Category: financial advice for study abroad

Grants for Language Training

Here is some information about generous funding for language training:

American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS is now accepting applications for its 2012-2013 Title VIII Grants for Research and Advanced Language Training programs in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Southeast Europe, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for these awards.

The application deadline for all Title VIII fellowships is October 1, 2011.

Please note that Title VIII Research Scholar Program and Title VIII Combined Research and Language Training Program must begin between June 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013; and must be completed by September 30, 2013. Title VIII Southeast European Language Training Program offers fellowships for Spring 2012 and Summer 2012 only.

Fellowships will be offered in three categories:

*Title VIII Research Scholar Program: Provides full support for three- to nine-month research trips to Russia, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Southeast Europe, Ukraine, and Moldova. Fellowships include round trip international travel, housing and living stipend, visa support, medical insurance, archive access, and logistical support in the field. Open to U.S.graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and faculty. Annual deadline: October 1st.

*Title VIII Combined Research and Language Training Program: Provides full support for research and up to ten academic hours per week of advanced language instruction for three-to-nine months in Russia, Central Asia, theSouth Caucasus, Southeast Europe, Ukraine, and Moldova. Fellowships includeround trip international travel, housing and living stipend, tuition, visa support, medical insurance, archive access, and logistical support in the
field. Open to U.S. graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and faculty. Annual deadline: October 1st.

*Title VIII Southeast European Language Training Program: Provides fellowships for graduate students, faculty, and scholars to study language
for spring 2012 and/or summer 2012 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia. Open to students at the MA and Ph.D. level, as well as post-doctoral scholars and faculty, who have at least elementary language skills. Deadline: October 1st.

For a full list of countries eligible for each fellowship, please see our website:  https://researchfellowships.americancouncils.org/

Funding for these programs is available through American Councils from the U.S. Department of State’s Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII). All competitions for funding are open and merit based. All applications will
receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, or disability.

Applications are available for download at: https://researchfellowships.americancouncils.org/ or by contacting the American Councils Outbound Office. Applications must be postmarked by the application deadline date.

For more information, please contact:
Russian and Eurasian Outbound Programs
American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS
1828 L St. NW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 833-7522
Email: outbound(at)americancouncils.org

African Languages Initiative

Students are always seeking funding for language study. The beauty of the African Languages Initiative pilot program, designed to increase the number of Boren Scholars, Fellows and alumni engaged in the study of critical languages of Africa, is that it requires domestic US study of the language prior to departure to the host country. (This can be bypassed if the student has reached "novice high" -ILR 0+.)

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A “Czechtastic” Study Abroad Web Channel

Cole Blaise documents his study abroad experience in the Czech Republic. This is an excellent web series that illustrates a typical American student abroad.

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Funding Study Abroad: Upcoming Webinars

funding study abroadFunding is so often an issue – in life and in study abroad.  The good news is that there IS funding out there for study, research, internships and professional development.  The challenge is that many students (and faculty/administrators) find out about it too late to apply.

There are two organizations that are incredibly generous with their funding – and they will be offering webinars that you MUST put on your calendar.

1) NSEP Boren Awards

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to add an important international and language component to their educations. We focus on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. national security (broadly defined), and underrepresented in study abroad.  Note that students must be US citizens at the time of application. Click here for the list of their free webinars through January 2011.  These scholarships and fellowships are administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York City.

2) DAAD:  German Academic Exchange Service

I have written about DAAD several times on Melibee Global;  I was funded by them to visit Germany in 2009 and it was a wonderful opportunity.  This is a unique organization in that it also funds faculty and administrative staff travel also.  Their 2010 webinar dates are not listed on their own website yet – but here is the information:

DAAD Funding Opportunities for Study and Research in Germany
Covering funding for summer, semester, year-long and short-term study,
research and internships in Germany. All academic disciplines are eligible.
(General overview of DAAD funding)
Wednesday, September 22
12:00 – 1:15 pm EST
Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/299585570

DAAD Funding Opportunities for Graduate Students, Post-Docs and Faculty
Covering funding for graduate students, post-docs and faculty to conduct
short and long-term study, research and internships in Germany. All academic
disciplines are eligible.
Tuesday, September 28
2:00 – 3:15 pm EST
Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/793616370

DAAD Application Walk-Through
Addressing common questions about the application process, from the study
proposal to letters of invitation and everything in between.
Monday, October 4
2:00–3:00 pm EST
Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/687205523

DAAD Funding Opportunities for Study and Research in Germany
Covering funding for summer, semester, year-long and short-term study,
research and internships in Germany. All academic disciplines are eligible.
[General overview of DAAD funding]
Wednesday, October 13
2:00 – 3:15 pm EST
Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/678872035