ETA Leave Policy

Fulbright ETA grants require a full-time commitment; therefore, grant leave that is unrelated to the grant purpose is to be kept to a minimum. Fulbright-Nehru ETAs are required to be at their placements when the schools are in session (including exam periods) and can only travel outside of their host city and take their allotted vacation time during school recesses.  During recesses or normal holiday/vacation periods, the grantee may leave India for no more than 14 days (two weeks) without deduction in grant benefits with advance, written permission from USIEF.  Requests for international travel must be made at least two weeks before the scheduled trip.  The request should be emailed to the appropriate USIEF staff member who will process the request and inform the grantee whether he/she receives approval.

The following terms and conditions apply to leave periods; violation of these terms and conditions will result in reduction of grant stipend amounts and may result in revocation of the grant. Refer to the USIEF grant document for further explanation of the Leave and Travel Policy.

Personal Leave: USIEF to provide 3 days of personal leave to all ETAs while the schools are in session, that may be used for travel within India or celebration/ recognition of religious holidays. However, ETAs must seek prior approval from USIEF and their school to avail these leaves.

Emergency leave: Should it be necessary for the grantee to leave the host country in the case of extraordinary medical or personal emergency, the grantee can either use part or all of the 14 days leave enumerated in Section A. above, and/or take unpaid leave time. If unpaid leave exceeds 14 days, your program will be suspended.  USIEF must be notified as soon as possible with details on the nature of the emergency and the expected period of time the grantee requires leave. In the case of a medical emergency, grantees must also immediately notify the health benefits provider (Seven Corners) for approval of coverage if they are outside of the host country.

All ETAs should send their travel requests to Sumanta