The following is taken from the NSLI for Youth website:
If you have a passion for learning languages and want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, this program may be for you!
The application deadline for 2016-17 programs is October 29, 2015 at 4 PM EST.
ABOUT NSLI-Y
The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.
NSLI-Y is part of a U.S. government initiative that prepares American citizens to be leaders in a global world. Now more than ever, it is important that Americans have the necessary linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to promote international dialogue and support American engagement abroad. NSLI-Y aims to provide opportunities to American youth that will spark a lifetime interest in language learning.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Chinese (Mandarin) Summer Program
Location: China
Program Dates: Summer programs are six to eight weeks in duration and typically start in mid-June to early July and end in early to mid-August
Language Class Hours: Minimum of 120 hours during the program
Accommodations: Host families or a combination of group housing and host family stays
Academic program: The Chinese summer program aims to enhance students’ ability to communicate with confidence in the target language. The program increases students’ Chinese language proficiency through intensive in-class language instruction, cultural presentations and activities, and host family stays. Volunteer service activities with community-focused organizations and cultural activities such as cooking, Chinese arts and crafts, and martial arts classes complement classroom learning and provide studChinese cultural classents with diverse opportunities to practice their language skills.
Pre- and post-program expectations: Beginners must complete pre-program language assignments, which will include an introduction to the language and basic phrases. Participants with prior experience in the target language will be expected to take pre-program language assessments. All participants will be expected to complete a pre-program survey and several post-program surveys and language tests.
Chinese (Mandarin) Academic Year Program
Possible Program Locations: China, Taiwan
Program Dates: Late August to June
Language Class Hours: 10 to 20 hours per week
Accommodations: Host families or a combination of dormitory housing and host family stays
Academic program: The Chinese academic year program aims to enhance student’s ability to communicate with confidence in the target language. The program provides intensive in-class language instruction (at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels) and host family stays. Volunteer service activities with community-focused organizations, cultural classes such as calligraphy, tai-chi, kung-fu, and Chinese chess, and local excursions to cultural and historic sites complement classroom learning and provide students with diverse opportunities to practice their language skills.
If you have a passion for learning languages and want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, this program may be for you!
The application deadline for 2016-17 programs is October 29, 2015 at 4 PM EST.
ABOUT NSLI-Y
The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.
NSLI-Y is part of a U.S. government initiative that prepares American citizens to be leaders in a global world. Now more than ever, it is important that Americans have the necessary linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to promote international dialogue and support American engagement abroad. NSLI-Y aims to provide opportunities to American youth that will spark a lifetime interest in language learning.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- U.S. citizen
- Grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent
- 15-18 years of age at start of program (birthdate between July 10, 1997 and June 10, 2001 for summer programs; birthdate between September 30, 1997 and June 30, 2001 for academic year programs)
- Enrolled in high school (including home school) at the time of application
- Not an immediate family member of an employee of the U.S. Department of State who works in the Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs or an employee at a NSLI-Y administering organization whose duties involve the NSLI-Y program
- Have not previously traveled outside the U.S. on a long-term (more than eight weeks) program sponsored by the Youth Programs Division of the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
- Previous NSLI-Y summer program participants or alumni of ECA-funded short-term programs are only eligible to apply for a NSLI-Y academic year program.
Chinese (Mandarin) Summer Program
Location: China
Program Dates: Summer programs are six to eight weeks in duration and typically start in mid-June to early July and end in early to mid-August
Language Class Hours: Minimum of 120 hours during the program
Accommodations: Host families or a combination of group housing and host family stays
Academic program: The Chinese summer program aims to enhance students’ ability to communicate with confidence in the target language. The program increases students’ Chinese language proficiency through intensive in-class language instruction, cultural presentations and activities, and host family stays. Volunteer service activities with community-focused organizations and cultural activities such as cooking, Chinese arts and crafts, and martial arts classes complement classroom learning and provide studChinese cultural classents with diverse opportunities to practice their language skills.
Pre- and post-program expectations: Beginners must complete pre-program language assignments, which will include an introduction to the language and basic phrases. Participants with prior experience in the target language will be expected to take pre-program language assessments. All participants will be expected to complete a pre-program survey and several post-program surveys and language tests.
Chinese (Mandarin) Academic Year Program
Possible Program Locations: China, Taiwan
Program Dates: Late August to June
Language Class Hours: 10 to 20 hours per week
Accommodations: Host families or a combination of dormitory housing and host family stays
Academic program: The Chinese academic year program aims to enhance student’s ability to communicate with confidence in the target language. The program provides intensive in-class language instruction (at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels) and host family stays. Volunteer service activities with community-focused organizations, cultural classes such as calligraphy, tai-chi, kung-fu, and Chinese chess, and local excursions to cultural and historic sites complement classroom learning and provide students with diverse opportunities to practice their language skills.