FLAS Application Instructions
Summer 2008 and Academic Year 2008-2009
*scroll down for application forms
All materials must be sent to the LACIS Office by Monday, February 11, 2008
Only applications that fulfill the following requirements will be considered
- Applicants must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the US.
- Students from any field are encouraged to apply. Eligibility is limited to graduate and professional school students. Priority will be given to applicants with good academic records who can best demonstrate the need for language study as a part of their total program.
- Handwritten applications are not acceptable.
- Submit the following to the LACIS office
- one copy of the Official Application form (Sections A-E, see instructions below);
- one transcript copy from each undergraduate and graduate institution, including a copy of a grade slip from Semester I, 2007-08, if available. Unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable, as long as they are fully legible;
- one copy of test scores;
- at least two letters of recommendation (see Section C below);
- one language reference form (last page of Official Application form).
- Please note that LACIS does not have files with letters, transcripts, GRE scores, etc. It is your responsibility to see that LACIS gets the necessary copies of materials required by its stated deadline.
- Academic Year Applicants: If you are NOT currently a graduate student at UW-Madison, you MUST apply to the graduate school for admission to a specific department. Please note that this process is entirely separate from your application for a FLAS fellowship. You may obtain applications for admission and order a bulletin by writing to the department you wish to enter. You may also choose to apply via the web using the UW-Madison Graduate School online application at http://whyuwmadison.gradsch.wisc.edu
- Summer Applicants: Fellowships may be used for language courses offered on this campus or for appropriate language training on other campuses in the United States. Students at the advanced level or whose chosen language is not offered in the US at their level may apply to study abroad. Occasionally summer awards have been offered to public school teachers or college or university faculty members who need intensive language training.
- No outside employment is allowed during the period of summer intensive language courses. Limited employment is allowed during academic year awards. Please check with the relevant area or international studies office to request approval.
Specific Instructions for the Application Form
(Links for Summer and Academic Year Applications are below)
Section A: Identifying Information
- All applicants must complete items 1-12
- Item #10: Indicate the Area or International Studies Center to which you are applying
- Item #13: Complete if applicable
Section B: References
- All applicants must submit two letters of recommendation relating to the applicants qualifications for this award. If you are already a graduate student at UW-Madison, at least one of these letters must be current; if you are an advanced graduate student, one is needed from your major professor.
- Language reference: Please use the attached HEA Title VI Language Reference form. If you have had previous training in the language for which you are applying, submit the reference for that language. If you have not had training in the language for which you are applying, submit a reference for a language in which you are most fluent. You may duplicate the form if you wish to submit more than one language reference. If you have not had any prior college-level language training, submit a third academic reference. The referee who completes this form may also submit one of the two other letters of recommendation.
Section C: Education
- All applicants must complete items 1-4.
- Item #4: Other graduate-level exams (LSAT, MCAT, etc) may be substituted for GRE scores. Please consult the appropriate area or international studies office.
- Graduate Record Exam scores. If they have been sent to Wisconsin, but your department does not have them in your file, you must request them from the GRE organization. If you are in a professional school and do not have GRE scores, consult with the Area Studies program through which you are applying for possible alternatives to the GRE. A copy of the test score report must be submitted to most programs.
Section D: Plan of Study
- Specific course numbers are not required.
- Academic Year: All awardees must take 1 language course and 1 related area studies course each semester. All awardees must be enrolled as full-time students and remain in good academic standing for the duration of the award.
- Summer: Summer FLAS recipients are required to enroll in a course of modern language study equivalent to one full academic year of study. No area studies course is required or allowed.
- Applicants who are or will be at dissertation stage must provide two copies of a description of the dissertation project, not to exceed two pages, including the following information: (a) title of the project and signature of your graduate advisor; (b) statement of purpose; (c) description of topic and of methodology used to obtain research goals; (d) statement of the use of language of the award as a major research tool; (e) description of any proposed travel within the U.S. or overseas considered to be research related. Indicate why the topic and research necessitates travel. Include a timetable and proposed itinerary of overseas research; (f) statement of progress to date; (g) specific information on work or research to be accomplished during award period (AY2007-2008).
- If you are or will be at dissertation stage and eligible for 3 credits, but must take additional course work, indicate the reason(s).
- Summer Applicants: Summer program costs are needed for this application. If you are proposing to study at another university, you should obtain information on course offerings, the number of credits and tuition costs at the host institution. Indicate on the application form whether you will be considered a resident or nonresident at the school you wish to attend and list the exact cost or the institution's best estimate for the number of credits you will be taking.
- Summer Applicants: Note that if you plan to attend UW-Madison, you must be registered for a minimum of eight weeks in the summer, either in the regular eight-week session or in two shorter sessions (not including inter-session). Programs at other institutions must last a minimum of 6 weeks and offer a minimum of 140 contact hours. The award will pay the costs for the intensive language course(s) only; it will not pay for any additional course work.
Section E: Essay Questions
- Answer Questions 1-4. Please type.
- Take the time to carefully consider your responses to questions 1-4. Use an additional sheet if necessary. FLAS fellowships are highly competitive.
- Applicants to the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Program must submit a one-page statement of purpose in addition to other application materials. Direct questions to LACIS at 608-262-2811.
Please refer to Frequently Asked Questions if you have additional questions.
Note: You will only be able to save this application locally if you are using Adobe Professional. If you are using Adobe Reader, you will only be able to fill out and print, but not save, the application. Most campus computers have Adobe Professional.
