Students
Critical Language Scholarships
ßÙßÇÂþ» students interested in intensive/immersive language study in the summer are encouraged to explore opportunities through Arizona State University's Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies (a partner instituton of IREES). ASU offers a range of funding opportunities for intensive summer language study in Summer 2024, through the Critical Languages Institute.
For US nationals, they offer Title VIII fellowships of up to $11,000 for students either currently enrolled in a graduate program, or accepted for Fall 2024, in addition to Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships of up to $8,500 (for undergraduate or graduate students, at intermediate or advanced level). These awards are open to students enrolled at any institution.
For all applicants (regardless of nationality), the Melikian Center also offers merit- and need-based scholarships of up to $5,000 for the study of less commonly taught languages, regardless of citizenship status.
Over the past three years, over 75% of ASU's CLI students have received financial support, including ßÙßÇÂþ» students. Full information is at
ßÙßÇÂþ» students can explore critical language scholarships through a variety of programs. The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program enables students to apply for funding to study Russian, Persian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, and other "critical languages" on a fully-funded study abroad program.
Applications are available at:
Application deadlines tend to be during the fall semester.
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. Most languages offered by the CLS Program (9 of 15) do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages.
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.
The CLS Program offers instruction in the following languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu. Resources for advisors are available on our web site at:
The CLS Program hosts frequent webinars, Q&A sessions, and alumni panels for students and advisors. A full calendar of these events and corresponding registration links is available on their web site at:
If you have any questions, please contact us at: cls@americancouncils.org