The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program is designed to recognize and encourage excellence in teaching in the U.S. and abroad. The program sends U.S. teachers abroad and brings international teachers to the U.S. for a semester-long program. 

In India, the awards are open to full-time teachers teaching any subject at any level; primary and secondary level, library media specialists, guidance counselors, curriculum specialists, special education coordinators, gifted and talented coordinators and teacher trainers; and administrators/​academic coordinators who spend at least 50% of their time working directly with students. The program provides a rich professional growth opportunity for participants while enhancing mutual understanding among international and U.S. teachers, administrators, their students, and host communities. International participants are placed at a U.S. host university, which provides a broad range of resources in the teachers’ fields of teaching expertise.

During the program Fulbright Distinguished Teachers work towards the completion of an inquiry project of their own design. They also enroll in advanced undergraduate or graduate level classes, take courses for professional development at a host university or institute, and observe and lead master classes and seminars for teachers and students at the host university or local primary and secondary schools, as well as engage in other teaching related activities. 

Upon returning home, teachers will be expected to share knowledge and experience gained on the program with teachers and students in their home schools and with their communities. For international teachers the 2017 program was open to teachers from Botswana, Finland, India, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Palestinian Territories, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The countries may change for 2018.

The competition for 2018 is likely to be announced in July or August 2017. Application material and program details will be available on the USIEF website www​.usief​.org​.in.