The Specialist Program is seeking applicants with expertise in both AI and SEL!

Specialist Program

Specialists are top-tier TESOL experts who lead intensive, high-level English language projects, including curriculum development, materials design, and ESP program implementation. Specialist projects vary in length from two weeks to three months, and may be in-country or virtual.

What Do Specialists Do?

Specialist projects are designed by U.S. Embassies for ministries of education, teachers' associations, and other education partners, with a wide range of project subjects, as this carousel illustrates.

Specialists are often invited to be the keynote speaker at conferences, such as the International Vietnamese Conference on TESOL.

This Specialist focused on bringing STEM concepts into English-language learning via a series of teacher training workshops.

Specialist schedules are often packed - with panel discussions and workshops coming together for a whirlwind in-person experience.

Specialists create opportunities for colleagues to share, discuss, and collaborate.

Sharing a meal with organizers and participants is a very important part of any successful teacher training project.

For Specialists, a schedule that begins with a large group training may end with one-to-one consultations.

Specialists work with partner programs such as the English Access Scholarship Program on a wide range of topics.

As many Specialists know, group selfies are a great way to wrap up a job well done!

From new friends in the office to new pals in the pasture, our Specialists are always up for an adventure!

Specialist projects often involve state-level administrators, such as Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

Needs assessment is a component of many Specialist projects, like this virtual workshop series for female educators in Pakistan.

Many Specialist projects focus on the professional development of in-service teachers and teacher trainers.

Specialist Program

Benefits

English Language Specialists receive a generous benefits package for the valuable role they play in U.S. Embassy programming, and in achieving U.S. Department of State public diplomacy goals.

Benefits depend on whether the Specialist project includes in-country activities, virtual activities, or a combination of both; the location of the project; etc. The final benefits package is outlined in the agreement Specialists receive from the program.
Refer to the appropriate English Language Specialist Program Policy Handbook for more information on taxes and withholdings, and the benefits that are considered taxable income. Specialists are not employed by the U.S. government, the cooperating agency, or any agency or government of the country(ies) of assignment. Specialists are considered grantees and, for tax purposes, suppliers or independent contractors.

Specialists receive a daily stipend of $250 during travel, rest, and in-country activity dates.

Specialists receive an hourly stipend of $50 during virtual activity dates.

Starting October 1, 2024, Specialist stipends will increase to:

a daily stipend of $300 during travel, rest, and in-country activity dates
an hourly stipend of $60 during virtual activity dates

Stipends are deposited directly into the Specialist’s U.S. bank account, according to the payment schedule laid out in their agreement.

Specialists receive funds in support of planning for the performance of their project duties.

Specialists receive a living allowance during in-country activity dates, which varies from country to country, to cover the cost of lodging, meals, and local transportation.

Specialists do not receive a living allowance during virtual activity dates.

The program provides a round-trip economy class ticket to and from the in-country project location(s). Any required regional travel (between project cities) during in-country activity dates is also covered by the program.

Additionally, Specialists with in-country activities can claim reimbursement for certain expenses related to international travel, as outlined in the English Language Specialist Program Policy Handbook.

The program does not provide a travel allowance or travel-related reimbursements during virtual activity dates.

Funds are available for Specialists to be reimbursed for the purchase of materials and activities that supplement and enhance project activities.

During in-country activity dates examples include facilitating local conferences or workshops; establishing/enhancing resource centers, teacher associations, etc.; and, purchasing educational materials or small equipment and office supplies for the partnering organization(s).
For entirely virtual projects, examples may include new subscriptions to video/web conferencing services for the duration of the virtual activity dates, specialized software, or necessary computer peripherals.

The program enrolls Specialists in a supplementary health benefit plan, the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE), for the duration of in-country activity dates, as well as international travel dates. ASPE only provides coverage while a Specialist is in the country(ies) of assignment.

Specialists are not enrolled in ASPE during virtual activity dates.

The Specialist Program does not offer a dependent’s allowance.

The English Language Specialist Program provides numerous professional benefits.

All Specialists are provided a virtual pre-project orientation.
Through their projects, Specialists often have opportunities to share their expertise and also expand their professional skills, for example by consulting with national Ministries of Education to lead curriculum design projects, designing English for Specific Purposes courses at the national level, or giving plenary presentations at national and international conferences.
Specialists are members of the English Language Programs online Community of Practice, with access to resources, discussions, online webinar events including Specialist Master Classes, and numerous networking opportunities among current participants and alumni.