1. The CLS Program
Let the audience know that the CLS Program is a government scholarship sponsored by the U.S. Department of stated, funded by taxpayer monies.

2. Welcome! My CLS Program Experience CLS Program Information
Other Opportunities
Questions!

3. CLS Program Experience
I spent a summer in [country] learning [language]
Here’s some of what I did! With photos!
Here’s where you can go into detail about your experience on the CLS Program. Include your own pictures to really make your story come to life and share your enthusiasm for the program!
Photos!

4. CLS Program Experience
More information about my experience on the program! Topics could include
Your language partner
Your host family/local roommate
Program excursions
In-class experience
Photos!
Add as many slides as you’d like to show your experience on the program, but remember that you’re not giving a recap of every single activity you participated in. Try to stick to the highlights that show important parts of what made your CLS experience unique. Some topics could include:
Your language partner
Your host family or local roommate
Program excursions
In-class experiences
Everyday occurrences that taught you interesting things about the host culture

5. Critical Language Scholarship Program
Summer study abroad program
For U.S. students in all fields to study critical languages
Fully-funded – everything paid for except your passport
Here’s where you can share some background information about what the CLS Program is. Remember, you don’t need to know all of the details or the answers to every question! You’re here to talk about your experience of the CLS Program and direct students to other resources if they have more specific questions.
Things NOT to focus on:
Why is [language] considered critical?
Which language is the easiest for me to get accepted to?
Do they have host families in [site]? How do they vet the host families? What will they feed me? Will there be wi-fi?
If I’m enrolled in [language] and… and… and… am I eligible for the program?
DO focus on:
What is a critical language? Why should I want to learn one?
Why did you choose [language]?
Where can I find more information about eligibility?

6. Critical Language Scholarship Program
Less-commonly taught and studied on U.S. campuses
Critical to our engagement with the world, and to U.S. national security and economic prosperity
Prepare U.S. students to compete in a globalized workforce
You do NOT need to know:
Why any language in particular is or is not considered to be a critical language
The answer to every specific program question—you can direct them to program resources for those!

7. Critical Language Scholarship Program
No Experience Required
Azerbaijani
Bangla
Hindi
Indonesian
Persian
Punjabi
Swahili
Turkish
Urdu
Some Prerequisites*
Arabic
Chinese
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Don’t worry about needing to know all of the prerequisites for the languages! This can give students an overview, and they can find more detailed information about language levels on our website.
*More information at:

8. Critical Language Scholarship Program
Fully-funded by the U.S. government
Includes:
Domestic travel to Washington, D.C. for an orientation
Round-trip international airfare
Applicable visa fees
Housing and meals
Classroom instruction
Cultural programming and group trips
Undergraduate academic credit (Bryn Mawr College)

9. Critical Language Scholarship Program
Partner institutes each host up to 30 CLS students
Everyone shares the same weekly schedule
20 hours of language classes
Cultural activities and local excursions
Weekend overnight group trips
Designed for language gains and cultural immersion:
Students apply for a language (not a country)
Language policy
Most students live with host families
All students have a language partner
Personalize this slide with information about your day-to-day experience on the program!
How much time did you spend in class? What was the workload like?
What kinds of cultural activities and excursions did you take part in?
Did you take any overnight group trips?
Talk about why you applied and studied the language
What was your experience with the language policy?
What was your living situation like?
How was the language partner program structured for your group?

10. Program Benefits Make rapid gains in language skills
Advance your career
Many U.S. companies give advantage to candidates with language skills
Studying abroad builds experience in problem solving, communication, and other employable skills
Build international relationships
Learn to effectively collaborate and communicate with people in cross-cultural settings
Join a network of successful alumni
Personalize this! What were your experiences of the benefits of the program?
Your language gains?
Any changes in your career or academic goals based on participation in the program?
Any skills outside of language gains that you developed as a result of participation in the program?
What has been your experience as an alumnx of the program?
Any opportunities you’ve been able to take advantage of thanks to being an alumnx of the CLS Program?
Any other alumni you’ve connected with throughout your time on the program or since?

11. Application Tips Ideal candidates: Come from ALL academic disciplines
Come from ALL backgrounds, and are interested in representing the U.S. abroad
Demonstrate that they understand the program and are prepared to succeed
Show that they are excited and motivated to begin or continue learning a critical language
Make a clear connection between the target language and their future career plans
Visit the CLS website for our official application tips video, and more information about the selection process.

12. More Information? The CLS Website On Your Campus!
Find information about eligibility criteria, language levels, and prerequisites
Watch the CLS application tips video
Find CLS Advisors on your campus
On Your Campus!
Find your campus advisor by visiting
Seek advising from:
Study Abroad and Fellowships Offices
Language Faculty
The CLS website has a wealth of information for applicants about:
Eligibility criteria
Language levels and prerequisites
Selection criteria
Application tips (official application tips video)
Advisors on each university campus
Reasons to apply for CLS
The structure of the program

13. Additional Study Abroad Resources
studyabroad.state.gov
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The CLS Program may not be the right fit for everyone, and that’s ok! This is a good moment to share that there are a lot of other opportunities for students to go abroad.
Students can visit studyabroad.state.gov to see other U.S. Department of State programs
Visit their campus study abroad offices to find out about other study abroad opportunities available to them
If you’ve participated in other programs, you are welcome to add those here.

14. cls@americancouncils.org CLScholarship.org
Questions?
CLScholarship.org
fb.com/CLScholarship
@CLSScholarship
@CLScholarship