Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships

Applications are closed

CLACS has received official word from the U.S. Department of Education that the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships program has been discontinued because, as was stated the letter to grantee institutions, the Department judged "that the purpose of and functions of the international and foreign language education grant programs are not a priority of the Administration" and “are inconsistent with Administration priorities and do not advance American interests or values."

Buildings and beaches in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil

Funding to graduate and undergraduate students to encourage the study of critical and less-commonly taught global languages. In 2026, FLAS is limited to summer awards for specific languages studied in the U.S.

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.

Summer Awards

The Summer FLAS award competition is open to UC Berkeley undergraduate and graduate students who would like to study Spanish, Portuguese, or Nahuatl. Students must plan to enroll in language programs based in the US. In 2026, no overseas language programs are eligible. Language programs must comply with FLAS guidelines. In 2026, no languages other than Spanish, Portuguese, or Nahuatl are eligible.

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. 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 Portuguese or Nahuatl, although awards for Spanish are available at the advanced level. FLAS grants for Spanish cannot be awarded for beginning level language training. To be eligible for a Spanish FLAS award, a student must have completed at least two semesters of Spanish language study by the start of the fellowship. Students may receive a FLAS award to take beginning level Portuguese or Nahuatl courses. For questions regarding the availability of specific languages 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.

More Information

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