The application for the U.S. Department of State’s 2027 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is now open!
U.S. leadership abroad—in commerce, global affairs, and security—rests on Americans who can navigate other languages and cultures with expertise and fluency. The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program delivers intensive summer language instruction to high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students, selected through a competitive, merit-based process. Offered in nine languages overseas or virtually, the program condenses a full academic year of language study into eight weeks of rigorous instruction and cultural immersion.
The following languages are offered in 2027: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili.
Since 2006, the CLS Program has equipped more than 10,000 U.S. participants with the linguistic skills, regional knowledge, and global networks to advance U.S. interests worldwide.
Apply Now: https://ais.americancouncils.org/cls
Deadline: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 8 p.m. EST
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a U.S. Department of State program with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by American Councils for International Education.
For more information or assistance, contact the IRIS Awards Office, awards@iris.wisc.edu.