National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
The U.S. Department of State’s NSLI-Y program is part of a U.S. government initiative to foster international cooperation by ensuring that Americans have the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge necessary to effectively communicate. NSLI-Y provides overseas critical language study opportunities to American youth through merit-based scholarships to spark a lifetime interest in critical foreign languages and cultures.
Concordia Language Villages StarTalk
The Concordia Language Villages STARTALK experience utilizes a curriculum specifically developed for this
program. During the first two weeks, students in the STARTALK cohort engage with the language curriculum,
organized into three levels:
1. “My Life at Sēn Lín Hú” (Novice)
2. “Culture & Community” (Intermediate)
3. “A Year Abroad” (Advanced-Low)
Students interact with authentic, Chinese-language resources in audio, video and written formats at their level
of proficiency. During the last two weeks, students practice and apply their language skills with select topics
from contemporary Chinese history and culture. Guest speakers will share their knowledge and expertise
on these topics to inform student learning.
Project GO is a nationwide program open to all qualified ROTC students offering fully-funded opportunities in critical language education, overseas study, and cross-cultural experience. Through Project GO, future military officers develop linguistic and cross-cultural communication skills required for effective leadership for all Services in the 21st century operational environment.
Click here to learn about a former GHS Chinese student's experience in Taiwan!
Chinese Language Flagship Programs
Several colleges and universities around the country run Chinese Language Flagship Programs designed to increase the number of Americans with a professional level of proficiency in the Chinese language. Many of these programs offer a variety of scholarships. Click on the university name to learn more!
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.
The CLS Program provides opportunities for American college and university students to study languages and cultures essential to America's engagement with the world.
Each summer, American undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities across the country, spend eight to ten weeks learning one of thirteen languages at an intensive study abroad institute. The CLS Program is designed to promote rapid language gains and essential intercultural fluency in regions that are critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.
CLS Spark, an initiative of the CLS Program, provides opportunities for American undergraduate college and university students to study Arabic, Chinese and Russian virtually at the beginning level.
The Blakemore Foundation was founded in 1990 by Tom and Frances Blakemore for the purpose of providing fellowships for the advanced study of Asian languages and grants to facilitate the introduction of Asian art to communities in the United States.