Apply through Independent Application Process
Description
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.
The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.
- No Previous Study Required
- Hindi, Persian, Portuguese, Swahili
- One Year of Study Required:
- Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian
- Two Years of Study Required
- Japanese
Eligibility
To be eligible for the CLS Program you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or national at the time of your application;
- Be enrolled in an accredited U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate (associate's, bachelor's) or graduate (master's, doctoral, professional degree) level at the time of your application;
- Be at least 18 years old by mid-May of the award year;
- Complete at least one full year of study by the beginning of the CLS Program the following summer.
Graduating seniors, including spring/fall grads, are eligible to apply.
Applicants may only apply once, for one language program, each summer. Applicants who submit multiple applications will be considered ineligible.
See the for more details on eligibility.
Selection Criteria
Applicants are selected based on:
- Commitment to language learning
- Preparation for and alignment with program expectations
- Contribution to citizen diplomacy and national impact
- Connection between language and academic and professional goals
Application Procedure
Apply online through the CLS website.
Applicants will be notified by email in late January with the status of their application following the initial review process. Applicants who move past the initial review process will be notified of their status as a scholarship recipient, alternate, or non-recipient in early March.
Hear from a Reedie
Check out this interview between CLS awardee Isabelle Sinclair '22 and former CLBR advisor Shania Siron: