Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship

FLAS fellowships are provided by a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant for undergraduate and graduate study of Mandarin Chinese, Japanese or Korean and East Asian area studies. The purpose of the program is to enrich the nation’s pool of area and international specialists. Applicants should be planning to use their training to teach, to serve in government or international agencies, or to engage in other work that advances American understanding of other countries. FLAS fellowships are contingent upon federal funding.

Summer 2012 FLAS

Summer 2012 FLAS fellowships are awarded for intensive language study equivalent to one year at an institution in the U.S. or abroad. The language study must be at least 6 weeks in length and include 120 or more contact hours for advanced level study, 140 or more for beginning/intermediate level study. Fellows are awarded $5,000 maximum toward tuition and a $2,500 stipend.

Please note that it is your responsibility to apply and be accepted for a summer intensive language program that meets the FLAS requirements listed above. The following are recommended programs based on previous FLAS fellow experiences.

Recommended Summer Intensive Language Programs

Chinese

• Middlebury Language School - Oakland, CA
• UCLA Language Intensives - Los Angeles, CA
• Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP) - Beijing, China
• CIEE Peking University Summer Intensive Language Program - Beijing, China
• Alliance for Global Education Intensive Chinese Language - Shanghai, China
• International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) - Taipei, Taiwan
• National Normal Taiwan University Mandarin Training Center - Taipei, Taiwan

Japanese

• Middlebury Language School - Oakland, CA
• UCLA Language Intensives - Los Angeles, CA
• Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC) - Yokohama, Japan
• Kyoto Consortium of Japanese Studies - Kyoto, Japan
• Hokkaido International Foundation Japanese Language and Japanese Culture Program - Hokkaido, Japan

Korean

• UCLA Language Intensives - Los Angeles, CA
• Sogang University Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) - Seoul, Korea
• Seoul National University Korean Language & Culture Program (KLCP) - Seoul, Korea
• Ewha International Summer College - Seoul, Korea

Academic Year 2012-13 FLAS

Academic Year 2012-13 FLAS fellowships provide graduate student awardees with $18,000 toward tuition and a $15,000 stipend. Undergraduate student awardees are provided with $10,000 toward tuition and a $5,000 stipend. FLAS fellows enroll in one East Asian language course during both fall and spring semesters and must take at least two area studies courses on East Asia during the award period. All language and area studies classes must be taken for a letter grade.

Eligibility

• U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Full-time USC students
• Graduate students: Engaged in advanced language study (3^rd year and above). Those already fluent in one East Asian language may apply for beginning/intermediate study of a second East Asian language.
• Undergraduate students: Engaged in intermediate or advanced language study (2^nd year and above)
• FLAS-eligible languages include Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Korean

Application

Graduate

To apply, please complete the online application and upload the following supplemental materials in electronic format:

• Personal Statement: In no more than 2-3 pages, address your scholarly or professional ambitions, particularly as they relate to incorporating an East Asia specialization into your future plans, and also elaborate on the program of study that you will follow during the award period.
• Unofficial Transcripts: From all institutions attended. USC unofficial transcript/STARS report can be accessed through OASIS. PDF or Word format accepted.
• CV/resume
• Three Letters of Recommendation: Recommenders should provide an overview of the applicant’s academic performance, maturity, and potential. At least one recommendation should come from a language instructor. Applicants: Please share this link with your recommenders along with your USC ID number and name of the program you are applying for. Your recommenders will need that information in order to submit the online recommendation form.

Undergraduate

To apply, please complete the online application and upload the following supplemental materials in electronic format:

• Personal Statement: In no more than 2-3 pages, please describe your study plan, including the language and area studies courses you propose to study. Please also discuss your scholarly or professional ambitions, particularly as they relate to incorporating East Asian language and area studies into your future plans.
• Unofficial USC transcript/STARS report: Include your fall 2011 semester grades. Access through OASIS and format it as a PDF or Word.
• Resume: Maximum 2 pages
• Financial Aid Summary: Copy from OASIS
• Two Letters of Recommendation: Recommenders should provide an overview of your academic performance, maturity, and potential. At least one recommendation should come from a language instructor. Applicants: Please share this link with your recommenders along with your USC ID number and name of the program you are applying for. Your recommenders will need that information in order to submit the online recommendation form.