Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Summer and Academic Year Fellowships

Award Details

The 2025 FLAS application will be released in January 2025.

The Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship competition is open to graduate students who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who are enrolled in or applying to a full-time program that combines modern foreign language training with international or area studies.

Two types of FLAS Fellowships are available at the University of Chicago: Summer Fellowships & Academic Year Fellowships.

Awards are dependent on Congressional budgetary approval and formal funding notification from the U.S. Department of Education.

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 per quarter in which they hold a FLAS;

Award duration is for nine months, beginning in the Autumn Quarter.

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. With pre-approval, it is possible to have tutoring supplement the instruction of an official program to meet required minimums of contact hours for summer language study.

Students can study either in the U.S. or abroad, with two exceptions

• Beginning level students cannot study abroad unless instruction is not available in the U.S.
• Incoming PhD and Masters students and students in the last year of Masters programs may only participate in summer overseas programs if the proposed coursework is not offered at the University of Chicago Summer Language Institute.
  Note: For programs abroad, students must receive approval for the language program.

For summer study in the U.S., students can apply for FLAS fellowships to fund study at any institution offering FLAS-eligible coursework; (Exception: Incoming PhD and Masters students and students in the last year of Masters programs may only propose coursework outside the University of Chicago if the proposed course is not offered at the University of Chicago’s Summer Language Institute.)

Students who want to study on campus for the summer should look at the University of Chicago’s Summer Language Institute‘s FLAS-eligible offerings.

AWARD BENEFITS

ACADEMIC YEAR FLAS

For doctoral students in the Divinity School, Humanities Division, and Social Sciences Division: While holding an academic year FLAS fellowship, PhD students receive a $5,000 stipend supplement to their University funding. (Doctoral students in other academic divisions and professional schools should consult with their Dean of Students office regarding FLAS award packages.) Any questions can be directed to the student’s Dean of Students office.

Master’s students receive a $20,000 stipend, partial to full tuition, and other benefits depending on division (check with your Dean of Students office).

SUMMER FLAS

Awards offer a stipend of $3,500 and tuition of up to $5,000.

LANGUAGE OFFERINGS

 FLAS is offered for the intermediate or advanced level of language study. Applications for beginning levels of language will not be considered unless the applicant makes contact with the appropriate Area Studies Center prior to the deadline. See contacts below.

• East Asia: Chinese, Japanese, Korean
• Middle East: Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Uzbek
  
  

Additional languages in the funded world areas may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Commonly-taught languages (German, Spanish, French) are not funded by FLAS.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility for either an Academic Year or Summer FLAS depends on multiple factors, including citizenship status, division, and program year. To determine student eligibility for the upcoming competition cycle, please read the information in this section carefully. You may also consult the flowchart below (link).

All Academic Year and Summer FLAS applicants must:

• Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the U.S.;
• Not be beyond the fifth 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 at the end of the fellowship as required by the U.S. Department of Education;
• Be subject to University regulations and Dean of Students’ approval concerning part-time employment.

Incoming students additionally have specific eligibility requirements:

• Summer FLAS Award: Incoming PhD and incoming Masters students in the Humanities Division, Social Sciences Division, Divinity School, and Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice will be eligible to apply for a Summer FLAS award for FLAS-eligible coursework. If the proposed language course is offered during at the University of Chicago Summer Language Institute (SLI), the student may only propose to take the course at SLI. If the proposed course is not offered at SLI, the student may propose to take FLAS-eligible coursework at another institution in the US or abroad.*
• Academic Year FLAS Award: For applicants to the Humanities and Social Science Divisions: Only students applying to PhD programs may apply for an Academic Year FLAS fellowship. Students applying to Master’s degree programs cannot hold an Academic Year FLAS fellowship in the first year of their programs. For applicants to the Divinity School: Students applying to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Divinity, or PhD program are eligible to apply for an Academic Year FLAS fellowship for the first year of the program. Applicants to Masters programs in other Divisions or Schools should check with their Dean of Students Office regarding eligibility to apply.
  *Note: For incoming Masters students in the Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions applying for Summer FLAS awards, the summer language course will not count towards the Masters program requirements. Students in other Divisions or schools should check with their program.

Current students in the final year of a Master’s program additionally have specific eligibility requirements:

• For current students in the last year of Masters programs: Students who continue to work on academic requirements toward their degree through the following Summer and Autumn quarters (graduating in Autumn or later) may be eligible to apply for a Summer FLAS award for FLAS-eligible coursework. Applicants must be proposing to study a language relevant to the academic requirements of the Masters program and must have also studied the language in the summer prior to the Masters program or during the academic year of the program. If the proposed language course is offered at the University of Chicago Summer Language Institute (SLI), the student may only propose to take the course at SLI; otherwise, the student may propose to take FLAS-eligible coursework at another institution in the US or abroad. Interested students in the last year of a Masters program must contact their Dean of Students Office to verify their eligibility prior to applying.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Awards are made on the basis of academic merit and other criteria set by each Center and the U.S. Department of Education. According to guidelines set in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Education, the University will give priority when awarding fellowships to students who demonstrate financial need as indicated by the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  NOTE: Financial need is a selection criteria, NOT an eligibility requirement.

Application instructions

The 2024 FLAS application is now live: https://apply-grad.uchicago.edu/apply/flas
Deadline: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11:59pm Central

By the deadline, applicants must submit the following materials via the online application system:

• Completed Application form (click here)*
• Statement of purpose (500-words maximum)
• Transcripts
• One academic letter of recommendation**
• One language evaluation/recommendation***
  
  * current students in the final year of an MA program (including MAPH, MAPSS, and International Relations) MUST see their Dean of Students Office to inquire about eligibility before beginning a Summer FLAS application.
  ** incoming students do not need an academic recommendation
  *** incoming students only need a language recommendation if their University of Chicago admissions references did not include a language instructor.

 CONTACTS

For more information, contact the appropriate Area Studies Center (listed below), your Dean of Students Office, or UChicagoGRAD Fellowships (grad-fellowships@uchicago.edu).

Center for East Asian Studies:
Abbey Newman
abbeynewman@uchicago.edu
773.834.4739

Center for Middle Eastern Studies:
Tom Maguire
tmaguire@uchicago.edu
773.702.8296

Apply here: https://apply-grad.uchicago.edu/apply/flas

Am I eligible for a 2024-2025 FLAS Fellowship?