The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has announced the opening of applications for the 2026 Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Secondary School Educators. The program, which will run for five weeks beginning between late May and early June 2026, is designed for secondary school teachers and administrators from abroad.
Interested educators can download the application form from the U.S. Embassy Bangkok website and must submit their completed forms to BangkokPD@state.gov by midnight on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Applicants selected for interviews will be notified, with interviews scheduled at the Media and Cultural Section of the embassy or via Zoom in January 2026. Candidates will receive notification regarding selection status by April 2026.
The SUSIs are intensive post-graduate level academic programs aimed at strengthening curricula and providing resources to teach about the United States in secondary schools internationally. Sixty foreign educators and administrators will participate across three multinational groups of twenty each. The program includes a four-week academic residency at a U.S. educational institution followed by a one-week integrated field experience in another region of the country.
According to program details, "Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Secondary Educators are intensive post-graduate level academic programs for 60 foreign secondary school educators and administrators." The curriculum focuses on American history, society, institutions, and key documents such as the Gettysburg Address and Constitution. Participants will also visit historical and natural landmarks relevant to America’s legacy.
Two institutes are tailored specifically for teachers while a third is intended for experienced administrators including teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, and Ministry of Education officials. The University of Montana in Missoula will oversee all three institutes; it will host one institute for teachers while another institute for teachers will be held at The Institute for Training and Development in Amherst, Massachusetts. California State University, Chico will conduct the institute designed for administrators.
Funding is provided through an award to the University of Montana by the Department of State, covering all participant costs including travel allowances, housing, meals, insurance coverage up to $100,000 through ASPE health benefits (details available at https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos), books, cultural activities, visa arrangements within set limits coordinated with Fulbright commissions where applicable.
Candidates should be mid-career professionals aged typically between 30-50 years old who have demonstrated motivation to update or develop courses focused on U.S. studies and who have limited prior experience in the United States. Priority is given to those planning to introduce or enhance U.S.-related content at their home institutions.
Applicants must show English language fluency as all activities are conducted entirely in English; participation requires reading substantial materials and engaging actively in discussions throughout seminars and panels.
Participants are expected to fully engage with all aspects of this rigorous academic program without fulfilling other professional obligations during their stay in the United States; family members or friends may not accompany them during any part of this program.
U.S. citizens or permanent residents as well as relatives of embassy or Fulbright commission employees are not eligible to apply.
The embassy notes that “candidates must be willing to respectfully engage with fellow participants representing different backgrounds and different points of view.”