The US State Department’s Critical Language Scholarship 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, many of them related to Asia (Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu). The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.

Applications for the program are now open and available on the Critical Language Scholarship application page, and are due by Tuesday, November 16, 2021 by 8:00pm EST. Most languages offered by the CLS Program (9 of 15) do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. For more information, review the Critical Language Scholarship website or attend a virtual event.