Application deadline: February 14, 2023
For the summer, the U.S. Department of Education has provided Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships for the study of Southeast Asian languages to eight institutions: Cornell University, Northern Illinois University, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of Hawaii, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Except for students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, students from these institutions should apply directly to their home university for a FLAS Fellowship to attend SEASSI. Please use the following links to navigate to FLAS application information for students attending: Cornell University, Northern Illinois University, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of Hawaii, the University of Michigan, and the University of Washington.
University of Wisconsin-Madison students, and all other students interested in competing for a FLAS fellowship should apply via the SEASSI application form (see instructions below). We cannot be certain at this point how much FLAS funding will be given to SEASSI by our consortium members to support other students. We anticipate receiving enough funding to be able to award FLAS fellowships to a significant number of students outside of the above-named schools.
Students from universities which receive FLAS funds for other world regions might also consider contacting your university’s FLAS coordinator to inquire about the possibility of applying for excess FLAS funds in order to study a Southeast Asian language at SEASSI. Click here to view a list of those universities and links to their FLAS information pages.
For the summer program, a FLAS award consists of: 1) full payment of the SEASSI tuition, and 2) a $2500 summer living stipend.
Eligibility
Applicants for SEASSI FLAS awards must be United States citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to receive a FLAS award only for language study at the second or third year level. Additionally, students demonstrating proficiency in another Southeast Asian language may apply for a FLAS Fellowship at the first-year level at SEASSI. Students admitted to a graduate program for the subsequent Fall semester are eligible to receive FLAS awards for language study at the second or third year level, as well. FLAS fellowships will NOT be awarded to post-doctoral students. Because of limited funds available, not all qualified applicants can be given awards.
Application
For University of Wisconsin-Madison students, and all other applicants not attending one of the above-named institutions, all necessary information and materials for applying for a FLAS award are contained in this application; there is no separate FLAS application form. Applications should be submitted to the SEASSI office at the UW-Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all application materials are complete and submitted on time.
Criteria for Selection
Applicants will be judged by the following criteria:
- Commitment to a career relating to Southeast Asia or involving use of the language to be studied.
- Academic performance.
- Appropriateness of the applicant’s chosen program of academic study and experience to meet his or her stated goals.
- Fit with SEASSI program as determined by language and level of language proposed to be studied in order to ensure appropriate enrollments in some SEASSI classes.
- FLAS Fellowships can be awarded only to undergraduate and graduate students for 2nd or 3rd year language study. However, graduate students demonstrating advanced proficiency in another Southeast Asian language may apply for a FLAS Fellowship to study a language at the first-year level at SEASSI.
Selection Procedure
- Applications from students at the above-named FLAS-granting institutions are reviewed by fellowship selection committees at each FLAS-granting institution, and each of those institutions administers FLAS awards to its own students.
- For all other students, FLAS applications for study at SEASSI are reviewed by an independent committee of Southeast Asian studies scholars, selected by SEASSI’s Board of Directors. The committee ranks these applications, and awards are made in accordance with those rankings.
- Notification of awards, of alternate status, and of rejection will be sent out by the SEASSI office by mid-April. Those offered an award must indicate acceptance by the date stated on the award letter. Those who have not indicated acceptance by the deadline stated on the award letter will automatically have the offer withdrawn.
- The alternate list will be maintained even after SEASSI begins since some grantees have found it necessary to reject their awards after the beginning of the Institute.