About the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
NSLI-Y is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It 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 dialogues, support American engagement abroad, and attain better understanding of global cultures and issues.
NSLI-Y encourages a lifetime of language study and cultural understanding by providing approximately 600 fully funded merit-based scholarships to American high school students.
The NSLI-Y application period is closed. Applications will become available for the 2014-2015 academic year in late summer of 2013.
Click here to visit the NSLI-Y website.
What does NSLI-Y Offer?
- Academic scholarships to learn Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajik), Russian, and Turkish
- Language immersion programs in China, Egypt, India, Jordan, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Turkey, and other locations around the world
- Cultural understanding through living with a host family and participating in community events
- Language acquisition through both formal and informal language training
What are the benefits of NSLI-Y?
- Alumni networks through AFS and the U.S. Department of State to continue language and cultural learning
- Springboards to other government sponsored programs to achieve language fluency
- Skills for advancing international dialogue and diplomacy through person-to-person relationships
- Opportunities to be in the vanguard of intercultural communication
Am I eligible?
Eligible students are:
- U.S Citizens
- High school students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Aged 15 – 18 (age requirements vary by program)
- Additional eligibility requirements can be found on the NSLI-Y website.
How are winners selected?
- NSLI-Y staff screen online applications and select semi-finalists
- Semi-finalists are interviewed by local volunteers and staff between December and February
- Scholarship finalists are announced in the Spring
- Finalists and alternates participate in pre-departure orientations
