Service
English Language Assistant (ELA) Scheme
Published on
Last updated on
The purpose of the English Language Assistant (ELA) scheme is to provide support to teachers in the classroom and encourage students to view a foreign language as a living language used by millions of people rather than as a ‘school’ language. The role of the assistant is to:
- support the teaching staff of schools in Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Belgium/Wallonia-Brussels
- conduct conversation classes in English
- supplement classes with exercises in reading, dictation and oral composition and written composition
- give pupils an insight into Irish culture in Ireland – you are there in the capacity as a representative for your country
To access the application form, click on your desired country link below under Application forms and Terms and Conditions.
Application form together with the required supporting documents as determined by each participant country should be scanned into a single PDF document.
Please submit your full application via email to ELA@education.gov.ie and clearly mark your submission in the subject line of your email as "2025/26 ELA Scheme – Applicants Name –Country choice”
Below are the application forms and terms and conditions (T&C) for each country for the 2025/2026 recruitment of English Language Assistant’s from Ireland. The T&C for each country is compiled by that country authority. Please click on your chosen country from the list below to access the application form.
Application Form for ELA in Austria
English Language Assistant Scheme 2025/26
Download link for
Download
Application Form for ELA in Germany
English Language Assistant Scheme 2025/26
Download link for
Download
Application Form for ELA in Italy
English Language Assistant Scheme 2025/26
Download link for
Download
Application Form for ELA in Spain
English Language Assistant Scheme 2025/26
Download link for
Download
Application Form for ELA in Belgium -Wallonia/Brussels
English Language Assistant Scheme 2025/26
Download link for
Download
The closing date for the 2025/2026 English Language Assistant Scheme is Thursday the 13th of March 2025 at 5pm.
Should you require any further clarifications or information please contact the English Language Assistant Secretariat at the Department of Education, International Co-operation Unit via email: ELA@education.gov.ie . Please do not email this address in relation to any other queries only the ELA Scheme. This is the only scheme run through this email address.
- Each participating country has set their own specific terms and conditions that must be met by each applicant.
- Please ensure that you carefully review the checklist for each country before submitting your completed application.
- Candidates of Irish nationality are eligible to apply. However, candidates from other countries may also be considered, depending on the country authority. Please review the Terms and Conditions document for further information on eligibility.
- Please do not apply if you are unsure about taking up an ELA position.
- Applications are restricted to one country of choice
- For applicants attending third level please arrange for the completion of the confidential attestation forms by a professor/ lecturer/tutor. If this is not the case, then please seek to have the confidential attestation forms completed by your current employer(s)
- Please submit by e-mail a single PDF document containing the application form together with the required supporting documents to: ELA@education.gov.ie
Note
Ensure that your e-mail subject line has the following details:
2025/26 ELA Scheme – Applicants Name –Country choice"
An incomplete application will be excluded.
- The Department of Education do not make the placements of the assistants. This is done by each country authority based on merit outcome from Selection Process. We have no control over where assistants are placed in their chosen country
- Only applicants who fully completed the application will proceed to the selection process stage.
- All accepted applicants are reviewed to ensure that they have the required skills needed for an ELA placement in their chosen country.
- Applicants will then be placed on a shortlist in order of merit.
It is important to bear in mind that the country region preference(s) that you choose on the application form is primarily there only as an indication of which region you would like to be placed. However, efforts will be made by each country authority to meet the successful applicants’ preferred region choice, but this is not guaranteed . As there are only a limited number of posts available within each region the order in which you are placed on the shortlist will determine the region offer. Please note the Department of Education does not make the placements. We have no control of whether assistants get their first choice or not. It is the individual country authorities who make the placements based on merit order.
At the end of May/start of June (depending on date when applicant’s positions have been confirmed by each participating country to the Department of Education) candidates will be informed by the Department of Education (DE) if they have successfully obtained a position or if they have been placed on a reserve list.
Candidates who are placed on a reserve list could still be offered a position at a later stage in the event a candidate withdraws from the scheme. Therefore, emails should be checked regularly including spam emails. Candidates are offered a position in the order in which they appear on the reserve list.
Candidate must email within 10 working days to ELA@education.gov.ie confirming that they either accept or decline the offered ELA placement
Failure to provide e-mail confirmation within the 10 working days will result in the offered ELA placement been withdrawn. The placement will then be offered to the next eligible candidate waiting an ELA placement.
Please carefully consider your commitment to the ELA Scheme before accepting a post, as all withdrawals will need to be duly justified. Please also note that no alternative region(s) will be offered to a candidate except the region location offered due to limited availability of participating schools.