Critical Language Scholarship

• Annual campus deadline: No campus deadline for Undergraduates. National deadline in November each year.
• Description: The Critical Language Scholarship is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities, supporting study of languages of critical need to U.S. interests.
• Eligibility: Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; U.S. citizens; enrolled and pursuing a degree at an accredited US institution during fall of application year; all majors; desire to study a language critical to US interests.
• Award: fully funded intensive language program abroad
• Campus nomination: Campus nomination is not required for applicants to CLS. Students should apply directly by the national deadline.

Full CLS Details & Application Instructions

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.

CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.

Most languages offered by the CLS Program do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests, and from a wide range of fields of study and career paths, with the purpose of representing the full diversity of the United States. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plans to apply their language skills to their future academic or professional pursuits. Please note that CLS is an intensive group-based language program.

The Critical Language Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by American Councils for International Education.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen or national at the time of your application.
• Be enrolled in an accredited U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate (associate's, bachelor's) or graduate (master's, doctoral, professional degree) level at the time of your application, meeting the following conditions:
  • Your program must result in a degree. Applicants who are taking stand-alone or continuing education classes are not eligible.
  • Your institution must be an accredited U.S. institution.
  • You must be enrolled at this institution in the fall term of your application year. There are limited exceptions to the enrollment requirement; consult the CLS website for details.
  • You must successfully complete academic requirements at your current institution for the fall term in order to remain eligible for the CLS Program. Students who withdraw or fail to maintain a passing grade average are not eligible to participate in the program.
• Be at least 18 years old by May of the year following your application.
• If in an undergraduate program (associate's or bachelor's), complete at least one full year of study (two semesters or three quarters) by the beginning of the CLS Program in summer 2021.
• Must not work or be an immediate dependent of someone who works for the U.S. Department of State in offices under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs, in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), or in any agency under contract or grant performing work in support of the Critical Language Scholarship.

Application Deadline: November 19, 2024

The online application is available online at the Critical Language Scholarship Website.

The application consists of:

• An online application form, including questions on biographical, educational, and other information.
• Three short essays related to your experience and qualifications, including: Resilience and Preparation for the CLS Program, Citizen Diplomacy, and Commitment to Language Study.
• One Statement of Purpose addressing how the CLS program fits into your goals and how you will contribute to the program's mission..

Applications are submitted directly to CLS by the national deadline. Undergraduates are not required to submit materials by any campus deadline and do not participate in any campus selection process. Undergraduates are encouraged consult with Undergraduate Education for feedback on application materials. For feedback, your complete CLS application and all letters of recommendation should be shared with our office at least 30 days prior to the national deadline. For final submission, the application must be submitted through the CLS application system by the national deadline.

Learn more on the official Critical Language Scholarship Website.

• Annual campus deadline: Mid-December
• Description: The Goldwater Scholarship supports developing science, mathematics, and engineering students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and potential in research.
• Eligibility: Sophmores or Juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; GPA 3.8 or higher; mathematics, natural sciences, or engineering
• Award: $7,500 annually
• Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants.

Full Goldwater Details & Application Instructions

• Annual campus deadline: Mid-December
• Description: The Truman Scholarship supports exceptional junior students who plan to attend graduate or professional school in preparation for a career in public service, providing funding at both the undergraduate and graduate level and access to the Truman network. Truman seeks students with a track record of leadership and service, an academic record that supports success at the graduate level, and an understanding of what it takes to positively impact society through systemic policy change.
• Eligibility: Juniors; U.S. citizens or nationals; GPA 3.5 or higher; committed to public service careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors
• Award: up to $30,000 for graduate study
• Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants.

Full Truman Details & Application Instructions

The Truman Scholarship is a merit-based federal grant (up to $30,000) awarded to undergraduate students who to attend graduate or professional school in preparation for careers in government, the non-profit sector or elsewhere in public service. Truman Scholars are required to work in public service for three years of the seven following the completion of the graduate degree program.  The Foundation seeks candidates who:

• Have extensive records of public and community service
• Are committed to careers in government or elsewhere in public service
• Have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills

The Truman Foundation Committee will not accept materials directly from the applicants; instead, the candidate’s undergraduate institution must make the nomination. Students should send an email the Scholarships Coordinator at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, indicating their interest in the scholarship. Our office works with closely with UCSB undergraduates, regardless of their colleges, who apply for national scholarships, and it is important that students consult with the coordinator well before the campus application deadline.

Conditions of Eligibility:

• Annual campus deadline: Mid-December
• Description: The Boren Scholarship provides funding for U.S. undergraduates with an interest in national security careers to study less commonly taught languages abroad in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Boren Scholars study all over the world and commit to working in the federal government for one year after graduation.
• Eligibility: Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; U.S. citizens; all majors; plan to study abroad in world regions critical to U.S. national security; interest in national security career
• Award: up to $20,000 depending on duration of study abroad program
• Campus nomination: optional campus endorsement process for UCSB applicants if submitted by campus deadline.

Full Boren Details & Application Instructions

Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program (NSEP), provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

The NSEP will accept Boren Scholarship applications that have been reviewed and endorsed by a student’s home campus, and will also accept students who apply independently. For optional campus feedback and endorsement, students should send an email the Scholarships Coordinator at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, indicating their interest in the scholarship. The Scholarship Coordinator in the College of Letters and Science works with closely with UCSB undergraduates, regardless of their colleges, who apply for major scholarships, and it is important that students consult with the coordinator well before the campus application deadline.

Conditions of Eligibility

The applicant must:

• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application
• Be a high school graduate that matriculated as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in a U.S. post-secondary institution, including accredited universities, colleges, and community colleges recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• Apply for a study abroad experience that begins no earlier than June 1 of the academic year following the application.
• Propose a program of study in an area of the world and language deemed critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. For a list of eligible countries and languages see the Boren Country Preferences and Boren Language Preferences. Note that Western European countries, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are not considered eligible.
• Propose a program of study that ends prior to the completion of a Bachelor's degree. Note that super-senior year programs ARE eligible if the student has not yet officially received their degree.
• Not hold citizenship in the proposed country of study.
• Have a strong academic record (cumulative GPA of 3.4 or better) to be competitive for UCSB nomination.

Campus Guidelines:

Campus Application Deadline: December 17, 2024

The online application and related forms are available online at the Boren Scholarship Website. Please adhere to the directions outlined on the NSEP website. 

Students may elect to apply directly to Boren without campus endorsement. If campus endorsement is sought, the following must be submitted to our office no later than 4:00 PM on the day of the campus deadline:

• The online application, including answers to all application questions, the study abroad program description, and a program budget.
• The two required application essays submitted as part of the online application.
• A minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation, all of which must be uploaded by your recommenders directly to the online application before the campus deadline. Recommenders will be prompted to upload their letters once you enter their information into the online application, so you should begin your application in advance of the deadline to give them enough time to upload their recommendations. Recommenders should know you well and be able to speak to your academic, linguistic, and personal preparation for your overseas study or a relevant future career. See the Boren Website's guidelines on selecting strong letter writers at the end of the Essay Instructions page.
• Official transcripts from all college work other than credits appearing on your UCSB transcript; UCSB transcripts may be unofficial. Please request any non-UCSB transcripts well before the campus deadline. Please request non-UCSB digital transcripts be sent to: scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu. For non-UCSB institutions that provide only hard-copy transcripts, please coordinate with our office before requesting delivery.

Learn more on the official Boren Scholarship Website.

• Annual campus deadline: Early February
• Description: The Udall Scholarship provides financial support and access to the Udall leadership network to sophomores and juniors who are either committed to pursuing an environmentally related career, or who are Native Americans or Alaska Natives interested in fields related to Native health care or tribal public policy. Ideal scholars will demonstrate the core Udall principles of civility, integrity, and consensus through their area of study and public service activities, and show the potential to make significant contributions in their chosen field.
• Eligibility: Sophomores and Juniors who either 1) have demonstrated commitment to careers related to the environment; or 2) who are Native Americans or Alaska Natives in fields related to Native health care or tribal public policy; GPA of 3.0 or above.
• Award: up to $7,000 for educational expenses
• Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants.

Full Udall Details & Application Instructions

The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in the National Environmental Policy Foundation, authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to honor Congressman Morris King Udall and his legacy of public service, awards scholarships of up to $7,000 to outstanding students who demonstrate a commitment to and potential for making significant contributions in either environmental/conservation issues, tribal policy, or native health care. Detailed information and the application material may be downloaded from the foundation website: www.udall.gov.

• Annual campus deadline: Mid-February
• Description: The Beinecke Scholarship is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students with a demonstrated history of financial need-based support who plan to pursue graduate school opportunities in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.
• Eligibility: Juniors; U.S. citizens; plan to enter a master's or doctoral program in the arts, humanties, or social sciences; documented history of receiving need-based financial aid; GPA of 3.7 or higher
• Award: $4,000 immediately and additional $30,000 for attending graduate school
• Campus nomination: required for all UCSB applicants.

Full Beinecke Details & Application Instructions

The Beinecke Scholarship is awarded to outstanding and highly motivated undergraduate students to pursue graduate school opportunities in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Each scholar receives $4,000 prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 in support while in graduate school.

There are no geographic restrictions on the use of the scholarship, and recipients are allowed to supplement the award with other scholarships, assistantships and research grants. Scholars are encouraged to begin graduate study as soon as possible following receipt of their undergraduate degree, and must utilize all of their award within five years.

The Beinecke Foundation does not accept applications directly from the students but rather requires participating universities to nominate their top candidate for the scholarship. Students should send an email the Scholarships Coordinator at  scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, indicating their interest in the scholarship. The Scholarship Coordinator in the College of Letters and Science works with closely with UCSB undergraduates, regardless of their colleges, who apply for major scholarships, and it is important that students consult with the coordinator well before the campus application deadline.

Conditions of Eligibility:

To be eligible for a Beinecke Scholarship, a student must:

• Have demonstrated superior standards of intellectual ability, scholastic achievement and personal promise during his or her undergraduate career. (A cumulative UCSB grade point average of 3.7 or higher is required.)
• Be a college junior pursuing a bachelor's degree during the current academic year. "Junior" means a student who plans to continue full-time undergraduate study in the academic year after you apply (i.e. who expects to receive a baccalaureate degree between December and August one year after their application date).
• Plans to enter a master's or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.
• Be a United States citizen or a United States national from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
• Have a documented history of receiving need-based financial aid during his or her undergraduate years.  Primary evidence of meeting this criterion is a student's history of receiving need-based institutional, state or federal grants-in-aid.

More information can be found on the Beinecke Scholarship Website.

Campus Application Procedures:

Campus application deadline: February 13, 2025

The following application materials should be submitted electronically via E-mail as Word documents or PDFs to scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu:

• A current CV/résumé that lists all collegiate activities and awards
• A personal statement of 1,000 words or less from the nominee devoted to describing their research or creative interests for graduate study and career aspirations beyond these studies. It should also include a discussion of the most relevant academic, professional, extracurricular, and personal experiences that have influenced or shaped the nominee’s interests and plans. It is strongly recommended that applicants consult with a faculty member in the preparation of this statement.
• A completed Application Form (downloadable at the Beinecke website)
• A Financial Data Sheet (downloadable at the Beinecke website) which should be completed with the help of a UCSB Financial Aid advisor, for campus review. Please retain a copy of this form so that you can send it directly to Beinecke when you are nominated, as we are unable to send the Financial Data Sheet on your behalf.
• Three signed letters of recommendation from faculty members, written on department letterhead, assessing the nominee’s intellectual curiosity, character, and potential for advanced graduate study.
• Transcripts from all institutions of higher education you have attended, including UCSB. Note that transcripts may be unofficial, and should be requested after your grades have posted for Fall quarter. All transcripts should be sent in digital format to: scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

Learn more on the official Beinecke Scholarship Website.

• Annual campus deadline: No mandatory campus deadline for UCSB undergraduates. Students apply directly to Strauss. National deadline typically in late January.
• Description: The Strauss Scholarship supports college students interested in public service, providing both a stipend to the student and funds to use toward expenses for a public service project. Almost any type of project can be proposed, from local to international, as long as the applicant can demonstrate how the funds will be used to benefit the common good.
• Eligibility: Sophmores or Juniors with 1 or 2 full years before graduating; strong commitment to public service; GPA in the upper 1/3 of the class 
• Award: $15,000 award for both project expenses ($8,000) and educational support ($7,000)
• Campus nomination: no longer required as of 2024-25; apply directly with Strauss Foundation.

Full Strauss Details & Application Instructions

The Strauss Scholarship Foundation supports college students interested in public service, providing funds to use toward the expenses for a yearlong public service project. The Foundation was created as a memorial to the late Don Strauss, who demonstrated a strong, lifelong commitment to public service and education. The Strauss Scholarship Foundation awards approximately fourteen $15,000 scholarships annually to college students pursuing a public service project.  $8,000 of this award is designated as a project grant to fund the student’s service project expenses, while up to $7,000 is designated as a scholarship to be applied to the student’s educational support.

The Strauss foundation seeks candidates who:

• Have demonstrated an interest in public service.
• Have outstanding leadership potential.
• The desire to “make a difference” in local, regional, national or international communities.
• Have developed and can demonstrate effective communication skills (written and oral).
• Have innovative, original, public service proposals.

The Strauss Foundation will not accept applications directly from the students but rather requires participating universities to nominate candidates.  Students should send an email the Scholarships Coordinator at scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu, indicating their interest in the scholarship.  The Scholarship Coordinator in the College of Letters and Science works with closely with UCSB undergraduates, regardless of their colleges, who apply for major scholarships, and it is important that students consult with the coordinator well before the campus application deadline.

Conditions of Eligibility:

• A full-time student, with one or two full years remaining before graduating
• Expecting that a significant part of his/her life will be devoted to public service as defined above
• In the upper 1/3 of his/her class (cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher)

As of 2024-25, students are not required to submit materials by a specific campus deadline and there is no official campus selection process for the Strauss Scholarship. Current UCSB students are encouraged consult with our office for campus level guidance before applying and while preparing their application and proposal. To receive timely feedback, a complete draft of your Strauss Scholarship application along with all letters of recommendation should be shared with our office at least 30 days prior to the national deadline set by the Foundation. Our office does not have access to the Strauss application platform and can only view what draft materials are sent to us directly by the applicant. Final submission by the student must be done through the Strauss Scholarship website by the national deadline posted by Strauss.

See the Strauss Scholarship application page for the official requirements and application instructions.

For support and feedback on application materials, contact our office at: scholarships@ltsc.ucsb.edu

Learn more on the official Strauss Foundation Website.