Frequently Asked Questions

Graduate and undergraduate students who are US citizens or permanent residents and who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a University of Minnesota degree program that combines modern foreign language training with international and/or African area studies, or with international aspects of professional or other field of study.

NOTE: Undergraduates are only eligible for study of a language at the intermediate (2nd year) level or beyond; they are NOT eligible for beginning (1st year) courses.

Yes, if you are in the process of applying to a UMN Twin Cities degree program. Incoming undergraduate and graduate students will have to be fully matriculated and in residence at the start of the award.

No, students at other UMN campuses or other universities are not eligible to apply for UMN FLAS fellowships.

While you may hold only one FLAS fellowship at a time, there is no limit on the number of sequential FLAS awards one person may receive.

Make sure to fill in all the categories in the application form. In addition to the completed application form, you will have to submit:

- an up-to-date transcript (unofficial is preferred)
- a statement of purpose
- a letter of recommendation by a faculty member who can comment meaningfully on your academic potential and promise

If you are applying for an intermediate or advanced level of language instruction, you also will need certification by an appropriate language instructor that you are qualified for that level of instruction. Graduate students applying as a beginner do not need to submit a language certification.

Recipients, alternates, and non-recipients will receive notification approximately seven weeks after the application deadline. Award letters will contain more information about payment processes, registration, reports, etc.

Selection Committees are comprised of faculty members from the social sciences, the languages, and professional schools who are adept at reading across the disciplines. This means that your specific academic field of study might not be represented on the Selection Committee. Keep that in mind as you write your Statement of Purpose. Do not use obscure or hyper-specialized vocabulary or references. The best statements are clear and written in plain English, show seriousness and purpose, and are true to the challenges in your field and to your current state of schooling. Selection Committee members understand that beginning graduate students may have less specific plans, while more advanced graduate students should have more concrete and detailed research projects. Similarly, they understand that statements from professional school students and undergraduates will read quite differently from graduate students pursuing MAs or PhDs. Write to your specific situation; don’t try to be someone you are not.

Candidates are ranked on the basis of the following criteria:

- Evidence that language training is needed to further the applicant’s study of African or International studies

- The extent to which the applicant’s current or planned academic program is focused on African or International issues and problems

- The applicant’s academic performance to date

- The persuasiveness of the applicant’s letter of recommendation

Applicants who are pursuing master’s degrees and who may be more likely to pursue government service receive competitive priority. In addition, proposed language study at the advanced level and study of a critical less-commonly-taught language (LCTL) receives competitive priority. Applicants with documented financial need also receive competitive priority.

The following languages offered at the University of Minnesota are designated by the US Department of Education as critical to the national interest of the United States: Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, and Swahili.

Yes as long as it does not interfere with the fellow's fulfillment of the FLAS requirements. FLAS awards require recipients to be engaged in intensive language study for at least 6 weeks of the summer. 

FLAS regulations prohibit double-dipping on fellowships for language study and those funded by the federal government. In limited cases, it might be possible to have more than one award, for example if the second or third award is complementary and covers expenses that FLAS does not cover. Contact the FLAS Coordinator to ask about the specifics of your situation.

No. All language classes have to be taken for credit and A/F grade.

No. FLAS requires language training in all four modalities: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Due to changes at the US Department of Education, no overseas programs are eligible.

FLAS fellows may use their awards to study Dakota and Ojibwe.

All fellows are required to fill out pre- and post-award reports for the US Department of Education and will be surveyed periodically in the years following their award. Fellows may be required to take pre- and post-award proficiency assessments.

If you are having problems, either personally or academically, that affect your coursework and find yourself unable to meet the full fellowship requirements, you are responsible for notifying us. We will work with you to determine the best course of action given the circumstances.

Award benefits include a living stipend and a tuition/fee allocation. Graduate and undergraduate students receive a living stipend of $3,500 and a tuition/fee allowance of up to $5,000. Recipients are responsible for any tuition and fee expenses that are not covered by the tuition/fee allocation.

Summer FLAS recipients are required to enroll in an intensive language program that offers them the equivalent of a year’s worth of college-level language study. An “intensive” language program is defined as a program that offers a minimum of 140 contact (in class) hours at the beginning and intermediate level and 120 contact (in class) hours at the advanced level and is at least six weeks in length. 

Yes, if the program originally proposed is not available, does not offer the proposed level of instruction or isn’t deemed intensive. Contact the FLAS coordinator if this is the case, as you will need special approval for this. Applicants as part of their preparation must thoroughly research available programs.