The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully-funded language-intensive summer study abroad program geared to promote rapid language gains and essential intercultural fluency in regions that are critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity. 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 fourteen languages at an intensive study abroad institute. 

The CLS Program is offering multiple webinars to help applicants learn more about languages both taught at UMBC, as well as strategic languages not taught here, such as Azerbaijani, Indonesian, Persian and Turkish. UMBC has a long history of its students receiving these competitive awards. 

The CLS Program is hosting a series of webinars in October. To register for one, please click on the hyperlink below:

CLS Program Overview: October 4, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Chinese Information Session: October 10, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Hindi and Urdu Information Session: October 12, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Turkish and Azerbaijani Information Session: October 12, 2023 at 4:00 pm EDT

CLS Japanese Information Session: October 16, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Persian Information Session: October 17, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Korean Information Session: October 18, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

CLS Indonesian Information Session: October 19, 2023 at 1:00 pm EDT

Dr. Brian Souders, UMBC's Associate Director for Global Learning, works with UMBC students to advise students on program choice and essay writing strategies. He is happy to meet with students to guide them through the application process. Students can schedule an appointment with Dr. Souders at this web link.  He is also happy to answer any questions you have at <souders@umbc.edu>. 

The CLS Summer 2024 application deadline is November 14, 2023.