A Program of the The 2024 CLS Program application is now closed.
Congratulations to all applicants for the 2024 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program and virtual initiative, CLS Spark! Applicants will be contacted by email in January with notification of the status of their application following the initial review process.
What Alumni Say About the CLS Program
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.
Languages Offered
CLS News and Stories
Finding Home in Okayama, Japan
A perspective on the 2023 CLS Japanese Program told by CLS Digital Ambassador, Kirk Preston. March 9, 2023, I remember where I was when I got the email. I was out giving a tour of Rose-Hulman’s campus to a prospective student, unaware of the good news that had just arrived. It wasn’t un…November 17, 2023
2024 CLS Program Application Now Open!
We are pleased to announce that the application is now open for the 2024 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program and virtual initiative, CLS Spark! We welcome American undergraduate and graduate students to apply now to learn a critical language next summer on a funded language and cultura…October 03, 2023
CLS Student Spotlight: Thai Nguyen
Since middle school, Thai Nguyen has been captivated by Russian history. Ask the average person to name a significant moment in Russian history and you’ll likely be met with blank stares; Ask Thai and he’ll give you his top three. In order to take his Russian history knowledge to the next-level, Th…September 20, 2023
CLS Spark Spotlight: Josh Phillips on Arabic Language & Culture
Josh Phillips is a undergraduate student at Mississippi State University majoring in Economics, Political Science and Government. Josh participated in 2023 CLS Spark Arabic hosted by the Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL) Center of the University of Alexandria in Egypt. Josh hop…August 24, 2023
CLS in the Press
Critical Language Scholarship Sends Pomona College Recipients to Morocco, South Korea and India
This summer, Lilly Bar ’23, Benjamin Cheng ’24 and Arivumani Srivastava ’26 made vast language gains as participants in the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program.
Shared from , September 26, 2023
Q&A: Winner of the 2023 Critical Language Scholarship speaks to its value
This year’s Critical Language Scholar finalist is Saba Rehman, a third-year political science and Arabic language and culture student with a certificate in legal studies. Rehman studied Arabic in Morocco this past summer.
Shared from , September 07, 2023
SE sophomore Chelsea Maxwell experiences Brazil as Critical Language Scholarship recipient
As the 2023 spring semester wrapped up on the Durant campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Chelsea Maxwell was exploring new challenges and opportunities as she looked ahead to her second year as a Southeastern student.
Shared from , September 06, 2023