At-a-Glance

U.S. Department of State's National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is a scholarship program for U.S. high school students to study critical languages (Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Russian) overseas. Through intensive summer and academic year programs, participants gain the language skills and cultural fluency the United States needs to compete and lead on the world stage. NSLI-Y also offers a virtual program for beginners, called Virtual NSLI-Y.

Previous language study is not required!

Program Length

Overseas Program: Summer and Academic Year.

Virtual Program: 10 weeks.

Program Length

Varies

Eligibility and Application Overview

Eligibility

All applicants must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen currently enrolled in high school;
  • Be 15-to-18 years old at the start of the program; and
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
  • Meet other criteria as defined in the application.

 

For more information about the program, visit the NSLI-Y website.