Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program
Start or continue your application online
Applications are due November 17, 2020 at 8:00pm Eastern
2021 Application
The 2021 CLS Program application is now available. Applications are due Tuesday, November 17, 2020, at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time.
You may download a PDF sample copy of the application.
About CLS
The CLS Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. The program is supported in its implementation by American Councils for International Education.
For more information about the CLS Program, please visit: www.clscholarship.org
Contact Us
Contact CLS staff during normal business hours Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, at:
Email: cls@americancouncils.org
Telephone: USA 877.257.9922 (toll free) / Outside USA (+1) 202.833.7522
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Program Overview
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.
CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.
Most languages offered by the CLS Program do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests, and from a wide range of fields of study and career paths, with the purpose of representing the full diversity of the United States. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plans to apply their language skills to their future academic or professional pursuits. Please note that CLS is an intensive group-based language program.
The Critical Language Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by American Councils for International Education.
Languages
The CLS Program offers instruction in fifteen critical languages:
| No Previous Study Required |
|---|
| Azerbaijani Bangla Hindi Indonesian Persian Punjabi Swahili Turkish Urdu |
| One Year of Study Required |
|---|
| Arabic Korean Portuguese Russian |
Program Structure
CLS Program institutes cover approximately one academic year of university-level language coursework during an eight- to ten-week program and are designed to meet the needs of students from a variety of language levels and backgrounds. Some CLS institutes require one to two years of prior language study (or the equivalent), while others accept students with no prior background in the language.
Formal classroom language instruction is provided for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Extracurricular activities are designed to supplement the formal curriculum, including regular one-on-one meetings with native speaker language partners for conversational practice, as well as cultural activities and excursions designed to expand students’ understanding of the history, politics, culture and daily life of their host country.
Program Benefits
The CLS Program covers most of the costs of participating in its overseas institutes, including:
- International and domestic travel between the student’s U.S. home city, Washington, D.C., and the CLS Program site
- Visa application fees
- Costs associated with the mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C.
- Language instruction, room, board, program-sponsored travel within the host country
- All entrance fees for program activities
- Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) language assessments
- U.S. academic credit issued through Bryn Mawr College.
The following expenses will not be covered by the CLS Program:
- U.S. passport fees; and
- The cost of medical exams and any follow-up visits necessary to pass the medical review process, as determined by the CLS Program.
U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) works to build friendly, peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges, as well as public -private partnerships. Critical Language Scholarship recipients are among the more than 30,000 exchange program participants that are overseen annually by ECA. Other programs the Bureau manages include the Fulbright Program and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.
American Councils for International Education
American Councils for International Education advances scholarly research and cross-border learning through the design and implementation of educational programs that are well grounded in key world languages, cultures and regions. We contribute to the creation of new knowledge, broader professional perspectives, and personal and intellectual growth through international training, academic exchange, collaboration in educational development, and public diplomacy. With a presence in the U.S., Russia and Eurasia for nearly four decades, in addition to representation in over thirty countries across Asia, the Middle East and Southeastern Europe, American Councils strives to expand dialog among students, scholars, educators and professionals for the advancement of learning and mutual respect in the diverse communities and societies in which we work.
Founded in 1974 as an association for area and language professionals, American Councils has focused its expertise on academic exchange, professional training, distance learning, curriculum and test development, and research. In its four decades, American Councils has developed into one of the premier American education and international training organizations, offering quality-assured, intensive overseas language study and research programs for U.S. undergraduates, graduate students, teachers and scholars.
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https://www.clscholarship.org/apply
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