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Einaudi Center for International Studies

Cornell University

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships

The deadline for this opportunity has passed.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Application Timeframe: Spring
Kamala Eyango MPS ’20 smiles with a group of people in India, seated in the back of an open car.

Details

Achieve language fluency with the help of a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship. You’ll gain valuable knowledge about cultures and countries in which your language is commonly used, while developing skills in a language critical to the needs of the United States. 

Be aware that federal funding changes may affect future cycles of this opportunity. We are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

The Einaudi Center’s South Asia Program and Southeast Asia Program are U.S. Department of Education National Resource Centers. Only NRCs may offer FLAS fellowships, which we offer in South Asian and Southeast Asian languages.

Deadlines

  • Academic year: Apply by March 31, 2025
  • Summer: Apply by February 19, 2025 (closed—decisions pending)

Amount

  • Graduate academic year: $20,000, plus a tuition allowance of $18,000.
  • Undergraduate academic year: $5,000, plus a tuition allowance of $10,000.
  • Summer (graduate or undergraduate): $3,500, plus fees and tuition allowance of up to $5,000. 

Eligibility

Graduate and undergraduate students are eligible. You must fulfill the following requirements:  

  • Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
  • Complete a FAFSA prior to the FLAS deadline. 

To be a successful applicant, you need to show potential for high academic achievement and agree to pursue full-time study of a language in accordance with the university’s requirements. You also need to demonstrate that you meet the necessary language training requirements. (Lowest priority will be given to a candidate who is a native speaker of the language for which an award is sought.)  

Academic year fellowships for undergraduates are offered in South Asia Program languages only. The fellowship may be used overseas only if you receive prior approval from the U.S. Department of Education to enroll in an advanced program established by a U.S. institution.

Rare and Distinctive Language Fellowships

If you are studying a language from outside of South or Southeast Asia or you are not eligible for FLAS, Einaudi's RAD language fellowship is for you! Find out more.

Fellowship Terms

  • Enroll in a South/Southeast Asian language course and a three or more credit South/Southeast Asian Area Studies Course during both the Fall and Spring semesters.
  • Doctoral candidates can qualify for a "Dissertation Research Abroad" or "Dissertation Writing at Home" award, as long as they are at an advanced level in a South/Southeast Asian language and will be intensely engaging with that language in their research or writing.

How to Apply

You may apply for both fellowship periods by submitting two applications. In your application, please indicate the language level you intend to study during the award period. 

Graduate Requirements

  • Be accepted for (or enrolled in) graduate-level training in an approved program that combines modern foreign language training with either one of the following:
    • Area or international studies.
    • Research and training in the international aspects of professional and other fields of study.
  • Be at the intermediate or advanced level of language study or be starting a second regional language.
  • Use the online application to submit your materials, including:
    • Two letters of recommendation, one from your chair/advisor and one from another faculty reference.
    • An official transcript of one full academic year of coursework.
    • An optional third letter of recommendation from a language instructor.

Undergraduate Requirements

  • Be in the process of earning a baccalaureate.
  • Be at an intermediate or advanced language level for one of the designated languages.
  • Plan to attend an approved summer intensive language acquisition program or enroll in South Asian language classes at Cornell in the upcoming academic year.
  • Use the online application to submit your materials, including:
    • Two letters of recommendation from faculty members.
    • An official transcript of one full academic year of coursework.
    • An optional third letter of recommendation from a language instructor.

Apply to SAP: FLAS

Apply to SEAP: FLAS

Additional Information

Funding Type

  • Fellowship

Role

  • Student

Program

South Asia Program

Southeast Asia Program