Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program for Intensive Summer Institutes

1. Critical LanguageScholarship (CLS) Programfor Intensive Summer Institutes A program of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Presented by Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC)

2. www.CLScholarship.org • CLS Program: Launched in 2006 with the goal to increase the number of Americans studying critical need foreign languages • Target group: U.S. citizen undergraduate/graduate students

3. CLS Program Selection process administered by Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) with awards approved by U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. CLS Program administered by CAORC and the American Councils for International Education.

4. Application Process: Eligibility • Must be a U.S. citizen • Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a U.S. university • Must have completed at least the first year of college-level study by beginning of CLS Program • All backgrounds/disciplines are eligible • Please note: Persian applicants must be graduating seniors or graduate students

5. 2010 CLS Program Languages Arabic Korean Azerbaijani Persian Bangla/Bengali Punjabi Chinese Russian Hindi Turkish Indonesian Urdu Japanese 13 Languages ~ 15 Countries ~ 575 Scholarships Countries (tentative) Azerbaijan Indonesia Russia Bangladesh Japan South Korea China Jordan Tajikistan Egypt Morocco Tunisia India Oman Turkey

6. CLS Program Harbin, China ‘09

7. Languages Arabic------------------ Persian----------------- Bangla/Bengali-------- Hindi------------------- Indonesian-Newin 2010 Korean----------------- Punjabi----------------- Turkish----------------- Urdu-------------------- Azerbaijani------------- Chinese---------------- Japanese--New in 2010 Russian---------------- Levels offered Adv. Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Adv. Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, Advanced CLS Languages - Summer 2010

8. CLS Kaliningrad, Russia ‘09

9. CLS Program: Details • 7-10 weeks intensive language study • Minimum of 4 hours classroom time per day • Cultural excursions • Lectures, movies, roundtables

10. CLS Program, Morocco ’09

11. CLS Program Details (con’t.) • Tutoring, peer conversation partners, homework • Housing – home-stays, dorms, hotels • Language pledge

12. Application Process Apply for 1 language program only Apply for language and not for specific country or site May re-apply to program in future years

13. Application Essays 4 required written essays: Essay #1: Interest in language and knowledge of region Essay #2: Relevance of scholarship and language in your academic and professional goals Essay #3: Plans for continued language study after scholarship Essay #4: Experiences and unique personal qualities reflecting maturity, flexibility, and adaptability to participate in group experience overseas

14. Application Materials Letters of reference - Beginning-level applicants: Two general letters of reference - Advanced Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced applicants: One general letter of reference, One language reference. Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts required upon selection)

15. CLS Program, Egypt ’09

16. Selection Process • Two-tiered review process • Each application read by two independent readers who may be: • language experts • area-study specialists • study-abroad specialists

17. Selection Process (con’t.) • Top applications reviewed by panel of experts • Final approval by U.S. Department of State

18. CLS Program, India ’09

19. CLS Program Benefits Travel between student's U.S. home city and program location Washington, DC pre-departure orientation costs Applicable visa fees Room and board Group-based intensive language instruction Program-sponsored travel within country Entrance fees for program activities. Note: U.S. passport fees will not be paid by scholarship.

20. CLS Program Provides: • Unique opportunity to learn or improve language skills in an intensive overseas program. • Directed cultural activities to enhance language abilities and promote cultural understanding. • Apply language and cultural expertise gained from CLS Program toward future academic or professional goals.

21. CLS Program Expectations No service requirement associated with award Students expected to continue language studies in rest of academic program and professional career

22. CLS Program Izmir ’09

23. CLS Program Application Application available: November 9, 2009 Deadline: December 18, 2009 Register at www.clscholarship.org for notification on application availability

24. CLS Program contact info Arabic: turpin.andrea@caorc.org Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, & Korean languages: sylla.julia@caorc.org Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, & Urdu languages: halvachs.michael@caorc.org CAORC telephone number: (202) 633-1599