FLAS Fellowships
An update about FLAS
On September 10, 2025 the Department of Education advised us that the FLAS program will not be funded for Academic Year 2025-26 and Summer 2026. We are able to use funds remaining from previous years. Thus, we are holding one final fellowship competition for Summer 2026.
The Institute for Global Studies is offering a limited number of Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships in African and International studies for Summer 2026. The competition is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree students for intensive study of a modern less-commonly-taught language. Intensive language study is defined as a program that offers at least 6 weeks of language instruction with 140 contact hours at the beginning (graduates only) or intermediate levels or 120 contact hours at the advanced level. Most UMN summer language courses meet these requirements. Fellowships are available for the following modern foreign languages:
- African Studies: Arabic, Somali, Swahili, Portuguese
- International Studies: Arabic, Chinese, Dakota, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Ojibwe, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Swahili, Swedish, Urdu
Due to changes at the US Department of Education only these languages are eligible for FLAS awards; no overseas programs are eligible.
Application Deadline: January 28, 2026
To be eligible for a FLAS fellowship, you must meet the following criteria:
- US citizen or permanent resident
- Students must be fully matriculated in a University of Minnesota Twin Cities degree program (any major/program) at the time of the award
- Undergraduate students must be at the intermediate level of their target language (this is equivalent to having completed one full year of college-level study)
- Graduate and professional students may study a language at the beginning level only if you have reached an advanced level of another foreign language related to your specific field of study.
Please see the FAQs for more information about eligibility and fellowship requirements.
Submit the following to apply:
- Completed application form (linked here, opens in new window)
- Statement of purpose (limit to 500 words) explaining how this fellowship will help you further your academic and professional goals
- Academic transcript(s) (unofficial is preferred)
- Letter of recommendation
- Language Certification Form (linked here, opens in new window) completed by a language instructor who can accurately assess your current language level
The application form and language certification form should be filled out online. Email the statement of purpose and transcripts to [email protected]. Faculty may email the recommendation letter directly to [email protected].
Notes on the recommendation letter
The letter of recommendation should be 1-2 pages, written by a teacher, advisor, or employer who can comment on the applicant's academic potential. This letter does not need to come from a language instructor and does not need to directly address the applicant's language skills. Rather, it should be a broad evaluation of the applicant's academic performance, motivation, potential, and interest in foreign language and area studies.