Pre-Departure HANDBOOK for US English-Language Teaching Assistants in Austria
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Pre-Departure HANDBOOK For US English-Language Teaching Assistants in Austria © Fulbright Austria (Austrian-American Educational Commission) 2020–21 Fulbright Austria Pre-Departure Handbook Contents CHECKLIST: ACTION ITEMS: .................................................................................... 3 1. Acknowledgement of Acceptance .................................................................... 5 2. Dates of Assignment and Financial Obligations ............................................... 5 3. Application for an Austrian Residency Permit .................................................. 6 4. Contacting Your School ................................................................................... 8 5. Important Documents ....................................................................................... 9 6. Criminal Records .............................................................................................. 9 7. Medical History and Physical Examination Form ............................................. 9 8. Housing Information for US Teaching Assistants in Austria ........................... 10 9. Orientation Seminar ........................................................................................ 12 10. Studying at Austrian Universities .................................................................... 13 11. Further Information ......................................................................................... 13 12. Appendix ........................................................................................................ 14 ANTRAG AUF ERTEILUNG EINER ........................................................................... 15 K. Abschlusserklärung (Concluding declaration) ....................................................... 18 Bisheriger Aufenthaltstitel (Previous residency permit) ............................................. 20 (supplement to the application form) ......................................................................... 20 Sample Housing Ad Terminology ............................................................................. 21 OeAD Housing Offices.............................................................................................. 22 2 Fulbright Austria Pre-Departure Handbook CHECKLIST: ACTION ITEMS: These items all need your attention and are Forward to Fulbright Austria as soon as time sensitive: possible, but no later than July 1: Email letter of acceptance and pay processing The completed medical history and fee of €100 to Fulbright Austria via PayPal by examination form April 19 Your final transcript (as soon as available but One passport-size photo for Fulbright Austria by July 15 at the latest) AND a copy of the office use biographical page of your passport (upon acceptance) Submit a COMPLETE application for a Ensure that the information on the Bestätigung residency permit to an Austrian consulate or honorary consulate: (2nd mailing in May) is accurate. • Passport valid for at least 3 months after projected stay in Austria Let Fulbright Austria know by May 1, 2020, if • Completed and signed application form you plan to reside in a city other than the one • Bestätigung (check for accuracy of in which your Stammschule is located. Your information—VERY IMPORTANT: make a Bestätigung will be issued accordingly. scan (digital copy) and paper copy for your personal records!!!) • Birth certificate with apostille • Police clearance letter with apostille • 2 passport-size photos • more information: 2nd mailing in May Collect receipt for residency permit application (and email to Fulbright Austria) Contact your schools (and current USTAs) by phone and/or email. Before your arrival in Austria: Start your search for housing as soon as possible Start saving money now—your first paycheck comes in mid-November Don’t forget about domestic financial obligations (student loans, etc.) Packing (winter clothing, medical documents, etc.) Photocopy important documents Collect teaching material 3 Fulbright Austria Pre-Departure Handbook Book your flights—arrive early enough (mid-September but no later than September 15) to have a few days to settle in before orientation (this also allows for ample time to take care of housing or residency permit issues) Time-frame What? “To-do” for applicants 15 Nov–15 Jan Apply online at www.usta-austria.at Submit application documents: Personal essay Please note that only complete applications will be reviewed! CV 2 letters of recommendation German language certificate Official transcript January–March Applications are reviewed and ranked by the selection committee Late March Matching meeting: Fulbright Austria meets with representatives of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), in order to place candidates for the upcoming program year. Early April Applicants receive the 1st mailing via email. It Sign and return the letter of acceptance includes/includes links to: and pay €100 (processing fee) to Notification of candidates: all applicants are Fulbright Austria via PayPal within a informed of their status and their placement week of receiving the email. Send a Letter of acceptance copy of your passport to Fulbright Link to PayPal for processing fee of €100 Austria. Medical form Read the pre-departure handbook List of current USTAs carefully. Memorandum Pre-Departure Handbook Early May Nominees receive the 2nd mailing via email. It includes links Please keep Fulbright Austria informed to: of your current mailing address and Residency permit application information email at all times. Bestätigung (confirmation of assignment) May–June To submit your residency permit application, Fill out and submit your application for (Deadline 1 July) you will need the following: a residency permit to the proper Candidates that fail Passport authorities. Read the guidelines in the to submit their Residency permit application form Pre-Departure Handbook and inform residency permit Birth certificate + apostille Fulbright Austria in advance if there are application by the Criminal record + apostille any problems. deadline disqualify Passport-size photo themselves from Bestätigung (see above) participation! July–September Arrange for housing and prepare for departure: Use the checklist in the Pre-Departure Find housing Handbook to help you with any Secure funds preparations for your stay. Collect teaching material Make travel arrangements Sept 21–25 Orientation Seminar Attend orientation in either Zell am See USTAs are strongly encouraged to arrive by September 14 to or St. Pölten, depending on the region finalize residency permits, make housing arrangements, open in which you are placed. Finalize a bank account, register with the local authorities, etc. residency permit, etc., before orientation! October 1 Start of your contract at an Austrian secondary school. Report for duty at the school on Oct 1. 4 Fulbright Austria Pre-Departure Handbook Since 1962, Fulbright Austria has recruited US citizens to participate in the Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Program of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), administered their applications, and provided finalists with pre-departure and on-site support. Teaching in communities large and small all over Austria, participants in this program make a substantial contribution to the fulfillment of the Fulbright Program’s mandate to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of Austria and the United States and are an integral part of the Fulbright Austria community. Please note, however, they are neither Fulbright students nor scholars nor grantees in the Fulbright Program. If you wish to describe your participation in this program on your resume, please use the following formulation for the sake of accuracy: US Teaching Assistant in the Teaching Assistantship Program of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), administered by Fulbright Austria (Austrian-American Educational Commission). 1. Acknowledgement of Acceptance Please acknowledge the acceptance (or declination) of the assignment by submitting the completed and signed letter of acceptance (see Appendix) to Fulbright Austria per email within one week of receipt of your acceptance email. The letter of acceptance—and the corresponding processing fee payment—must received by Fulbright Austria (Austrian- American Educational Commission) no later than April 26, 2020. This processing fee helps defray administrative costs. If you fail to notify Fulbright Austria by April 26, 2020, the BMBWF reserves the right to retract your position and reassign it to an alternate candidate. If for personal or professional reasons you are unable to accept the teaching assistantship position offered, please immediately notify Mr. Dune Johnson (responsible program officer) by email ([email protected]), so that Fulbright Austria may make provisions for filling the position with an alternate candidate. By mid-May, Fulbright Austria will send you a Bestätigung (letter of confirmation) confirming the location of your assignment, gross salary, and health and accident insurance. Please ensure that Fulbright Austria has your correct email address at all times. Please ensure the accuracy of all the information in the Bestätigung. This confirmation lists your projected city and province of residence in the fourth-to-last paragraph. If this information is—to your knowledge—not correct, or if you plan on living in a different