Swahili, often referred to as Kiswahili, is the national language of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and the lingua franca for as many as 150 million people in Central and East Africa. It is also one of the official languages of the African Union and the East African Community. For centuries, Swahili has been a key language of trade and culture across East Africa and continues today to be the key language for some of the fastest growing countries in the world. Today African languages, especially regional languages like Swahili, are more in demand than ever before as international businesses look to expand into the African market.
East Africa is a region renowned for its stunning natural beauty, friendly people, and its diverse languages and cultures. The CLS Swahili program offers a chance to get a foothold into this region and the opportunity to communicate with people across a broad spectrum of countries and cultures.
Illinois students awarded Boren Scholarships
CLS alumni Melanie Rohla and Matthew Schultz have been awarded full scholarships to participate in the African Flagship Languages Initiative.
Posted June 12, 2020
Congratulations to the finalists and alternates for the 2020 CLS Program, representing students from 306 institutions across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico! Although the summer 2020 program has been suspended, we applaud the commitment of the students who prepared...
Read morePosted May 01, 2020
Alyssa Harvie is an alumna of the 2019 CLS Swahili program in Arusha, Tanzania. She’s a recent graduate of American University, where she attained a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and now works at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, pursuing a career in African affairs and human...
Read morePosted April 29, 2020
A Program of the 
