The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The fully-funded program held in country includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains equivalent to one year of college language instruction.

U.S. Citizens; Undergraduate or Graduate level--must be enrolled at time of application. All disciplines.

Deadline: Applications are due in November 2023 -- please contact IP grants for an advising appointment by mid-October

Duration: 8-10 Weeks (Summer Intensive Program)

CLS Application

Upcoming Events

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Want help with your application?

International Programs has dedicated staff to give you tips on how to write a strong application. Make an appointment with Dr. Karen Wachsmuth by completing and returning the Preliminary Application Form to ip-grants@uiowa.edu.

Other resources

Eligible languages and levels

No prior study required: Azerbaijani, Bangla, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Portuguese, Swahili, Turkish, Urdu

One year of prior study: Arabic, Korean, Russian

Two years of prior study: Chinese, Japanese

Meet an Iowa CLS Winner

Critical Language Scholarship overview from Alex Bare, University of Iowa graduate. Alex’s success with CLS helped him win a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Colombia. 

CLS in the News

student with glasses

Ryann Hubbart awarded Critical Language Scholarship for second consecutive year, to study Arabic abroad this summer 

Wednesday, March 22, 2023
International studies and economics student Ryann Hubbart of Clinton, Iowa, has been awarded a 2023 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Arabic in Nizwa, Oman. 
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Critical Language Scholarship winner Abigail Fowler to study Japanese in Okayama this summer

Wednesday, March 15, 2023
International studies student Abigail Fowler of North Liberty, Iowa, has been awarded a 2023 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study at Okayama University for an intensive Japanese language program. 
Ryann Hubbart

Q&A with Ryann Hubbart

Friday, October 21, 2022
Ryann Hubbart, a double-major in international studies and economics and a double-minor in Arabic studies and history, is a recipient of the 2022 Global Student Award.
four students drinking coffee with cityscape behind them

Upcoming Critical Language Scholarship info session and workshop, Nov 1 & 8

Thursday, October 20, 2022
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student interested in a summer language program abroad, all expenses paid?
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Critical Language Scholarship winner Marissa Schooley to study Mandarin this summer

Monday, April 4, 2022
International studies and Chinese major Marissa Schooley of Allerton, Iowa, has been awarded a 2022 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Mandarin this summer.
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Critical Language Scholarship winner Lauren Philips to study Persian this summer

Tuesday, March 22, 2022
University of Iowa international studies (international communications and Islamic & Middle Eastern studies) and French student Lauren Philips of Council Bluffs, Iowa, has been awarded a 2022 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Persian. 
Nitya Rayapati

Critical Language Scholarship winner Nitya Rayapati to study Urdu in India this summer

Monday, March 21, 2022
University of Iowa graduate student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop Nitya Rayapati of Austin Texas, has been awarded a 2022 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study abroad this summer for an intensive Urdu language program.