A Program of the U.S. Department of State
The CLS Application for the 2021 Summer Programs is now available!
Start your application online now. Applications are due November 17, 2020 at 8:00pm Eastern
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a summer study abroad opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America’s engagement with the world.
The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.
Each summer, CLS provides rigorous academic instruction in fifteen languages that are critical to America's national security and economic prosperity. CLS participants are citizen ambassadors, sharing American values and promoting American influence abroad.
Languages Offered
Key Benefits
Develop Key Expertise
The CLS Program provides its scholars intensive language and cultural instruction in an environment designed to maximize their language gains at every level.
Career Ready Skills
Alumni apply their critical language skills in a variety of professional fields in public and private sectors as well as government, helping to support America’s competitiveness across the board.
Citizen Diplomacy
CLS scholars represent the breadth and diversity of the United States. Through personal engagement they help to spread American values and develop mutual understanding with the people of other countries.
Featured Alumni
CLS News and Stories
Alumni Profile: Lauren Sooy
“Although beginning my civil service career amidst a pandemic was a bit unusual, I’m grateful to be contributing my skills and knowledge to the U.S. government’s coronavirus response efforts.”Lauren, an alumna of the 2017 CLS Indonesian program, landed a position in early 2020 as a...
Posted by Jessica Klink on September 21, 2020
The 2021 Summer Application is Now Available!
We are pleased to announce that the application for the 2021 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is now open! We welcome your students to apply now to learn a critical foreign language next summer on a fully-funded study abroad program.
The application is now live and available...
Posted by Andrew McCullough on August 27, 2020
Announcing the CLS Program Fall Virtual Institutes
Following the success of the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program’s Virtual Institutes this summer, we are pleased to announce that the CLS Program will offer further virtual language instruction this fall for the study of ten critical languages: Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Indonesian,...
Posted by Andrew McCullough on August 14, 2020
Alumni Profile: Nilaya Knafo
Nilaya Knafo is an alumna of the 2017 CLS Arabic program in Amman, Jordan. A 2019 graduate of American University with a bachelor’s degree in international relations, Nilaya focused her studies on foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa. She now works as a Senior Program Assistant at...
Posted by Liz Sinclair on July 09, 2020
CLS in the Press
CMU student leaves school to work at Turkish refugee camp
After years of following national headlines regarding the refugee crisis, Roni Sosis (Arabic 2020) decides to better the situation
Shared from Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, September 28, 2020
Afford study abroad without breaking bank
International travel is currently restricted for most of the world, but there is much that students who want to study abroad during their time at Tech can do now to make these dreams a reality.
Shared from Georgia Tech Technique, September 28, 2020
Bethany Native Highlights W.Va.’s Diversity in PBS Documentary
Clara Haizlett (Arabic 2017), a local filmmaker, aims to help capture Americans’ common humanity during this dark time.
Shared from Wheeling News-Register, September 25, 2020