FLAS Fellowship

Don't miss the FLAS Workshop on January 9 at 4:00 p.m. in Classics 110.

Award Overview
The Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (also known as FLAS or Title VI) is an award for students concentrating in modern foreign language and international or area studies. Institutions have to make a competitive application to the US Dept. of Education for funding in the world areas in which they want to offer languages. Thus, languages offered vary from one institution to another.

The U of C has applied for the following languages in 5 world areas. No FLAS awards in these languages can be guaranteed until funding notification from the Department of Education in early to mid Spring.

  • EAST ASIA (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
  • EAST EUROPE (Armenian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian BCS, Czech, Kazakh, Polish, Russian, Uzbek)
  • LATIN AMERICA (K'iche' Maya, Nahuatl, Portuguese)
  • MIDDLE EAST (Arabic, Hebrew, Perisan, Turkish)
  • SOUTH ASIA (Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu


There are two FLAS Fellowships available at the University of Chicago: academic-year and summer.

Academic Year FLAS

  • Students must be enrolled in the language of award each quarter and earn a grade of B or better.
  • Students must combine language study with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional study for at least one course during the AY in which they hold a FLAS.
  • Fellowships are awarded for nine months beginning in the Autumn Quarter and include a stipend, tuition, and required health clinic and student activity fees.

Summer FLAS

  • Students must enroll in a program of intensive study for at least 6 weeks, which offers a minimum of 140 contact hours of instruction at the beginning or intermediate level, and 120 contact hours of instruction at the advanced level.
  • Students can study either in the US or abroad (*Note: beginning level students cannot study abroad unless instruction is not available in the US).
  • For programs abroad, students must receive approval for the language program and for travel on an American carrier (if funds are provided for travel).
  • For summer study in the US, studetns can apply for FLAS fellowships from any institution offering FLAS summer fellowships.
  • Awards offer a stipend of $2,500, tuition up to $4,000, and some travel if there are sufficient funds.

Eligibility
Academic Year and Summer FLAS applicants must be:

  • Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the US;
  • Be erolled at an institution receiving an allocation of FLAS fellowships;
  • enrolled in an institution receiving FLAS funds;
  • Be not beyond the fourth year of graduate study in a department or professional school while holding the award;
  • Be in a program that combines modern foreign language training with area or international studies or research and training in the international aspects of professional and other fields of study;
  • Show high potential for academic achievement;
  • Complete a Performance Report as required by the U.S. Department of Education;
  • Be subject to University regulations concerning part-time employment, contingent on approval from his/her Dean of Students;
  • Have generally have prior language experience of the following languages prior to receiving a FLAS: Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish.

Application Information
Applicants must submit the following materials to their Deans of Students Offices:

  • Application form
  • Statement of purpose
  • Graduate transcript

Please note that Deans of Students will accept faxed or emailed letters of recommendation. They should be sent directly to your Dean of Students.

Patrick Hall , Dean of Students, Social Sciences
Fax 773-834-3509
email bp-hall@uchicago.edu

Tom Thuerer, Dean of Students, Humanities
Fax 773-834-9148
email thue@uchicago.edu

Terri Owens, Dean of Students, Divinity School
Fax 773-834-4581
email: tdowens@uchicago.edu

Referees must submit the following:

  • language recommendation
  • academic recommendation

Note: Applicants who apply for both an Academic Year and a Summer FLAS Fellowship must submit a separate summer application; however only one set of references and one transcript is necessary.

Deadline for all FLAS applications is JANUARY 18, 2008. Download 08-09 applications here: Academic Year FLAS for In-Residence Students , Academic Year FLAS for Newly Entering Students , Summer FLAS . For more information, visit the appropriate Area Center (listed below), your Dean of Students Office, or the Office of Graduate Affairs.

East Asia
Judd 302
702.3980
Dir., Don Harper
Assoc. Dir., Ted Foss

East Europe
SS 204-A
702.8377
CEERES
Dir., Victor Friedman
Assoc. Dir., Meredith Clason

Latin America
Kelly 117

702.8420
Dir., Dain Borges
Cdntr., Josh Beck

Middle East
Pick 201
702.8397
Dir., Holly Shissler

Asst. Dir., Rusty Rook

South Asia
Kelly 104
702.8637
Dir., James Nye
Assoc. Dir., Sally Noble

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