The purpose of the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) program is to ensure continued national competence in modern foreign languages, and area and international studies. ISEEES administers FLAS Fellowships for Russian/East European Languages.

The FLAS Fellowships are awarded for a formal program of full-time language study during the academic year.
FLAS recipients must be enrolled in a language course and an area /international studies course each semester during the 2009–2010 academic year. These courses must be taken for letter grades. Students wishing to use an award for a formal study abroad program must be at the intermediate or advanced level of language proficiency, or at the beginning level if an appropriate beginning language program is not available in the U.S. Prior approval from the U.S. Department of Education is required for language study abroad.

Eligibility: Eligible students must be graduate students and citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States. Lowest consideration is given to: 1) students who already possess language fluency equivalent to educated native speakers in the language for which the award is sought, including dissertators; 2) students who are taking the first 12 semester hours or the equivalent in Russian; and 3) students applying for dissertation research or writing as opposed to students applying for language acquisition. Priority is given to students in the humanities and social sciences as well as professional fields. Students assessed a Professional Degree Fee (PDF) must submit a letter from their Dean that indicates that the PDF will be waived by the student’s department if a FLAS fellowship is awarded. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the Area Center for the language of interest before submitting an application. Past FLAS recipients may apply for subsequent years of funding.

Award: The Academic Year FLAS Fellowship covers registration fees and provides a stipend of $15,000.

Application: Berkeley continuing students may apply for the FLAS Fellowship by downloading the application from the Web (http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/financial/deadlines.shtml), or by picking up the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Application in 318 Sproul Hall. Incoming students should apply for the FLAS Fellowship using the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships 2010–2011, which should be submitted directly to their departments by the departmental deadlines. Awards will be announced in April.

Summer 2010

Languages funded are Armenian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Czech, Georgian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, and Russian. Applications for summer study of other Slavic, East European, or Central Asian languages are possible, pending approval of the language program by the U.S. Department of Education. Summer FLAS for study abroad is not awarded to first-year language study which can be done in the U.S. Students are encouraged to take languages not available at UC Berkeley through the use of a summer FLAS at an institution that has a FLAS eligible program. UC Berkeley students are encouraged to take their summer study at the Summer Workshop in Slavic, East European, and Central Asian Languages (SWSEEL) at Indiana University or the Russian and East European Summer Language Institute (SLI) of the University of Pittsburgh, if the desired language is offered. Summer FLAS for language study abroad requires U.S. Department of Education approval of the instructional program and travel itinerary. Summer FLAS awards rarely have provision for travel assistance. Deadline: January 25, 2010.

Academic Year 2010-2011*

Languages funded are Armenian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, and Russian. Priority is given to students who are pursuing advanced level language proficiency in the less commonly taught languages, to students demonstrating likelihood of pursuing government service, and/or to students pursuing masters degrees in the professional schools. Applicants from professional schools are encouraged to apply. Low priority is given to students who are taking the first 12 semester hours or the equivalent in Russian and to applicants for dissertation research abroad. Graduate students in any discipline and department, including the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, are eligible for FLAS fellowships. Jury members look for commitment to the area and field when deciding on applications. Deadline: January 25, 2010.

* Fellowships and award amounts dependent upon final funding.