Over 600 high school students who are U.S. citizens and between the ages of 15 and 18 will be selected through a competitive application process to study a language in the Summer of 2023 or for the 2023-24 academic year. Participants will experience intensive language learning in an immersive environment abroad through language classes, cultural activities, and engaging with the local community. NSLI-Y offers eight languages for study: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, or Turkish.
Launched in 2006 as part of a multi-agency U.S. Government initiative, NSLI-Y is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program increases the number of young Americans with the language skills necessary to advance international dialogue, promote economic prosperity and innovation worldwide, and contribute to national security by building understanding across cultures. NSLI-Y is administered by American Councils for International Education, in cooperation with AFS-USA, iEARN, and other partner organizations.
The NSLI-Y program provides participants a formative experience with lifelong impact. Students gain critical communication and leadership skills that guide their academic and professional careers. In the words of one alum, “NSLI-Y was a life changing experience that has impacted my view of myself and the world around me in ways that will continue to shape the person I am in the future, to be a better ambassador of the United States abroad and to have improved understanding of the intercultural relationships between nations.”
For more information about the NSLI-Y program, including how to apply and eligibility criteria, visit www.nsliforyouth.org. The application deadline is November 3, 2022, by 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time.