CERS awards summer language study grants of up to $3,000 to UCLA graduate students to study a modern European language or Russian as part of their research preparation. Applicants are expected to engage in intensive language study domestically or abroad; the language program should provide a minimum of 120 contact hours of instruction or the equivalent of one academic year of the language. Programs consisting of fewer contact hours will be considered only under exceptional circumstances. CERS does not maintain a list of eligible language programs; however, applicants are welcomed to discuss their prospective program with CERS staff prior to applying to ensure that it meets the minimum instructional requirements.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 5:00PM (PST)
Applications open approximately eight (8) weeks before the advertised deadline above.
CERS will begin notifying applicants of their status approximately eight (8) weeks after the application system has closed.
HOW TO APPLY
All elements of the fellowship application are online and must be submitted by the advertised deadline using the above application form. Letters of recommendation must also be submitted online by the advertised deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered for funding. Any elements to be uploaded should be in DOC or PDF format, with the file extension appended.
- Curriculum vitae (no more than three (3) pages of 12-point font text)
- Abstract (no more than 100 words): provide the project title and briefly describe the topic of your research project.
- Language study proposal (no more than three (3) double-spaced pages of 12-point text): describe the language program in detail, including dates, total number of contact hours, proficiency level to be reached (beginning, intermediate, advanced), and provide the website link (if any). Mention any previous experience studying or doing research in the target language (e.g. academic year or summer language courses, immersion programs, etc.), and provide dates. Applicants must also justify why language study is crucial to their research project, and should describe their project in terms that can be understood by an academic audience who may not specialize in their chosen field. Descriptions must demonstrate how the project will advance knowledge of European or Russian societies, histories, or cultures.
- Itemized budget (no more than one (1) page of 12-point font text): include items such as registration fees, materials/textbook costs, international and in-country travel, visa fees, overseas housing, etc. While the maximum award amount is $3000, the actual award amount is based on language program costs and justifiable related expenses.
- Letters of recommendation: include two (2) letters of recommendation, one of which must evaluate the applicant's level of proficiency in the language to be studied. The recommenders should also address the relevance of language training to the applicant's research project, as well as the applicant's overall academic and professional potential.
All recommendations must be submitted through the online system by the advertised deadline. The applicant will provide the names and contact information of the recommenders in the online application; once the application has been submitted, the recommenders will receive automated emails from the system, instructing them where and how to upload their recommendations. Applicants should therefore ensure that they submit the application well in advance of the advertised deadline, and that they have provided the correct contact information for the recommenders (bouncebacks from incorrectly-entered email addresses will not be registered, and CERS staff are unable to keep track of this and alert the applicant). Applicants should advise their recommenders to check their "spam" folders for automated messages from the system before contacting CERS for assistance with uploading the recommendations.
A note about Personal Identifying Information (PII): Please do not include anywhere in your application the following PII: social security numbers; bank account numbers; passport information; healthcare related information; medical insurance information; credit/debit card numbers, driver's license or state ID information. Any PII explicitly requested in any of the application fields (e.g. first and last name, phone number, etc.) will be kept confidential and encrypted, pursuant to UCLA policies and practices outlined here.
CERS strongly recommends that applicants prepare all the supporting documentation in advance, and complete the application in one sitting. However, the application system does allow applicants to save their work and return to make changes during the application process at any time before the advertised deadline. Every screen of the application contains a "Save" button; clicking it generates an automated message from the system with instructions on how to return to the saved application. Please note that “saving” the application is not the same as “submitting” it; only applications that have been formally submitted by clicking the "Submit" button will be considered for funding.
CLICK HERE for a completed sample application.
FELLOWSHIP TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- CERS Language Study Grants are not intended for graduate students seeking preparation for departmental foreign language exams or for those who are seeking to satisfy a departmental language requirement. Applicants must demonstrate how language study will further their research.
- All application materials must be submitted online by the advertised deadline. Any materials submitted in hard copy or via email will not be accepted or reviewed. Applicants or recommenders who encounter problems submitting materials through the online application site should get in touch with Technical Assistance directly at the contact below.
- UCLA Graduate Council has established a policy of Maximum Limit on the total amount of support a graduate student may receive. In addition, certain grants and fellowships are incompatible and may not be held concurrently. You must inform CERS in writing and obtain approval to combine several funding sources before accepting any other awards for this project.
- Funds must be used during the summer period for which they are awarded; no carryover of awards will be permitted.
- Grantees must submit by October 1 a certificate of completion of the language program. This should be submitted via email to cers@international.ucla.edu
CONTACT
- Fellowship information and application procedures: Liana Grancea, CERS Executive Director, lgrancea@international.ucla.edu or 310-825-8030.
- Technical assistance only with document upload or online application portal access: UCLA International Institute, IT Support Team, support@international.ucla.edu. All other questions should be directed to Liana Grancea at above contact.