NSEP National Flagship Language Program Fellowship

Description

The National Flagship Language Program (NFLP) was developed to address the urgent and growing need for Americans with professional levels of competency in languages critical to national security. NFLP offers advanced language training in Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, and Russian. NFLP is designed to train participants to reach professional working proficiency in a target language, as measured by the federal Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) level 3 and/or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) superior level.

Dollar Value 

NFLP Fellowships are two-year awards that provide support for all academic expenses directly associated with participation in the National Flagship Language Program, including tuition, a stipend for living expenses, and support for travel costs and health insurance coverage. The living stipend is based on reasonable costs associated with the location(s) of each Flagship Language Program. Total NFLP Fellowship amounts will vary by individual depending upon the specific composition and duration of the program. Fellowship award amounts cannot include additional support for dependents.

Number of Fellowships

Varies.

Eligibility

  • Must be a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
  • Must have a minimum proficiency in the appropriate foreign language of advanced low (as defined by ACTFL) or level 2 (as defined by ILR). Applicant must also possess excellent skills in English (ELR level 3/ACTFL superior language proficiency or higher in all modalities of English).
  • Must complete an undergraduate degree by the time the applicant would begin the NFLP Fellowship. Past recipients of NSEP Boren Undergraduate Scholarships or Graduate Fellowships are eligible and are encouraged to apply to this program.
  • May not be a current U.S. government employee.

Application Procedures

Copies of the application can be downloaded from the NFLP website. All NFLP Fellowship application materials must be received by the Institute of International Education by the stated deadline. Applications received by fax or email will not be accepted.

Deadline

January 13, 2011

Contact

Contact information will vary with each language program. Visit Boren-Flagship Initiative for more information.
 
For general information on the national Flagship Language program, contact:
National Flagship Language Program
Center for Advanced Study of Language
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 207 42-0025
Phone: 301-226-8828
Email: cdoughty@umd.edu
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NSEP service requirement?
The NSEP service requirement stipulates that an award recipient work in the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, or the Intelligence Community. If, after making a full and good faith effort (according to conditions and rules established by NSEP), an award recipient demonstrates to NSEP that no appropriate position is available in one of these agencies, he or she may work in any U.S. federal department or agency. There is also an expectation that NSEP Scholars and Fellows will use the language or regional expertise acquired as a result of the award in their work for the U.S. government.
 
What is the duration of the service requirement?
The duration of the service requirement is equal to the duration of assistance provided under the program, but in no case less than one year.
 
How much time is allotted to fulfill the service requirement?
NSEP Undergraduate Boren Scholars must begin to fulfill the service requirement no later than three years after the date of graduation from or termination of the program of study for which the
scholarship was awarded.
 
NSEP Graduate Boren Fellows must begin to fulfill the service requirement no later than two years after the date of graduation from or termination of the program of study for which the fellowship was awarded.
 
NSEP National Flagship Language Program Fellows must begin to fulfill the service requirement no later than two years after the date of program completion or termination.
 
What if a NSEP award recipient is unable to secure employment in any federal agency?
While NSEP is deeply committed to helping NSEP award recipients secure federal employment, the federal government is not obligated to hire any individuals who have received funding through this program. Therefore, if a Scholar or Fellow has made a full and good faith effort to secure employment during the course of his or her service requirement period to no avail, he or she is free from any and all obligations associated with the service requirement.