The Center for Global Studies is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Center for Global Studies a four-year grant of $2.1 million for the period of 2014-18.  This Title VI funding renews the Center’s status as a National Resource Center in Global Studies and provides continued funding for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships for Illinois graduate, undergraduate and professional school students.

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, provides scholarships for secondary school students (age 15-17) from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend one academic year in the United States.

The U.S. Department of State’s  Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad (YES Abroad) program, provides competitive merit-based scholarships for U.S. citizens in secondary school (age 15-18.5) to study for one academic year in select countries.

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.

Oxbridge Summers at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (est. 2011) is a summer enrichment program hosted at Oxford and Cambridge respectively each August dedicated to the academic, cultural and social enrichment of secondary school students from around the world.  Arabic and Persian language instruction offered.

2020 Arab American Institute Summer Internship Program

Internships at the Arab American Institute provide an exciting opportunity for undergraduate, masters, and law students or recent graduates to gain experience in civil rights advocacy, public policy, and civic engagement. Each summer, AAI accepts 10 exceptional applicants — four are placed internally at AAI and six are placed externally at partner organizations in Washington, D.C.

About the Summer Internship Program:

Previous external interns have been placed at advocacy organizations like No One Left Behind, Muslim Advocates and the Truman National Security Project, think tanks like the Brookings Institution, Congressional offices and government agencies, and at political parties. All external interns work closely with AAI and participate in our summer programming despite their placement.

Interns placed internally at AAI have the opportunity to work in-depth on a number of relevant policy issues and develop important skills that aid in long-term professional development such as project management, event planning, policy analysis, and research and writing.

Applicants can expect to develop experience in several of the following areas:

• Program and Policy Development
• Government Relations
• Community Mobilization
• Communications and Media Outreach
• Event Planning

All interns are placed depending on their strengths, skills, preferences, and professional goals. Each placement is made with the intern’s growth in mind.

Compensation: Interns receive either college credit OR a stipend of up to $1,000 per month. AAI does not provide sponsorship. AAI is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must either be U.S. citizens or permitted to work in the U.S.

Applications due March 2, 2020. For more information, visit: https://www.aaiusa.org/apply_now

National Council Summer Internship Program

The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Washington, DC Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate students a ten-week professional, academic, and career opportunity internship in the Nation’s Capital. The program features an energizing and demanding mix of professional involvement, intellectual challenge, career exploration, and cultural encounter designed to provide interns with a rich and varied experience during their time in Washington.

• Professional work experience: Interns are placed with one of over a dozen Near East and Arab world related organizations in Washington, D.C., where they are expected to work 35-40 hours/week under the direct supervision of their host organizations.
• Academic seminars: Interns take part in twice weekly seminar sessions designed to provide them with greater depth of knowledge about the Arab world, to underscore the cultural, economic, and political diversity of Arab states, and to explore the intricacies of Arab-U.S. relations.
• Site visits: Interns are offered a behind-the-scenes look at many of the central institutions of federal government, national security policymaking, international diplomacy, and international business.

Program Dates: May 26 – July 30, 2020.

Application Deadline: All materials must be postmarked by Friday, February 21, 2020.

Cost & Fellowship Stipend: A $25 non-refundable program fee must be submitted with the application. Internships are unpaid. Internship program participants, upon successful fulfillment of the program’s academic and internship requirements, receive a $1,000 fellowship stipend.

For more information, visit: https://ncusar.org/internship

At Al-Waha, you’ll experience an oasis of cultural richness and diversity with counselors and teachers who speak a variety of dialects from across the Middle East. Enjoy traditional camp activities while you live the language surrounded by Arabic sounds, sights and flavors of the world’s fifth most populous language—right in the Midwest!

Arabic Language Village scholarships are supported by the generosity of individual donors, organizations and companies; we are especially grateful to our premier sponsor, Qatar Foundation International (QFI). For more information on QFI scholarships at Concordia, visit the website here.

Scroll down for additional information about QFI and their scholarships in other language programs.

No matter your background or prior Arabic language experience, if you are passionate about learning Arabic and committed to speaking Arabic 24/7 at the Academy, you will dramatically improve your Arabic language skills.

For the summer, join Middlebury’s prestigious program at the beautiful St. Michael’s College campus, in Colchester, Vermont, for a U.S. based immersion program that accepts rising 8th–12th grade students—from beginner to advanced Arabic speakers. You’ll spend four weeks with other like-minded students, speaking Arabic and gaining an appreciation for Arabic words and culture through cuisine, art, history, dress, dance, geography, and politics.

The Qatar Foundation International (QFI) has partnered with MIL the last 6 years to provide full and partial scholarships along with travel stipends to students participating in the Arabic Academy in Vermont. The partnership between Middlebury Interactive Languages and QFI seeks to increase the number of Arabic speakers in the United States. Although Arabic is the fifth most spoken world language and has been designated as a “critical language” by the U.S. Department of State, less than one percent of all high school students enrolled in a foreign language are studying Arabic.

Scroll down for more about QFI and their funding for other programs.

As part of its mission to foster strong and genuine connections between cultures, Qatar Foundation International’s Arabic Language and Culture (ALC) Program supports exceptional high school seniors and undergraduate students to continue the study of Arabic language at the university level. Through QFI’s Education Awards program, students who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential receive financial support to further their studies. QFI offers merit and need-based awards.

The awards for the 2018-19 academic year have already been distributed. The deadline for the application is typically in April but visit QFI to receive updates for future deadlines. General information about how to apply for the following awards can be found at the links below.

QFI’s Academic Excellence Awards will be granted to two outstanding high school seniors in the United States who plan to major in (1) Arabic language studies or (2) Middle East Studies with a concentration or minor in Arabic language at a university/college starting in the fall semester.  This award is issued on a merit basis through a national competition. Awardees will receive a one-time grant of up to $20,000 towards tuition for the first year of their university/college education. Applicants will be evaluated based on their academic records, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Read more about how to apply for this award here.

QFI Education Awards (High School) will be granted to graduating high school seniors in the United States who plan to major in (1) Arabic language studies or (2) Middle East Studies with a concentration or minor in Arabic language starting in fall 2015.  Merit and financial need will be taken into consideration when selecting awardees. Award amounts will be determined by unmet financial need, as determined by FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and your university or college financial aid statement. Awardees will receive a one-time grant of up to $10,000 towards tuition for the [2019-20] academic year. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that their intended university/college offers advanced-level courses in the Arabic language. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of their academic records, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Read more about how to apply for this award here.

QFI Education Awards (Undergraduate) will be granted to exceptional rising university-level juniors and seniors in the United States who have declared a major in (1) Arabic language studies or (2) Middle East Studies with a concentration or minor in Arabic language.  Merit and financial need will be taken into consideration when selecting awardees. Award amounts will be determined by unmet financial need, as determined by FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and your university/college financial aid package. Awardees will receive a one-time grant of up to $10,000 towards tuition for the [2019-20] academic year. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that their intended university/college offers advanced-level courses in the Arabic language. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of their academic records, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Read more about how to apply for this award here.

QFI also provides grants and support to schools and institutions offering Arabic language instruction. In addition, high school instructors of Arabic can apply for different types of support including Teacher Initiative Grants, Teacher Fellowships, and Education and Travel Grants.

The Lebanese American University Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture (SINARC) program offers a variety of Arabic language study courses throughout the year in both New York and Beirut.

In Lebanon, the 14-week Spring program is offered at three levels: Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. In addition, two special courses are available: Arabic Language Writing Skills and Principles of Translation.

The six-week Summer program is offered at four levels: Elementary, Upper Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. A separate two-credit course in Lebanese Dialect is also offered at two levels: Beginners and Advanced.

In New York, courses are offered for Spring 2016, January 25-April 30. Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Dialect classes are available in the evenings. Cost is $450 per credit; non-credit courses available at a special rate.

For more information, visit the link above or contact Megan Geissler at [email protected].

The Lebanese American University Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture (SINARC) program offers a variety of Arabic language study courses throughout the year in both New York and Beirut.

In Lebanon, the 14-week Spring program is offered at three levels: Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced.

The six-week Summer program is offered at four levels: Elementary, Upper Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. A separate two-credit course in Lebanese Dialect is also offered at two levels: Beginners and Advanced.

Courses are also offered in New York City. Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Dialect classes are available in the evenings. Cost is $450 per credit; non-credit courses available at a special rate.

Sijal is an institute of Arabic language and culture founded by scholars of Arab culture, history, and society. Through their intensive Arabic program, they offer outstanding instruction at all levels for students seeking to learn Arabic in Jordan. The Institute also acts as a hub of intellectual and cultural events, bringing together scholars, artists, and specialists across a broad range of expertise and disciplines, for seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and informal conversation.

The Institute is housed in a historic villa and gardens lying in the heart of the Rainbow Street cultural district of Amman. From this inspiring setting, the Institute hosts university students of the Arabic language, post-graduates working on the Middle East, researchers, artists, and the local intellectual community in Jordan and Palestine.

The Summer Institute at Sijal is eligible for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) funding and offers a limited number of partial, need-based scholarships. For more information, click here.