Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

PAKISTAN TEACHING EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT (TEA) PROGRAM 2022

A Program by the Regional English Language Office (RELO) at the U.S Embassy Islamabad implemented by Vision- Building
Future (VBF) and the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO).

The Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program is a six-week academic program
for outstanding early career in-service Pakistani secondary school teachers of English
Language. Fifty teachers will travel to the United States on a professional exchange program
to further develop expertise in subject areas, enhance teaching skills and English language
proficiency, and increase knowledge about the United States. The participants will travel in
two cohorts of 25 participants each. Upon return to Pakistan, alumni will be eligible to apply
for TEA small grants and will become members of the Pakistan U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN).

Provisions of the Fellowship:

 J-1 visa support.
 A pre-departure orientation held in Pakistan.
 Round-trip airfare to and travel within the U.S.
 A welcome workshop at the University of Nebraska.
 Academic training program.
 Academic program fees.
 Housing (shared with other program Fellows of the same gender) and meals.
 Accident and sickness medical coverage (does not cover pre-existing conditions).
 Cultural excursions in and around Nebraska
 A trip to Washington, D.C.
 A re-entry seminar in Pakistan.
 An opportunity to apply for TEA alumni small grants.

Application Deadline: March 6, 2022

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

By uploading it at:
www.tea.org.pk
OR
By sending a hardcopy to:
Vision- Building Future, Office # 13, Floor 5, Gulberg Trade Center, Gulberg Greens, Islamabad.

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Carefully read the eligibility criteria and all the guidelines before filling out the application.
Incomplete or inappropriately filled applications will NOT be considered.
Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:
 Be currently working full-time as a secondary-level (6-10th grade) English teacher in a
government or foundation school* that serves a primarily local (not expatriate) population.
 Have at least two years of classroom experience in English language teaching;
 Be citizens and current residents of Pakistan;
 Hold at least a Bachelor’s degree (includes BS and BA) preferably in English subject.
 Be proficient in written and spoken English.
 Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching in Pakistan for at least five years after
completion of the program.
 Have submitted a complete application with Institutional Support and Reference Form (ISRF)
signed and stamped by school management.

*Foundation schools are funded by the central government via the local education authority, and
do not charge fees from students. In addition, foundation schools are also schools that are not
funded solely by the government, but function under non-profit foundations, trusts, etc. These
schools should have a somewhat well-established on-the-ground network, almost a parallel
system or link to government run schools, especially where government schools are nonexistent.

Additional Requirements
 Staff or families of staff at a U.S. Post or Fulbright Commission or the TEA Program for
Pakistan in-country implementers are not eligible to apply.
 The TEA Program for Pakistan is a program for practicing teachers (teachers who are
currently teaching). Ministry of Education and Training officials, full-time principals,
educational administrators, full-time teacher trainers, university faculty, and private
English language tutors are NOT eligible.
 The TEA program does not discriminate against applicants due to race, color, religion, sex,
age, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic as established by U.S.
law. Applicants with disabilities will be considered equally eligible.
 Dependents are not permitted to accompany the applicant to the U.S.
 Applicants will need to submit the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by their school
management in order to undertake international travel if selected for the program (does
not apply to teachers from foundation schools). Though this is not required at this stage
of the application, it will be mandatory if selected for the program.

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

IMPORTANT!

Only applications meeting all the requirements will be forwarded to the selection
committee. Vision- Building Future reserves all rights to verify the information included
in the application. In case of any discrepancy or false information, applicants will
immediately be disqualified or declared ineligible.

Selection Timeline
Application Deadline March 5, 2022
Notification to shortlisted candidates for April, 2022
telephone interviews
Telephone interviews April, 2022
Face-to-face interviews of semi-finalists May, 2022
Notification to finalists June, 2022

General Application Instructions & Submission Guidelines

● Answer all questions on the application.
● Type in blue or black ink (or pen, if filling by hand)
● If a question does not apply to you, enter N/A (not applicable).
● Include your full, legal name as spelled on your passport (if available) or other legal
photo identification.
● Include complete contact information (including zip/postal codes for all addresses
and city codes for all phone and fax numbers if available)
● Write your full name, city, and province in the top right corner of each page.
● Hand-sign the Privacy Policy and Application Certification Statement on the last page
in ink.
Institutional Support and Reference Form (Template attached)
All applicants must include the Institutional Support and Reference Form, which must be
completed by their supervisor at the school at which they are currently employed and
signed by their school director/principal. The form must be hand-signed in ink and
stamped by school management. An English translation must be provided if the form and
reference letter are not written in English.

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

PAKISTAN TEACHING EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT (TEA) PROGRAM 2022

Application form

Make sure you have read all the guidelines before starting the application.
The application is divided into three sections: Personal Information, Educational/
Professional Information and Essay Questions. Incomplete applications will not be
reviewed.

Section 1: Personal Information

1. Name (Spell exactly as it is written in your passport, if there is no passport then spell
exactly as it is on your legal photo identity)
First name

Middle name

Family name/Surname

2. Gender

Male Female Other

3. Religion (Optional)
4. Disability Do you have any disability or learning difficulty that may require additional learning
support requirements? (if yes, this will not have any effect on the results of application)

Yes No
5. Country (Spell exactly as it is written in your passport, if there is no passport then spell
exactly as it is on your legal photo identity)
Country of Citizenship

Country of Residence

6. Date of Birth (As listed in passport or legal photo identity)

Date: Month: Year:

Place of Birth (City and

Country)

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

7. Home Mailing Address

Complete Postal Address

City

Province

Country

Postal Code

8. Telephone Number
Cellphone

Land line

9. Email
Address 1

Address 2 (if any)

10. Have you travelled to U.S. before?

Yes No

If yes, then specify purpose and year of the travel.

11. Have you ever been on J-1 visa before?

Yes No
12. How did you hear about TEA Program for Pakistan?

TEA Website U.S. Embassy RELO Pakistan

Publication Program Alumnus Colleague
Friend School Administration
Other:

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

Section 2: Education/ Professional Information

Please list your educational background (Write in descending order (latest degree first).
Institution/School Degree/ Certificate Field of Study Year Degree started
(BA/BS, MA/MS, etc.) and ended
(example: 2017-
2019)

Work History
Number of years you have been teaching English? ____________
List your current and past work history (five years). Use separate sections for each institution.
Current Work Information
Name of School/ Institution

School/ Institution Address

Type of School
(Government/ Semi Government/ Foundation/ Private)

Position/ Designation

Date of employment
(Date when you started working at this position)

No. of classes you teach Grade levels you teach

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

(Mention all)

No. of working hours per week No. of hours specifically dedicated for English
language teaching

Any Additional Duties

I. Additional Information regarding current school

Is your school located in an urban or rural area?

Grade levels at school

Average no. of students per class

Has any of the teachers from your school participated in the TEA program before?

Yes No

If yes, then list his/her name and what year they participated in?

II. Previous Employment Information

a. Name of School/
Institution
Type of School

Position/
Designation

Date of
employment and
retirement date

No. of classes you

taught

Grade levels you

taught

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

(Mention all)

Any Additional
Duties

b. Name of School/
Institution

Type of School

Position/
Designation

Date of
employment and
retirement date

No. of classes you

taught

Grade levels you

taught
(Mention all)

Any Additional
Duties

Foreign Language Proficiency

Please rate your proficiency for each language you know in the categories of reading, writing
comprehension, and speaking. Please rate as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Fluent.

Language Reading Writing Comprehension Speaking

Have you ever taken an English Language Proficiency Test (TOEFL, IELTS etc.)?
Yes No
If yes, then kindly mention the name, score, and year you took the test?
Name Score (example: 90/100) Year

Professional Development:

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

i. List any certifications, achievements or any extra-curricular activities that you have
conducted within your capacity as an English language teacher that highlight your
professional experience outside the classroom.
Achievement Year Details

ii. Are you currently applying to any other U.S. government sponsored program, including
online programs?
Yes No
If yes, please specify:
Program Dates: _________________________________________
Name of sponsoring organization:
iii. Are you currently applying or planning to apply to any professional development
programs in other countries?

Yes No
If yes, please specify:
Program Dates: _________________________________________
Name of sponsoring organization:
iv. Please list other international exposure you have had including working with
international organizations or foreigners in Pakistan.
Organization Position/Designation Details (year, duties, nature of work)

Section 3: Essay Questions

IMPORTANT
This is the most important section of the application. Kindly read the questions carefully before
you answer and provide only relevant information.
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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose allows the selection committee to better understand you, your
aspirations, and goals in life. The Statement of Purpose is your chance to tell the committee
about your leadership potential and your motivation for applying for this program.

It should be under 300 words and highlight the following aspects:

 Any personal/professional struggle linked to your career and how it has shaped you into the
person you are today
 Volunteer work/community engagements
 Leadership qualities that set you apart
 Your goals as an English language teacher and how they align with the program
 Why are you the suitable candidate for this fellowship?

2. Imagine a student in your class is suffering from stress due to problems at home,
and it has started to affect his/her grades. Explain how you would tackle the
situation in a manner that would not single out the student or negatively affect
his/her mental health. Describe how you would contribute to alleviating his
psychological struggles that hinder his cognitive learning and increase cohesiveness
in the classroom? (150 words)

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

The selected teachers will travel in two cohorts of 25 participants each. Please select your
preferred timeline to travel (if selected):

Tentative Travel Dates to the Please select your preference here

United States (Choose only one option)

August 28, 2022

October 8, 2022

Note: This section only marks your preference which will be considered but you may travel on
alternate dates, if selected.

Document Checklist

Once you have completed the application, you must ensure the following documents are attached
with the application.

Documents to be submitted along with your application

1. Photocopy of Academic Transcripts
2. Hand signed Privacy Policy and Application Certification Statement page.
3. Institutional Support and Reference Form completed by your supervisor and
signed/stamped by your school director/principal
4. A clear copy of first two pages of passport or legal photo Identification (CNIC)

PRIVACY POLICY & APPLICATION CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

1. USE OF INFORMATION: Information, which is described above, will be:

A. Used by selection committees and interviewers to review applicants;

B. Supplied to the program’s funding organization;
C. Submitted to potential host schools, universities, or organizations and/or organizations that
provide practicum opportunities; and
D. Used for the evaluation of an individual’s participation in the program and in the collection of
data for general program evaluation funding agencies or other organizations contracted to
conduct evaluations.

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 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

2. CERTIFICATION: I certify that I completed this application myself, that the information given in this
application is complete and accurate, and that I have carefully read and understand all notes and
disclaimers provided therein.

I understand that Vision- Building Future reserves the right to verify all the information listed in the
application. I understand that giving false or misleading information in the application will result in
exclusion from the competition or immediate dismissal from the Teaching Excellence Achievement
(TEA) Program for Pakistan.

Also, I acknowledge that I am aware of the following requirements that I must observe if I am selected
for the program:

 I must abide by all program rules and regulations and observe all the laws of the United
States during my stay there, including returning to Pakistan for at least two years at the
conclusion of the program in compliance with J-1 visa requirements.
 The medical coverage provided to me during my travels is intended only for emergencies and
does not cover ordinary, pre-existing, and routine dental conditions.
 My spouse, children, other relatives or individuals are not permitted to accompany me to the
United States on the program.

Signature of Applicant (must be hand signed):

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT AND REFERENCE FORM

PAKISTAN TEACHING EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT (TEA) PROGRAM 2022

To be completed by the Applicant:

Name of Applicant:_______________________________________________
Name of Supervisor:______________________________________________
Job Title of Supervisor:____________________________________________

Page 12 of 14
 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

Name of School:_________________________________________________
City and Province of School:________________________________________
Telephone of Supervisor: _______________E-mail of Supervisor:__________________

IMPORTANT:
This institutional support and reference form must be completed by your
supervisor (school director/principal) at the school where you are employed at
the time of application to the program. The form must be hand signed by your
school director/principal.
*An English translation should be provided if the form and reference letter are

The TEA Program for Pakistan invests in teacher professional development by bringing
outstanding secondary school teachers of English from Pakistan to the United States to
further develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills and English
proficiency, and increase their knowledge about the United States. Fifty teachers will travel
to the United States in two different cohorts; 25 participants in each. Upon return to
Pakistan, alumni will be eligible to apply for TEA small grants and will become members of
Pakistan U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN).
To be completed by the SUPERVISOR:
1. I certify that the applicant has been an English language teacher at
____________________ for the last _____ year(s).
2. Please provide an instance where the applicant exhibited exceptional leadership potential
in a crisis situation.

3. Why do you think the applicant is an ideal candidate for this program? How will the
program enhance his/her skills as an English language teacher?

I certify that our school supports this teacher in participating in the Teaching Excellence and
Achievement Program (TEA) for Pakistan, a professional development program funded by
the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and administered by Vision-Building Future and the
University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO).

Page 13 of 14
 Applicant’s Name: _______________________________

City & Province: ________________________________

Our school will provide assistance to this teacher for the duration of the Program to be
hosted by the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) in 2022. We will support the participant
in all program activities, which I understand includes a customized academic program
providing development of lesson planning skills, assessment techniques, and teaching
strategies for the home environment, as well as instructional technology training in the use
of computers for internet and word processing as teaching tools.
Ms. /Mr. will be granted leave with/ without pay during
this time and will be re-instated upon his or her return to the school.
We recognize the importance of this program for the advancement and development for
our teachers and for the facilitation of positive relations between Pakistan and U.S.
educators. Our school looks forward to participating in the program.
Name of School Director/Principal ____________________________________________
Signature of School Director/Principal (must be hand signed) ______________________

Date School Stamp:__________________________

*Please note that applicants will need appropriate permissions from their school management, such as No Objection Certificate
(NOC) issued by the competent authorities, in order to undertake international travel if selected for the program. Although this is
not required at this stage with application, however, this will be an essential requirement if selected for the program.*

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