The International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) office at the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) is pleased to announce the opening of the competitions for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Title VI National Resource Centers (NRC) and Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships programs.

The NRC Program provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to establish, strengthen, and operate centers that will be national resources for teaching, training, and research in modern foreign languages, area studies, and international studies.

The FLAS Program provides allocations of fellowships to IHEs to assist meritorious students in acquiring modern foreign language training in combination with area studies or international studies.

IFLE held a preapplication webinar for the FY 2022 NRC and FLAS competitions on Nov. 10. The webinar covered a variety of topics, including NRC and FLAS program requirements, selection criteria, and updates to the application process, and included time for questions and answers. A recording of the webinar is available to stream on YouTube. IFLE will not host another application preparation webinar prior to the Feb. 14, 2022, deadline.

IFLE also created a comprehensive document addressing many frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the FY 2022 NRC and FLAS program competitions. We encourage prospective applicants to review all of the information in the FAQs document before applying.

The NRC Program provides grants to establish, strengthen, and operate language and area studies centers that will be national resources for teaching any modern foreign language. Grants support instruction in fields needed to provide a full understanding of world areas, regions, or countries; research and training in international studies; work in the language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and instruction and research on issues in world affairs. NRCs are designated as “comprehensive” or “undergraduate” centers. Activities include

• teaching at least one modern foreign language;
• providing instruction in fields necessary to provide a full understanding of the areas, regions, or countries in which the languages are commonly used;
• providing resources for training and research in international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study, or opportunities for training and research on issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries;
• providing outreach and consultative services on a national, regional, and local basis; and
• maintaining linkages with overseas institutions of higher education and other organizations that may contribute to the teaching and research of the center.

In addition, comprehensive centers maintain specialized library collections and employ scholars engaged in training and research that relate to the subject area of the center. Undergraduate centers maintain library holdings, including basic reference works, journals, and works in translation, and also employ faculty with strong credentials in language, area, and international studies.

The FLAS Fellowships Program provides allocations of academic year and summer fellowships to IHEs or consortia of IHEs to assist meritorious undergraduate students and graduate students undergoing training in modern foreign languages and related area or international studies. Eligible students apply for fellowships directly to an institution that has received an allocation of fellowships from the Department.

FLAS grants (allocations of fellowships) are awarded to IHEs for a four-year project period. IHEs conduct competitions to select eligible undergraduate and graduate students to receive fellowships, in accordance with FLAS Program eligibility requirements and the IHEs’ FLAS selection procedures.

Each fellowship includes an institutional payment (tuition and fees) and a subsistence allowance (stipend). Estimated fellowship amounts for the 2022-2023 fiscal year are as follows:

• Academic year, graduate students: $18,000 institutional payment; $20,000 subsistence allowance
• Academic year, undergraduate students: $10,000 institutional payment; $5,000 subsistence allowance
• Summer, all students: $5,000 institutional payment; $2,500 subsistence allowance

IFLE is on Twitter, with the latest from the world of international and foreign language education. Follow us @GoGlobalED and tell your friends. We’ll see you in the Twittersphere!

We’re on YouTube, with informative webinars and exciting grant program videos. Subscribe to IFLE’s YouTube channel to enjoy the latest content.

Have you received a FLAS fellowship or participated in a Fulbright-Hays grant program? Join our alumni groups on LinkedIn.

FLAS Program Alumni          Fulbright-Hays Program Alumni

We seek motivated students who are eager to learn and work as part of our team as an unpaid full- or part-time intern during the summer, fall, and/or spring. Visit our website for more information.

We want to hear from you! Do you have suggestions for webinar topics? Ideas for things to include in future newsletters? Send them to Carolyn Collins at carolyn.collins@ed.gov.