1. Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships
Announcement
Application
FLAS Center Information
or (National Resource Centers tab)
Deadline
January 29, 2018

2. What is the FLAS fellowship?
The FLAS program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.
The program provides fellowship allocations to U.S. institutions of higher education with the following goals :
To encourage the study of critical and less commonly taught foreign languages in combination with area studies, international studies, or international aspects of professional studies.
To promote the training of students who intend to make their careers in government service, college or university teaching, or other employment where knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is essential.
Fellowships are awarded for the academic year and for the summer, as separate competitions.

3. FLAS World Areas
At UC Berkeley, FLAS fellowships are currently provided by seven Title VI-funded area studies centers covering : East Asia, Eastern Europe/Russia/Eurasia, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe. In , Africa and the Silk Road region are expected to be added.

4. FLAS Centers at UC Berkeley
Center for African Studies (CAS)* Institute of East Asian Studies (IEAS) Institute of European Studies (IES) Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) Tang Center for Silk Road Studies (TCSRS)* Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ISEEES) Institute for South Asia Studies (ISAS) Center for Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS) *indicates proposed additions for the grant cycle, starting AY

5. Funding Notes
The UC Berkeley area studies centers are holding a FLAS competition for AY in expectation of receiving renewed funding – but this funding is not guaranteed, as fellowship allocations from the U.S. Department of Education will not be announced until summer 2018 at the earliest. In anticipation of receiving this funding, the AY FLAS application includes all UC Berkeley FLAS Centers that intend to compete for Title VI FLAS fellowship allocations. Funding for Summer 2018 FLAS fellowships is already secured for the following world areas: East Asia, Eastern Europe / Russia, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe.

6. Who can apply?
All FLAS applicants must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.
Graduate students in programs that combine modern language training with 1) area or international studies, or 2) research and training in the international aspects of professional degrees or other fields of study, including STEM fields.
Graduate students at the intermediate or advanced level of study of a critical or less commonly taught language. Exception: Graduate students can apply to study at the beginning level of a critical or less commonly taught language if they have already achieved advanced proficiency in another language of the same world area, and if learning a second language of that world area is required for the student’s overall training and expertise.
For the FLAS center world areas that accept undergraduate applications, undergraduates can only apply for the intermediate or advanced level study of a less commonly taught language. Other conditions may apply for undergraduate awards depending on the world area.

7. Notes
For most world areas, past FLAS recipients may apply for subsequent FLAS funding. Students may also apply for, and receive, both a Summer and an Academic Year FLAS in the same year, e.g., AY and Summer 2018, or Summer 2018 and AY Consult the relevant FLAS Center for specific details.

8. Lower priority is given to . . .
• students who already possess language fluency equivalent to educated native speakers in the language for which the award is sought, including dissertators; • students who are taking the beginning level of Spanish, French or German; and, • students applying for dissertation research or writing.

9. Anticipated FLAS-eligible languages for AY 2018-19
Center for African Studies
Arabic, Chichewa, Swahili, Amharic+, Igbo+, Yoruba+, Wolof+
Institute of East Asian Studies
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan
Institute of European Studies
Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Modern Greek, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Welsh, Yiddish
Center for Latin American Studies
Portuguese, Spanish
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Modern Arabic, Modern Hebrew, Modern Persian, Modern Turkish
P.Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Center for Silk Road Studies
Mongolian, Kazakh (starting AY ), Uyghur (starting AY )
Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Armenian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Yiddish
Institute for South Asia Studies
Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Center for Southeast Asia Studies
Filipino, Indonesian, Khmer, Vietnamese, Thai+, Burmese+
+ Subject to availability; consult with relevant center before submitting application

10. Academic Year FLAS Fellowship
Graduate FLAS Fellowship • registration fees up to $18,000 • $15,000 stipend • Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) is not covered. Undergraduate FLAS Fellowship • $10,000 for registration fees • $5,000 stipend

11. Requirements for Academic Year FLAS Fellows
Enrollment each semester in appropriate language course.
Enrollment each semester in an area studies course.
Courses must be taken for a letter grade.
Pre-assessment and post-assessment by your language instructor.
Self-reporting via U.S. Department of Education online (IRIS) system
Complete a tracking survey every two years after graduation over an eight- year period.

12. Application Requirements - Academic Year FLAS
Statement of purpose
Two letters of recommendation
Transcripts
Graduate students who entered in Fall 2017: Include a copy of your undergraduate transcript.
FAFSA – Page 1 of the Student Aid Report (SAR)
Awards will be announced in summer 2018.

13. Program Announcement & Application
Announcement Application FLAS Center Information or (National Resource Centers tab) Deadline January 29, 2018

14. Summer FLAS Fellowships
A summer fellowship may be used at a domestic program, an overseas program, or both. It provides up to $5,000 to cover language program fees, and a $2,500 stipend (both undergraduate and graduate awards). It is intended to support intensive language study—not research—during the summer months.

15. What does ‘intensive’ mean?
Language instruction undertaken with a summer FLAS award MUST be equivalent to an academic year’s worth of language study. • For beginning and intermediate study at least 140 hours of classroom instruction at least 6 weeks in duration • For advanced level of study at least 120 hours of classroom instruction A summer FLAS fellow may meet these requirements by attending one program, or more than one program, or by supplementing hours with private tutoring, as long as the required total number of weeks and contact hours is obtained. If the plan of study includes private tutoring, the FLAS fellow must provide a syllabus and the instructor’s CV for approval.

16. FLAS-eligible languages for Summer 2018
Institute of East Asian Studies
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, Mongolian*
Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Armenian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Yiddish
Center for Latin American Studies
Portuguese, Spanish, Nahuatl*, Quechua*
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Modern Arabic, Modern Hebrew, Modern Persian, Modern Turkish
Institute for South Asia Studies
Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Center for Southeast Asia Studies
Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese
Institute of European Studies
Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Modern Greek, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Welsh, Yiddish
* Subject to approval from the U.S. Department of Education

17. Summer Language Study Options
1) Berkeley Summer Sessions
2) Another campus in the U.S.
Arizona State University Critical Languages Institute (CLI)
Central Eurasian Studies Summer Institute (CESSI)
Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI)
South Asian Studies Language Institute (SASLI)
Indiana University Summer Language Workshop (SWSEEL)
University of Pittsburgh Slavic, East European, and Near Eastern Summer Language Institute (SLI)
Western Consortium Middle East Language Workshop
3) At an overseas program
There is no list of pre-approved programs located abroad. Applicants can consult the relevant FLAS Center for information on possible programs. NOTE: Overseas language programs are subject to U.S. Department of Education approval. The FLAS Coordinator for your world area will seek this approval on your behalf.

18. Application Requirements Summer FLAS
Statement of purpose
One letter of recommendation
Transcripts
Graduate students who entered in Fall 2017: Include a copy of your undergraduate transcript.
Language program information (URL)
FAFSA – Page 1 of the Student Aid Report (SAR)
Awards will be announced in April.

19. Language Program Information
Program name
Location
Cost of program (in US dollars) - If the tuition/program fee includes room, board, or other costs not related to instruction, ask the program for a breakout of what the program fee covers
Anticipated course(s) and course description(s)
Number of contact hours of classroom instruction
Dates of program

20. Requirements for Summer FLAS Fellows
Pre-assessment and post-assessment by your language instructor.
Self-reporting via U.S. Department of Education online (IRIS) system
Complete a tracking survey every two years after graduation over an eight-year period.

21. Travel Awards
If you are going abroad and you wish to be considered for a travel award for your world area, you must comply with the FLY AMERICA ACT or OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT. This regulation requires that all foreign air travel funded with Federal dollars be conducted via U.S. air carriers (or code share partners). Do not make any travel arrangements in advance if you are requesting a travel award. All travel using Title VI funds must secure approval from the U.S. Department of Education first. Requests for overseas travel approval must be made at least 30 days prior to travel. When you receive your FLAS award letter, be sure to submit your Acceptance Forms to your FLAS Coordinator immediately so travel approval can be requested. Your FLAS Coordinator will seek the approval on your behalf.