Critical Language Scholarship
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. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.
CLS 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 Critical Language Scholarship Program is a program of the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is currently funded.
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
- Related costs for a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C.
- Visa fees, language instruction, room, board, program-sponsored travel within the host country
- All entrance fees for program activities
U.S. academic credit is issued through Bryn Mawr College.
The following expenses will not be covered by the CLS Program:
- U.S. passport fees
- Medical exam fees required for finalists
Eligibility Requirements:
The Critical Language Scholarship Program seeks participants from a variety of fields, backgrounds, and career paths, with the goal of building a cadre of Americans who speak critical languages at high levels in government, business, arts and culture, science and engineering, health and medicine, education, research, and other fields.
The CLS Program is a nationally competed award open to all eligible U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in every field.
Review the full set of eligibility requirements for the CLS Program.
To learn more about the Critical Language Scholarship, please visit: http://www.clscholarship.org/about to review eligibility and application procedures.
To apply, visit the Application Portal