As an educator with a current and valid teaching license, you may qualify for some of the top travel grants for teachers. These grants give you the chance to travel overseas and experience new cultures while picking up tips from other teachers on what works best in their classes, but you’ll also find grants that help you pay for teaching experiences right here in the United States. The amount of money you can get varies between programs, but many grants provide you with enough money to cover your airfare and travel expenses.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers a number of grants every year for teachers who want to travel the world. These grants can range in size up to $6,000 and are available for those teaching both domestically and abroad. The only downside is that this program only lets you apply for a grant that you will use in the summer. This organization expects that teachers will spend the year teaching in a standard classroom and take time off to travel and teach in other schools in the summer.
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Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships from National Geographic
If you teach geography and want to share the experiences that you had in other countries with your students, consider applying for one of the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships from National Geographic. National Geographic, the company behind the magazines you might use in your classes, offers this program every year. It usually selects around 25 teachers and takes those teachers to foreign destinations. Not only will you have the chance to explore those destinations, but you’ll have the opportunity to engage in team building exercises and learn from other educators. National Geographic offers the application in December of the year before the trip.
Fund for Teachers
The National Education Association, also called the NEA, is a professional organization for teachers working in the United States. According to the official NEA website, one of the top grant programs for educations is Fund for Teachers. This program is open to elementary, junior high and high school teachers who have a minimum of three years experience in the education field. You must also show proof that you spend at least 50% of your time teaching in the classroom and that you will come back and work for that same school after your trip. The program offers grants for both individuals and teams of $5,000 to $10,000.
Council on International Educational Exchange
The Council on International Educational Exchange offers grants for both teachers and those who want to work with students. This program requires that you have a bachelor’s degree and that you are a native English speaker. It allows you to spend a semester or more in a foreign classroom as you work with students. You should read the requirements carefully as some destinations have more requirements in place. The program may offer you an allowance that covers your meals and housing too.
American Councils Exchange Program
Some of the more popular travel grants for teachers come from the American Councils Exchange Program. This program functions like a student exchange program and allows a teacher in one country to switch places with a teacher in another country for a few weeks or longer. Though it’s only open to those with a minimum of three years teaching experience, it does let you explore destinations in China, Portugal, India and other countries. The program pays for both your travel and living expenses.
Traveling the world lets you share your unique experiences with your students and help them learn more about certain topics. Travel the world for less with one of the travel grants for teachers that are now available.
