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Program Background

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a funded immersive summer study abroad opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages of strategic importance to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity.

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Program Impact

The CLS Program’s impact spans individual participants and national priorities, demonstrating how immersive language learning contributes to U.S. competitiveness, education abroad participation, and long‑term academic and career outcomes.

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"Studying Mandarin opened doors I hadn’t imagined before. It directly helped me secure a position at an association of private equity companies, where my language skills and cultural insights became invaluable." - CLS Chinese Scholar

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