Fulbright-Meg Everton Professional Enhancement Awards in Education are for New Zealand educators in early childhood, primary or secondary education to undertake a professional development activity in the US which will enhance their professional knowledge, practice and/or skills. A small number of awards valued at up to NZ$5,000 are granted each year, towards a 12 to 90 day visit to the US.
Closing date: 1 October annually
Meg Everton, 1956 Fulbright New Zealand Exchange Teacher
These awards were made possible by a generous bequest from Fulbright alumna Meg Everton, who passed away in June 2010, aged 90. A lecturer at Ardmore Teachers’ College in Papakura, Meg was a 1956 Fulbright New Zealand Exchange Teacher to State University of New York’s Teachers College in New Paltz, where she taught classes in early childhood education and child development.
The types of professional development activities relevant to this award include educational courses, conferences, school visits, meetings and presentations. The activities must include at least one major presentation/public talk, and enhance understanding between the education sectors in the US and in New Zealand.
Upon return to New Zealand recipients are required to share the learnings and benefits with their peers. Applicants must demonstrate the benefits of the proposed professional development activity, and articulate how they will disseminate their learnings after their return from the US. This must include making a presentation in an educational/teaching forum.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- have a suitable professional background as a teacher or principal in early childhood, primary or secondary education in New Zealand*;
- if you are employed by a school, have the support of your school to undertake the proposed professional development activity; and
- meet the citizenship requirements for this award.
* Note that these awards are not for education researchers or academics, who are instead encouraged to apply for Fulbright New Zealand Travel Awards, the Fulbright-Cognition Scholar Award in Education Research or another of our New Zealand scholar awards.
Citizenship requirements
You are eligible to apply for this award if you:
- are a New Zealand citizen;
- and are not a permanent resident or citizen of the US;
- and are not currently living in the US.
Preference for Fulbright scholar awards is given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright scholar award, or had extensive recent experience in the US. (ie. have not studied, taught, researched or worked in the US for a period aggregating more than nine months/one academic year during the past five years)
Entitlement
- Up to NZ$5,000 towards the costs of a short-term visit to the US;
- A basic health benefit plan covering a maximum of US$50,000 per sickness or injury.
Fulbright-Meg Everton Professional Enhancement Awards in Education are intended to contribute towards travel (international and domestic), accommodation and per diem expenses, and if relevant towards professional development activity costs. They are not intended for the purchase of equipment or other costs.
Grantees are expected to secure additional sources of funding wherever possible and to personally contribute something towards the costs of their trip.
Award conditions
- Your award must be approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC;
- The period of your award is 12-90 days;
- You must make at least one major presentation during your exchange. Other activities during your visit may include educational courses, conferences, school visits, meetings and other presentations;
- Your planned departure for the US must be at least ten weeks after the application closing date. Note that you will be eligible to arrive and depart from the US 30 days either side of your award dates;
- You must travel on a New Zealand passport, and US immigration documentation must be completed from within New Zealand. Grantees must use the DS-2019 form provided by Fulbright New Zealand to obtain an Exchange Visitor (J) non-immigrant visa to enter the United States. You will be required to attend a visa interview at the US Consulate in Auckland in order to obtain your visa;
- International travel will only be funded between New Zealand and the US, and must be on either an American or New Zealand carrier. If you intend to visit any other countries in conjunction with your travel to the US please consult with Fulbright New Zealand prior to making any bookings as visa conditions may affect your ability to re-enter the US;
- You may be required to fulfil some Fulbright New Zealand media requirements before your departure for the US, during your exchange and/or on return to New Zealand;
- If for any reason you are unable to take up the award, the award lapses and any award payments must be returned in full;
- A final report must be completed within two weeks of the end of your grant period;
- You must share your learnings and the benefits of your professional development activity with your peers after you return to New Zealand, and make a presentation in an educational/teaching forum;
- Fulbright grantees must travel to the US on an Exchange Visitor (J) non-immigrant visa. A requirement of this visa is that you must return to your home country for a cumulative total of two years at the end of your exchange visitor programme before becoming eligible to apply to live in the US. This home-country foreign residency requirement is in keeping with the philosophy of the Fulbright exchange programme, that you return to New Zealand to share your experiences. Note that you will not be prohibited from travelling to the US for short-term visits on the visa waiver program or a non-immigrant visa.
Fulbright mission
It was Senator J William Fulbright’s mission to build peace through the mutual understanding of cultures. Fulbright applicants and grantees are expected to understand and support this mission and be effective ambassadors for New Zealand. In addition to the monetary, educational and cultural exchange benefits made possible by the award, Fulbright grantees carry the prestige of the Fulbright programme along with them throughout their careers. Alumni are expected to succeed and be ‘thought leaders’ in their respective fields/careers, and to support and remain engaged with the Fulbright programme for the rest of their lives.
Application process and forms
- You must complete and submit the application form below by the application deadline*;
- You must also submit all required support documents to us by the application deadline;
- We will advise you of the outcome of your application within six weeks of the application deadline.
* Note that if the application deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline is extended to 5:00pm on the next business day.
Application form and support documents
Further information
For further information, contact our Programme Manager for this award, Ron Mitchell – ron@fulbright.org.nz / (04) 494 1500
Fulbright New Zealand has Campus Advisers stationed on all major New Zealand campuses. Our Advisers are all Fulbright alumni who are available to discuss their exchange experiences with students and staff, as well as to give basic information about our awards.