Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

2025-26 FLAS Deadline - February 6, 2025

The Middle East Institute (MEI) is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Middle East National Resource Center and is authorized to award graduate and undergraduate Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. The MEI is authorized to award fellowships to students of Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew.

FLAS awards can be for Academic Year study at Columbia, or for intensive summer language study in the U.S. or abroad:

  • Academic Year awards for graduate students consist of $18,000 tuition and a $20,000 stipend. The FLAS award for incoming GSAS students will be supplemented by GSAS funds and will cover the remainder of tuition costs. Students will be required to register for a full RU in both the fall and spring of their first year

  • Academic Year awards for undergraduates consist of a $10,000 tuition and a $5,000 stipend.

  • Summer awards cover tuition up to $5,000 and offer a $2,500 stipend.

Eligibility

The annual Academic Year FLAS competition at Columbia is open to:

  • Students in GSAS, SIPA, and Teacher's College, and the Schools of Business, Journalism, and Law, as well as to undergraduate students at Columbia College, the School of General Studies and Barnard College.

  • U.S. citizen or permanent residents (international students are eligible to apply to the de Bary Fellowship instead)

  • All Academic Year fellows must enroll in one language class and one area studies class in both the fall and spring semesters

  • All overseas programs of study must be at the intermediate or advanced level of language proficiency and must be approved by the United States Department of Education at least thirty (30) days prior to the start of the program.

Application Requirements:

  • Completed GSAS online application form

  • Statement of purpose: The one- or two-page statement of purpose should describe your academic purpose, the role the proposed language plays within that academic purpose, and how you intend to use the language. Describe how the language and area study will relate to your educational and career goals. Also, indicate previous language experience, both formal and informal.

  • Two letters of recommendation: GSAS prefers that recommenders submit their letters of recommendation electronically to expedite processing. When you enter the names and email addresses of recommenders, the recommenders will automatically receive an email with upload information and instructions. You can resend a request by clicking the "Send Reminder" button. Two Letters of Recommendation, preferably from instructors, who can comment on your work in the target language and appropriate world area, are required. It is your responsibility to make sure that recommenders are given ample time to submit recommendations by the deadline, and to notify recommenders if you are applying for more than one fellowship.

  • Academic transcripts: You must upload scanned copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

Recommended but not required:

  • Curriculum vitae (CV)

  • Letter of language evaluation: For applicants who are at the intermediate or advanced level of proficiency, but not enrolled in a language department, a letter of evaluation from a language instructor attesting to proficiency in the language of application is recommended but not required. Evaluators must submit their letters electronically in the manner described above for letters of recommendation.

Further details about the award and application forms are available below: