10K+
Participants advancing U.S. global engagement
Honoring America’s 250th Anniversary — Announcing the 2026 CLS Program Awards & Celebrating 20 Years Learn more...
A funded immersive summer program for American college and university students.
Learn moreThe Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program provides funded, intensive summer study abroad opportunities in nine languages critical to U.S. security and prosperity. The program is open to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. Since 2006, the CLS Program has supported more than 10,000 U.S. participants to learn languages of strategic importance.
10K+
Participants advancing U.S. global engagement
800+
Educational institutions represented
430+
Congressional districts represented
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"Studying Mandarin opened doors I hadn’t imagined before. It directly helped me secure a position at an association of private equity companies, where my language skills and cultural insights became invaluable." - CLS Chinese Scholar
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