Critical Language Scholarship Program

A Scholarship to Study Abroad

DePaul alumni who work for the State Department have contacted the DePaul advising network to encourage our students to apply for the Critical Language Scholarship Program.  Specific details are pasted below; but basically, the scholarship allows undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad for the sole purpose of language immersion and language learning.

About the Scholarship:

A program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program offers intensive summer language institutes in thirteen critical foreign languages. The selection process is administered by American Councils for International Education with awards approved by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The CLS Program is administered by American Councils and The Ohio State University/Ohio University.

Languages Offered:

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. Please visit the CLS Institutes page for more information.

  • Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu: Beginning, advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels;
  • Arabic and Persian: Advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels;
  • Chinese, Japanese, and Russian: Intermediate and advanced levels.

Application Deadline:

The CLS application is due November 15th, 2013 at 5 p.m. Pacific time/8 p.m. Eastern. The application is available here.

Benefits:

All CLS Program costs are covered for participants as noted below.

Covered costs include:

  • International and domestic travel between the participant’s U.S. home city, Washington, D.C., and the CLS Program site;
  • Related costs for a mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation in Washington, D.C.;
  • Applicable visa fees, language instruction, room, board, program sponsored travel within the host country;
  • All entrance fees for CLS Program cultural enhancement activities; and
  • U.S. academic credit.

The following will not be covered by the CLS Program:

  • U.S. passport fees;
  • Medical exam fees required for participants; and
  • Local travel between your U.S. home address and the airport for CLS Program travel

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