Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

CLS semifinalists, check your email! Notifications for the 2026 CLS Program have been sent! 🎉 We applaud all applicants for their commitment to language learning and congratulate the finalists and alternates selected from an impressive pool of over 4,500 applicants.

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Learn more about the 2026 CLS Program competition at the link in our bio.

⏳ Only one week left! Did you participate in the CLS Program between 2006 and 2024? Don't miss your chance to share your CLS story through our 20th anniversary program impact survey.

The survey takes just 15 minutes to complete. Fill out the survey by March 2: https://buff.ly/OSmavor

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⏳ Only one month left! Did you participate in the CLS Program between 2006 and 2024? Don't miss your chance to share your CLS story through our 20th anniversary program impact survey.

The survey takes just 15 minutes to complete. Fill out the survey by March 2: https://buff.ly/yZWm0lD

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2025 CLS Long-Term Impact Survey Made with Fillout, the best way to make forms, surveys and quizzes your audience will answer.

📢 Calling CLS alumni: Did you participate in the U.S. Department of State’s CLS Program between 2006 and 2024? Share your story and feedback in our 20th anniversary program impact survey to help shape the future of CLS!

Fill out the 15-minute survey by March 2: https://buff.ly/yZWm0lD

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Thank you to the 4,500+ U.S. undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states who applied for the 2026 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. We appreciate your commitment to learning languages of strategic importance to the United States.

Special thanks to CLS advisors for supporting applicants in pursuing this transformative language learning opportunity. ✨

⏰ Only 8 HOURS left to submit your application for the 2026 CLS Program!
🎉 Celebrate this big milestone by hitting submit today!
💡 Questions? Contact us at 📧 [email protected] or 📞 (+1) 877-257-9922.

🚨 The deadline is TOMORROW!
You’ve worked hard - now’s the time to submit with confidence! Avoid last-minute glitches by submitting early!
💡 Questions? Contact us at 📧 [email protected] or 📞 (+1) 877-257-9922.

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CLS scholars found creative ways to connect with their host communities.

“My cohort mates and I stumbled upon a flyer for a local 5K while grabbing coffee one morning and decided—on a whim—to sign up. Running through the streets of Indonesia with locals, music playing from my friend’s phone, and encouraging each other—it was one of those small, spontaneous moments that felt so meaningful.

There are so many ways to meet people across cultures. It’s not all just through language; it can also be through shared experiences like movement, laughter, and sweat. I’m really hoping to join more events like this and continue weaving myself into the rhythm of life here. This experience gave me a small, beautiful glimpse of what it feels like to be part of a community far from home.” - Isabela (CLS Digital Ambassador, Indonesian)

“When I first found out that my Latvian host family would be an elderly babushka—a retired grandmother —I wasn't sure what to expect. But I wouldn’t change a thing. I get plenty of language practice, enjoy delicious traditional meals, and she treats me with the same love and care as if I were her own granddaughter.” - Isabella (CLS Digital Ambassador, Russian)

120+ students dove into immersive virtual language learning this summer with CLS Spark! Yarí (CLS Digital Ambassador, Japanese) shared her reflections on what made her experience truly stand out– CLS Spark’s fast pace of learning, strong support from staff, and the lasting friendships she has formed.

The 2025 Alumni Ambassador Forum convened this year’s alumni ambassadors in Washington, D.C. Representing all 12 CLS languages, these ambassadors are leaders in their communities—promoting study abroad, mentoring applicants and finalists, and helping raise national visibility for CLS. Ambassadors connected with State Department leaders and members of Congress, and left energized to represent CLS and share its impact with communities across the United States.

Meet this year’s CLS alumni ambassadors on our website: https://buff.ly/UoGqKhy