FLAS Graduate Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies Graduate Intensive Language Fellowships for Summer 2024

Deadline: February 17, 2024

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, through funding made possible by the U.S. Department of Education (US/ED), Office of International and Foreign Language Education (CFDA 84.01B, Title VI, Higher Education Act) has two Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships to distribute for summer 2022.

These fellowships are awarded to promote training in less commonly taught languages of the region for students pursuing a Latin American/Caribbean area studies specialization in their graduate program.

The primary language for the award is Brazilian Portuguese, but other less commonly taught languages of the region (Haitian Creole, Quechua, Aymara, Mixtec, Yucatec Maya, Kaqchikel Maya, etc.) are eligible for approval.

Find FLAS eligible language programs through the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs.

Please visit our FLAS FAQ page for more information.

Each Graduate FLAS Fellow will receive up to $8,500:

  1. a portable fellowship that includes up to $5,000 toward tuition and required fees, taking into consideration your other student aid, for study in a US/ED approved intensive language program for which registration and a letter grade are required; and
  2. a $3,500 subsistence allowance

Eligibility and Application Requirements:

Applicants must meet all of these eligibility requirements:

  1. Meet with the FLAS coordinator prior to applying;
  2. Be a US citizen or permanent resident;
  3. Be enrolled and in good standing in a UWM graduate degree program;
  4. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) with the Financial Aid office;
  5. Submit a completed application on Academic Works that contains:
    1. A statement of purpose including why they wish to study a particular language with details about their future research and career goals and how this language fellowship will enhance these prospects;
    2. Information on the anticipated language program
    3. Uploaded unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts
    4. A curriculum vitae (include levels of language competence, if applicable);
    5. Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from their supervising professor

Application: uwm.academicworks.com, and search “FLAS”

Conditions of the Award:

As a FLAS Fellow the following terms and conditions are required:

  1. Recipients must enroll in an approved program of intensive foreign language course work in the U.S. or abroad equivalent to a minimum of 120-140 contact hours (depending on the level of language study) and lasting six to eight weeks in duration. For a study abroad program your language level must be at the intermediate or advanced level. The program abroad, as well as international travel must be approved by US/ED. Please contact the FLAS Coordinator to ensure that the desired program meets all requirements.
  2. Fellows must complete an instructor-administered FLAS language assessment before as well as after their program. This information will be entered into the International Resource Information System (IRIS), a database used by the US Department of Education to track the FLAS Fellowship program’s contributions to national language proficiency attainment.
  3. Fellows are required to stay in contact with their FLAS coordinator and to respond to a survey every two years for eight years following the program regarding their use of Portuguese or other critical need languages, and their focus on Latin American and Caribbean studies in employment, education or training.

Selection Process:

A completed online application with supporting documents as requested above are due by no later than 11:59 p.m. (CST) on the stated deadline, with notification approximately three weeks after the deadline. Applications are reviewed by a CLACS faculty committee from of a variety of schools, colleges, and departments in accordance with the following criteria:

  1. Strength of student’s academic record, both undergraduate and graduate GPA;
  2. Relationship of student’s study plans to academic and career goals; how they relate to the study of the desired FLAS language; and the anticipated impact of the fellowship
  3. Strength of recommendation letters.

Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need consistent with the US Department of Education’s priority for the FLAS Fellowship program.

For Questions or More Information:

Please contact the FLAS Coordinator in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean
Studies: Aimee Orndorf, aorndorf@uwm.edu.