U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship Program

The CLS Program is a fully-funded intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu. Most CLS languages do not require previous study of the target language. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. The scholarship program includes international airfare, tuition, and all program costs, as well as meals and living accommodations (often with a host family).
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