submitted by kochavej@augsburg.edu
If you love studying language, then the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) could be a great fit for you! Augsburg had three students selected for this nationally-competitive scholarship just last year. Two Auggies applied to study Swahili in Tanzania and one to study Mandarin in Taiwan.
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) is an eight to ten week language and cultural immersion program where students receive intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity (students select one of fifteen languages to study). Alumni of the program also receive non-competitive eligibility status when applying for government jobs – a rare opportunity!
Because these languages are less commonly taught, most programs do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests, and from a wide range of fields of study and career paths. Competitive applicants will need to be able to illustrate a commitment to language learning (have studied or speak a 2nd language), a strong academic record and potential to succeed in a rigorous academic setting (we recommend a minimum GPA of 3.2; average GPA of Augsburg winners last year was 3.73), and ability to adapt to an intensive program and challenging cultural environment. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
To learn more about the program, go to https://clscholarship.org/ . The URGO office provides advising and application support for CLS, so please contact urgo@augsburg.edu to set up an appointment before November 16th if you are interested in applying.