The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at The Ohio State University (OSU) is seeking applications for fellowships for Academic Year 2024-2025 under the U.S. Department of Education's Title VI Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship program. All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Ideally, applicants must also have successfully completed at least one year of Latin American language study at the college level before the start of the fellowship (the same language they will study with the fellowship). Exceptionally, this competition will accept applications for Beginning Portuguese, Quechua, or Haitian Creole at the undergraduate level.
Language Eligibility
Awards will be made through CLAS for Haitian Creole, Portuguese, or Quechua. Applications for other Latin American languages (e.g. Aymara, K’iche’ Maya, Nahuatl) will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. If applying for an award in more than one language, separate applications for each language/area study focus must be submitted. Applicants are responsible for contacting appropriate language departments to establish that their requested level of language instruction will be offered in the 2024-2025 academic year at the time of the application submission.
Academic Year 2024-2025 Fellowships
Academic Year (AY) fellowships are expected to carry a stipend of $5,000 and contribute up to $10,000 towards tuition and fees. Subject to approval, AY FLAS fellowships may also be used for foreign language and area studies at other U.S. or foreign institutions. Because FLAS Fellowships are language and area study-based, all AY award recipients must be enrolled in at least one three-credit, graded, classroom- taught language course and at least one three-credit, graded, classroom-taught area studies course each semester during the tenure of the fellowship. AY award recipients must also be full-time fellows (12 credit hours per semester).
In order to gauge each student's language progress during the period of their fellowship, recipients are also required to take language proficiency entrance and exit examinations at the beginning and end of the academic year. FLAS Fellows are also required to meet with the FLAS Coordinator prior to the start of each semester to discuss their course load and program of study. In addition, all recipients are required to submit a post-fellowship online report to the U.S. Department of Education, and participate in brief bi-annual surveys on their job placement and use of language skills for eight years post- graduation. If a Fellow fails to meet any of these requirements, money may be withheld and/or they will be required to return the money given to them including payments for tuition.
Priorities
In awarding Academic Year 2024-2025 fellowships, consideration will be given to applicants with academic merit and professional potential. Highest priority will be given to candidates proposing to study at the advanced level (Level 3 or higher) who also demonstrate financial need as defined in Part F of Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Second-highest priority will be given to students planning to study at the advanced levels (Level 3 or higher) before entering government service.
Award Notifications
Fellowship competition results will be announced in July 2024.
Application Procedures
The application deadline is Saturday, June 15, 2024, by 11:59 PM for Academic Year 2024-2025 fellowship applications. No consideration will be given to applications that are incompletely or improperly filled out. A complete application includes the following:
1. The completed Online Application Form.
2. An up-to-date OSU Advising Report of all courses taken and grades received, and transcripts from any other previous college level study at other institutions (attached in your online application).
3. A Resume or CV (two pages maximum; attached in your online application).
4. A one-page single-spaced Statement of Intent (attached in your online application).
5. A Budget Estimate section in your online application, with relevant supporting materials attached, if applicable
6. At least two Letters of Reference from faculty members familiar with the student's work, including:
- One letter from faculty who can speak to the applicant's qualifications, and preferably to how the applicant plans to combine their language skills with an international career;
- One letter from a language faculty at the college level to speak to the applicant's language ability.
Letter writers should send their letters via email to clas@osu.edu by Saturday, June 15, 2024.
7. Applicants must also separately submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to OSU's Office of Student Financial Aid in order to be considered for a FLAS Fellowship. The FAFSA can be accessed at http://sfa.osu.edu.
Contact
Questions? Contact CLAS Assistant Director Leila Vieira at vieira.31@osu.edu.