Application Instructions

 

Dear Applicant,

            Enclosed are the application forms for the AIIS Advanced Language Program in India.  The application forms and deadlines are the same for both summer and academic-year programs; please specify clearly for which program you are applying.

 

Summer 2008 Program

            The summer program will be for the following languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Pali/Prakrit, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, and other languages upon request.  The summer program will last for ten weeks from June 16 to August 22, 2008.  This program is for graduate and unusually qualified undergraduate students at U.S. colleges and universities; students applying for the regular Hindi and for the Sanskrit programs should have the equivalent of at least two years of prior classroom instruction; students for Prakrit/Pali should have the equivalent of two years of either Sanskrit or Prakrit/Pali; one year is required of applicants for Bengali, second-year Hindi and Tamil; one year of either Hindu or Urdu is required for Urdu students; applicants for other languages may apply at all levels, including the beginning.  For funding, you should apply for a summer FLAS grant from your own university. Note that AIIS has some financial aid available for summer students who cannot get FLAS awards.

 

Important information for applicants for summer Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu

    Please note that all students who are U.S. citizens and who are applying for these four languages for the summer program should also submit applications for a Critical Languages Scholarship (CLS) fellowship, funded by the U.S. State Department. These fellowships would cover the full cost of the program. Students should submit both an application to AIIS for admission to the program as well as to to CLS for funding for the program. To apply for CLS please go to www.clscholarship.org . Please note that the CLS application deadline is currently January 25, 2008. Those who apply for a CLS but who do not receive it could still be admitted to the AIIS program and we will work with admitted students to assist them to fund their participation in the program. Please also not though that elementary Hindi and Urdu will only be offered to those with CLS fellowships. If you have any questions, we strongly encourage you to call 773-702-8638 or email aiis@uchicago.edu.

 

Academic Year 2008-2009 Program

            The academic year program will be for Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.  The program will begin on September 8, 2008 and will finish at the beginning of May 2009.  Students at U.S. universities with at least two years of study in the language are eligible.  In case you are now taking a first-year language course, you can still apply for the 2008-2009 program provided you take an intensive second-year language program in the summer of 2008.  Arrangements may be made for programs in other Indian languages if there is interest.  Contingent on support from the U.S. Department of Education, we expect to offer a number of language fellowships for the 2008-2009 program. These fellowships are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

 

Mail materials below to AIIS, 1130 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637. The application should be postmarked by January 31, 2008:

 

1.      Application form

2.      One-page statement of purpose

3.      A check or money order for the $25 application fee, made out to the American Institute of Indian Studies

4.      Completed transcripts (directly from registrar’s office)

5.      Completed reference forms from two of your teachers

6.      Completed language reference from your language teacher

7.      Evaluator Worksheet

8.      Language test proctor form

 

Costs and financial aid

 

 

Summer 2008

2008-2009

2008-2009

 

All participants

Outside funding

Language fellows

Tuition/program fee

$2,500

$6000

0

air fare

$1400-$1800

$1500-$2000

provided

maintenance

$700-$800

provided

provided

TOTAL

$4,600-$5,000

$7500-$8000

0

 

Summer FLAS awards from your university normally cover all these costs

Students may cover these costs using outside funding

Your application to the program is also for financial support

 

 

Students on all of the AIIS language programs will be housed with local families, and students will pay their families a modest fee for their lodging.  Academic year students will receive a monthly stipend in Rupees which should cover all of their basic expenses such as lodging, food, transportation, and clothing.  Summer students should receive an adequate amount of money for their maintenance from their FLAS awards.

 

            Please note again that you are expected to devote all your energies to learning the language while on this program; you will not have time for other academic activities and the approval from the Government of India for the language program precludes carrying out research while on this program.  You will find that the thorough grounding in the language which you will achieve will be invaluable to you in later years as you complete your graduate studies and continue with your academic career.  Many of us here and in India will be working with you to help you achieve your language proficiency goals.

 

                                                                                    Philip Lutgendorf

                                                                                    Chair, AIIS Language Committee

                                                                                    philip-lutgendorf@uiowa.edu