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Can the scholarship be used for programs or languages not listed on the website?
U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarships can only be used for participation in the beginning, intermediate, or advanced level summer language programs at American Overseas Research Centers and affiliated partners listed on this website. Please see the Programs page for full listing of institutes.
What expenses does the scholarship cover?
All program costs are covered for scholarship recipients. This includes travel between the student's home city and program location, pre-departure orientation costs, applicable visa fees, room, board, travel within country and all entrance fees for program activities. Please note that U.S. passport fees will not be paid by the scholarship.
Do you plan to offer these scholarships and programs again next summer?
Pending the availability of funds, we do expect to offer the scholarships and programs in summer 2009.
How many applications did CAORC receive for the summer 2007 cycle? How many scholarships were awarded?
We received over 6000 applications for the 367 scholarships available.
How many scholarships will be awarded for the summer 2008 cycle?
We anticipate awarding 525 scholarships.
I will be graduating in the spring; am I still eligible? Do I need to be enrolled in a program for fall 2008?
Graduating seniors and recent graduates are eligible to apply. Recent graduates are defined as students who have graduated from an undergraduate or graduate program no more than 2 years ago (May 2006). You do not need to be enrolled in a program for fall 2008.
I graduated more than two years ago, but have been accepted to a graduate program for fall 2008. Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes. If you will be enrolled in a program in fall 2008 you are eligible to apply.
I am in law school/medical school, am I eligible to apply?
Yes, law students and medical students are eligible to apply. In Part II of the on-line application, please select 'Graduate Student – Doctorate' as your educational status.
Can I apply for a scholarship for programs in more than one language?
No. You can apply for multiple programs within the same language (e.g. Beginning Arabic in Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan), but not in multiple languages (e.g. Beginning Turkish and Beginning Bangla)
Do I need to submit official transcripts or are unofficial transcripts acceptable?
You must submit an official transcript. The transcript can be sent directly by your school’s Registrar’s office or you can mail the transcript if it is in the original, sealed envelope from the Registrar’s office.
Do my letters of recommendation need to come from my professors?
We prefer that your letter of reference come from an academic contact (professor, instructor, academic advisor, etc.) We prefer that your language reference (for intermediate and advanced applicants) come from your current language instructor, however, it can come from anyone familiar with your language abilities.
I do not have a current U.S. passport; do I need to apply for a new/renewed passport before the application deadline?
For most programs visas will need to be obtained shortly after acceptance into the program, thus you should have an U.S. passport valid through March 2009 in hand by late April. The exception to this is the Russian Institutes, which need more time for processing visas. Students in the Russian Institutes should have an U.S. passport valid through March 2009 in hand by early April. According to the Department of State website passport processing time is about six weeks for regular service and three weeks for expedited service. Up-to-date passport information, including fees, can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/get_840.html. Please note that visa fees are covered by the scholarship, but passport application fees are not.
When will applicants be notified of their status? Will CAORC only notify applicants who have been accepted?
We anticipate notifying applicants by the end of March. All applicants will be notified by email of their status.
I have a question not listed on the FAQ. Whom should I contact?
If your question is not answered on the FAQ or program details, please use the contact form. You may also contact us by phone:
For questions about Arabic institutes, please call 202-633-1610
For questions about Chinese, Persian, or Russian institutes, please call 202-633-8792
For questions about Indic, Korean, or Turkish institutes, please call 202-633-8786
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