Overview

International students with a background in math or science may be eligible to teach in Houston. In Houston’s low-income communities, students are not receiving the math and science education they deserve. Not only does this crisis limit their potential, but it also inhibits our country’s ability to produce scientists, engineers, and other technically skilled workers.

The International Students Pilot Program is made possible by a partnership with the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Individuals who join Teach For America through the pilot program go through a separate hiring process upon acceptance and are ineligible for AmeriCorps benefits, but otherwise receive the same training and long-term support that all corps members receive.

Applying

You must follow the same admissions process as other applicants and will be evaluated by the same selection criteria we use for all applicants. To be eligible for the pilot program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be currently enrolled at a US college or university
• Be earning an undergraduate or graduate degree in: mathematics, statistics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, or other natural or physical sciences. Note: Social sciences (e.g., accounting, economics, psychology, sociology) are not eligible under this program.
• Hold a valid F-1 visa
• Be eligible to apply for a 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension of current visa
• Not be from a country on the State Department's state-sponsored terrorism list which includes the following: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, or Syria
• Be willing to teach in the Houston Independent School District as a middle school or high school math or science teacher

In addition, applicants must be fluent in written and spoken English and meet our regular eligibility requirements:

• Bachelor's degree by June 2011
• 2.50 minimum undergraduate GPA

Hiring Process

Once applicants accept Teach For America's preliminary offer of admittance, they will receive detailed information about how their hiring process will work in HISD.

Upon accepting our offer of admittance and during their two-year commitments, individuals in the Teach For America International Students Pilot Program must satisfy HISD's employee eligibility requirements, including cooperation in HISD petitions for H-1B visas. H-1B visas authorize eligible foreign nationals to work in the United States for a specific employer for a defined period of time. Corps members in the pilot program are required to provide appropriate credentials and documentation during the H-1B visa application process and to maintain their lawful immigration status once they become H-1B visa holders. Corps members are responsible for costs associated with obtaining and maintaining the H-1B visa, although Teach For America may be able to offer some financial assistance through our transitional funding program.

Teach In Your Home Country

If you are ineligible for the pilot program or wish to teach internationally, we encourage you to consider Teach For All, the global network for expanding educational opportunity. Teach For All’s network partners place teachers in 10 countries around the world. For more information, e-mail apply@teachforallnetwork.org.

Resources

Read detailed instructions for applying.
Discover the need for math and science teachers.
Learn about living and teaching in Houston.