U.S. Government Partners Resources for Study Abroad

U.S. Department of State

The U.S. Department of State is committed to preparing the next generation of diverse American leaders to succeed in a globalized economy and work across borders to address our world's most pressing issues. Through the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, various resources and opportunities are available for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students, educators, and U.S. colleges and universities, among others, to support study abroad, language learning, and professional interests. Some of these key initiatives are highlighted below:

Fulbright U.S. Student Program* | us.fulbrightonline.org The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad. Up to 1,800 awards are available each academic year in over 140 countries. Other Fulbright programs offer opportunities to U.S. faculty, researchers, teachers, and professionals.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program* | gilmanscholarship.org The Gilman Program enables American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, gaining proficiency in diverse languages and cultures and providing them with skills that are critically important to their academic and career development. Under this program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is also available. Approximately 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded each academic year. Since its inception in 2001, the Gilman International Scholarship Program has awarded more than 33,000 scholarships to U.S. students studying or interning in 151 countries.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program* | clscholarship.org The CLS Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. Every summer, approximately 550 U.S. students spend eight to ten weeks studying one of 15 critical languages in countries where these languages are widely spoken. The CLS Program 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. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

IDEAS Program | studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org The Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad, also known as IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students), is designed to increase and diversify American student mobility in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. The program expands the institutional capacity of U.S. colleges and universities through IDEAS Grants, IDEAS Incubator Workshops, and capacity building initiatives for the wider U.S. study abroad community.

*Successful program completion allows alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student, Gilman, and CLS Programs to be eligible for up to three years of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government. NCE makes it easier for federal agencies to hire exchange alumni who meet the minimum qualifications of a given position with three key advantages: less competition, a faster application process and strong interest from hiring managers.

U.S. Department of Defense

Boren Awards | borenawards.org The Boren Awards provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, with an emphasis on long-term immersion overseas. Boren Awards alumni are committed to public service, working in positions critical to U.S. national security throughout the Federal Government, including the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and USAID.

The Language Flagship | thelanguageflagship.org Through a network of 31 Flagship Programs at 23 institutions of higher education across the U.S., The Language Flagship graduates students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a superior level of proficiency in one of ten languages critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Students come from all regions of the nation and pursue a variety of academic and professional interests in addition to language study. Flagship Certified Professionals are highly motivated graduates who possess: • Professional-level language proficiency in their Flagship language of choice; • Advanced cultural skills and experience living and working abroad; and • Intercultural insights for careers in federal government, global business, nongovernmental organizations, and other fields.

Project Global Officer | rotcprojectgo.org Project Global Officer (Project GO) is a collaborative initiative that promotes critical language education, study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities for Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students. This Department of Defense initiative is aimed at improving the language skills, regional expertise, and intercultural communication skills of future military officers.

Language Training Center | dodltc.org The Language Training Center (LTC) Program provides language and culture training for Department of Defense (DoD) personnel by leveraging existing university programs and resources to meet the needs of DoD organizations and units. Through flexible and innovative training, the LTC program has supported the language and culture training needs of a wide range of DoD personnel, including military linguists, intelligence analysts, special operations forces, foreign area officers, and the general-purpose forces.

English for Heritage Language Speakers | ehlsprogram.org The English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) Program offers a unique opportunity to U.S. citizens who are native speakers of critical languages to participate in intensive training in professional communication and career skills essential for working in the federal government. EHLS graduates offer federal agencies native-speaker level proficiency in a critical language as well as confidence and ease with interacting in a government workplace.