, 12/05, 12/12)
* Students who might have already applied for a Fulbright grant this fall, recently completed, or are currently completing a Fulbright experience are welcome to apply due to the management and funding of this opportunity outside of the Fulbright Program!
* Students who applied for either one of the two U.S. Fulbright Student combined grants (Combined Award or Community-Based Combined Award) in Austria are welcome to separately apply to the USTA Program to enhance their chances due to more available spots on the USTA Program. The teaching portion would be the same on all programs (13 hrs.).
* Recent German department graduates with a completed bachelor’s or master’s degree and interest in teaching in Austria can apply as well.
* Applicants need to be independent, resilient, adaptable to different environments, open, communicative, and reliable – they will be fully immersed in Austrian daily life, bureaucracy, and working culture. Sufficient German language proficiency is therefore critical.* Teaching assistants are insured and salaried instead of receiving a stipend or grant (numbers as of 2025–26: monthly gross salary of approx. €2.012/ $2,328; monthly net salary of approx. €1.631/ around $1,887). The USTA does not offer support for dependents, and the salary supports one person only.
* Selected candidates should be prepared to incur expenses and fees before and during their time in Austria. Please find a list of applicable costs here.
* Possible secondary school types to work in would be Gymnasium (academic secondary school; students’ age range: 11 to 18 years, 11 to 14 years, or 14 to 18 years) or vocational secondary school types focusing on business, engineering, preschool teacher training, hospitality/tourism, nutrition, etc. (students’ age range: 14 to 19 years).
* USTA also offers a limited number of placements at vocational secondary schools focused on agriculture, agricultural engineering, the environment, sustainability, biotechnology, animal husbandry, nutrition, horticulture, viticulture, and fruit/vegetable farming, managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK). Please indicate interest in the personal statement and in the application form (school type preference).
Previous teaching experience is not required but can be beneficial – this includes (but is not limited to) tutoring, summer/language immersion/sports camp counselor duties, resident assistant in dorms, social/YMCA involvement, church or faith group leadership, Boy/Girl Scout leadership roles, previous TA jobs, or any other relevant career opportunities.
You can find a roadmap to the application here and this page by Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) provides an overview of the Austrian education system.
Students are cordially invited to apply online via the USTA application website and to check their email frequently in case additional information is requested for review of their applications.