What U.S. Government Programs Exist to Help Me Study in China?
Information about these and other U.S. Government-sponsored study abroad opportunities can be found on the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website: http://exchanges.state.gov.
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program (http://fulbright.state.gov/grants/student-program/u-s-citizen.html): The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals, and artists to study or conduct research abroad for one academic year. Additional funding is available for critical language study.
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program): The Gilman Program provides scholarships to U.S. undergraduates with financial need for study abroad, including students from diverse backgrounds and students going to non-traditional study abroad destinations.
• Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS) (http://clscholarship.org): The CLS Program provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven- to- ten weeks overseas. U.S. undergraduate, masters and doctoral students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply for scholarships in one of thirteen critical languages.
• National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) (www.nsliforyouth.org): NSLI-Y provides merit-based scholarships to American high school students and recent high school graduates to study seven critical languages overseas for the summer or an academic year through a combination of classroom instruction, applied learning opportunities, peer relationships, and host family experiences.
• Boren Scholarships (www.borenawards.org): Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.
• The Language Flagship (http://thelanguageflagship.org): Flagship Centers and Flagship Partner Programs offer students intensive language instruction to enhance their academic degrees through the achievement of superior-level language proficiency and cultural competence. Programs are available at both undergraduate and graduate levels and include periods of rigorous language and cultural immersion at Overseas Flagship Centers. The Language Flagship also funds a select number of pilot K–12 programs designed to provide an articulated path of language instruction for students from elementary school through college and graduate school.
How Can I Find Out More About Other Programs in China?
• The Institute of International Education (IIE) (www.iie.org/en/program-finder): IIE maintains a database for undergraduate and graduate programs for study abroad.
• Zinch (www.zinch.com/studyinchina): Zinch, a private U.S. information management company with operations in China, offers an independent and free website for U.S. students looking for information about studying in China.
Do you know a high school student or recent graduate that has a passion for learning languages and wants to immerse themselves in a foreign culture, this program may be for them!
