The government is one of the largest employers of people with foreign language skills.
Furthermore, nearly a full quarter (23 percent) of 2016 State Department overseas language-designated positions were filled by Foreign Service Officers lacking the requisite language proficiency.The U.S. Government awards FLAS grants to higher ed institutions, who then select modern language undergraduate and graduate students for academic-year or summer allocations. If you have certain language skills, Uncle Sam likely will take notice. FSI offers more than 800 courses both on-site in Arlington, VA, and via distance-learning—including classes in over 70 languages—and serves as a resource to future diplomats and current Foreign Service Officers throughout their careers.
In addition to funding available through your school or local community, check out these federal scholarships. Well-paying government jobs available for individuals with linguistics degrees!
Consider studying a critical need language for the greatest number of opportunities. The School of Language Studies (SLS) alone counts over 500 instructors.Passionate about languages and Middle Eastern cultures, Jack learned Tajiki abroad as a NSLI-Y scholar in high school; he’s now headed to college with an ROTC scholarship and aspires to work for the CIA or State Department after graduation.A 3-4 week exchange of high school students, the Youth Leadership Program fosters mutual understanding, respect, and civic engagement. Complete an internship with a federal agency and maintain a high gpa to be a more competitive candidate. Learn government … Then browse the career sites of some federal agencies currently seeking employees proficient in more than one language.Founder of Academy of United States Veterans, Assal Ravandi speaks to the importance of sharing Farsi and Dari phrases with fellow soldiers deployed in the Middle East during her military service.Kentucky native Bethany Davidson became fluent in Dagbani while volunteering in Ghana; when a USAID position became available in the region, she credits her solid experience with the local language and culture for much of what happened next.This 3-4 week program centered on community service and team building sponsors the exchange of high school students and adult educators with Youth Ambassadors from Latin America and the Caribbean.Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Fellowship provides funding for the final year of undergraduate study and first year of graduate study in a field related to the Foreign Service (including specialization in a language).