Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships

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Funding to graduate and undergraduate students to encourage the study of critical and less commonly taught foreign languages in combination with area studies or international aspects of professional studies.

Overview

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships provide funding to undergraduate and graduate students to encourage the study of critical and less commonly taught foreign languages in combination with area studies or international aspects of professional studies. Fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education to promote the training of students who intend to make their careers in higher education, government service, or other employment where knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is essential.

CLACS is offering FLAS awards to undergraduate and graduate students studying Spanish, Portuguese, Nahuatl, or other Latin American and Caribbean languages. Fellowships are offered for both academic year and summer programs. This funding is from the U.S. Government, and applicants must be U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. 

For more information, see the Graduate Division Website: https://grad.berkeley.edu/flas/(link is external)(link is external)

Academic Year Awards

FLAS awards for the academic year are available for Spanish, Portuguese, Nahuatl, and less-commonly taught languages (LCTLs). Eligible graduate and undergraduate students in any discipline and department may apply for FLAS fellowships, including students in professional schools and the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Priority will be given to students seeking to study Portuguese or other LCTLs in advanced levels of language study. Students must demonstrate a commitment to the world area (not Latinx populations in the U.S.) and to their field in the next stage of their professional or academic careers. 

FLAS grants cannot be awarded for beginning level language training, and to be eligible for FLAS, a student must have completed at least two semesters of study of the target language by the start of the fellowship. However, exceptions might be made for graduate students at the beginning level of a LCTL if the graduate student has already achieved advanced proficiency in a Latin American or Caribbean language, and if the graduate student can demonstrate that learning another language is required for his/her overall training and expertise. 

Undergraduate students CANNOT receive a FLAS award for Spanish, and are not eligible to receive FLAS for beginning level language study. 

Students may apply for funding for languages beyond Spanish, Portuguese, and Nahuatl if they provide a plan for a full year of language training and area studies according to FLAS guidelines. The proposed plans will require approval from the U.S. Department of Education. In certain cases, FLAS fellowships may be used for language study abroad during an academic year. 

Dissertation Awards (“Dissertation Research Abroad” and “Dissertation Writing at Home”) are allowed. Only doctoral candidates at an advanced level of the language of study proposed qualify for this type of award. Candidates must use the language(s) in their dissertation research or writing. These awards, especially writing awards, are intended to support students as they complete their dissertations and earn their degrees. 

For questions regarding the availability of specific languages and student eligibility, please contact the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

The graduate Academic Year FLAS Fellowship will cover registration fees up to $18,000 and provide a stipend of $20,000.

The undergraduate Academic Year FLAS Fellowship will cover registration fees up to $10,000 and provide a stipend of $5,000.

Dissertation Research Awards

Dissertation Awards (“Dissertation Research Abroad” and “Dissertation Writing at Home”) are allowed. Only doctoral candidates at an advanced level of the language of study proposed qualify for this type of award. Candidates must use the language(s) in their dissertation research or writing. These awards, especially writing awards, are intended to support students as they complete their dissertations and earn their degrees. 

Fellowships for dissertation research will cover registration fees up to $18,000 and provide a stipend of $20,000.

FLAS Application

For Academic Year and Summer Fellowships

FLAS Fellows

Less-Commonly Taught Languages at US Universities

Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs

FLAS Language Programs/Schools

Used by UC Berkeley CLACS FLAS recipients in the past

Summer Awards

The summer FLAS award should provide each fellow with the equivalent of a full academic year’s worth of language instruction. Students at the intermediate level must have at least 140 contact hours while advanced students must have at least 120 contact hours of language study. All language instruction programs must meet for a minimum of 6 weeks. Summer awards are not available for dissertation research.

FLAS awards for the academic year for UC Berkeley students to study Spanish, Portuguese, Nahuatl, and less-commonly taught languages (LCTLs). Eligible graduate and undergraduate students in any discipline and department may apply for FLAS fellowships, including students in professional schools and the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Priority will be given to students seeking to study Portuguese or other LCTLs in advanced levels of language study. Students must demonstrate a commitment to the world area (not Latinx populations in the U.S.) and to their field in the next stage of their professional or academic careers. Undergraduates CANNOT receive a FLAS award for Spanish. 

FLAS grants cannot be awarded for beginning level language training, and to be eligible for FLAS, a student must have completed at least two semesters of study of the target language by the start of the fellowship. However, exceptions might be made for graduate students at the beginning level of a LCTL if the graduate student has already achieved advanced proficiency in a Latin American or Caribbean language, and if the graduate student can demonstrate that learning another language is required for his/her overall training and expertise. Undergraduates are not eligible to receive FLAS for beginning level language study. Students may apply for funding for languages beyond Spanish, Portuguese, and Nahuatl if they provide a plan for a full year of language training and area studies according to FLAS guidelines. The proposed plans will require approval from the U.S. Department of Education. In certain cases, FLAS fellowships may be used for language study abroad during an academic year. For questions regarding the availability of specific languages and student eligibility, please contact the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

 The Summer FLAS award competition is open to UC Berkeley undergraduate and graduate students. Students seeking to enroll in an overseas language program must be at the intermediate or advanced level of language proficiency. FLAS awards may only be used for an overseas language program at the beginning level when a similar program is not available in the United States. Language programs must comply with FLAS guidelines. All students must demonstrate a commitment to the world area (not limited to Latinx populations in the U.S.) and to their field in the next stage of their professional or academic careers.

Priority will be given to students seeking to study Latin American and Caribbean languages other than Spanish, although awards for Spanish are available at the advanced level. FLAS grants cannot be awarded for beginning level language training, and to be eligible for FLAS, a student must have completed at least two semesters of study of the target language by the start of the fellowship. However, an exception might be made for the beginning level of a less-commonly taught language (LCTL) if a student has already achieved advanced proficiency in a Latin American or Caribbean language, and if the student can demonstrate that learning another language is required for his/her overall training and expertise.  For questions regarding specific language programs and student eligibility, please contact the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

The Summer FLAS Fellowship for graduate and undergraduate students covers language program fees up to $5,000 and provides a stipend of $2,500.

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