Funding for Online Summer 2020 Asian Language Programs

The UB Asian Studies Program is offering financial support to UB undergraduates who are planning to attend online Asian language programs in summer 2020. Students may apply for funding by visiting: https://forms.gle/84GrJVHyZe2DCzys9

All UB undergraduate students are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to students majoring or minoring in the Asian Studies Program. Please complete the application as soon as possible, and no later than May 10, 2020.

Eligible summer programs include:

The American Institute of Indian Studies will be offering its summer language program online for summer 2020 and is extending the deadline for applying for the program until May 10, 2020. They will be offering an eight-week program (June 17 to August 13) in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Mughal Persian, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, and Urdu. Students will have three options: a 140-hour program ($1,820), a 120-hour program ($1,560), and a 72-hour program ($936). AIIS will not be able to provide financial aid to students who apply during this extra extended application period, so those who apply during this time (now through May 10) will need to procure their own funding. Decisions about admissions will be made by May 22. To apply, students should go to www.indiastudies.org. They should register on the portal but should ONLY upload one pdf containing two items: the two-page main application form and the one-page statement of purpose, They should NOT upload any other materials nor should they arrange for letters of recommendation. They would add the $25 application fee to the program fee they would pay.
The UT Austin South Asia Institute has extended the deadline to apply for online Malayalam summer intensive language courses until May 8, 2020. In cooperation with the South Asia Summer Language Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the South Asia Institute at UT Austin plans to offer online courses in the South Indian language Malayalam during summer 2020 at the beginner and intermediate levels. All courses will be offered through UT Extension, but administered through SAI. The courses will be available subject to sufficient enrollments and hiring. To learn more and to apply, please visit the UT Austin South Asia Institute website.
An online Arabic program is being offered by the Lebanese American University. The for-credit option costs $1,200. For more information, please visit https://sinarc.lau.edu.lb/online/ Apply before June 1. Application fees have been waived
Hunter College in NYC will also be offering online Arabic 101 and 102 and Modern Palestinian Culture online this summer. Students do not have to be in New York to take these courses. Students with questions about the Hunter College program may email eaelinson@hunter.cuny.edu with any questions. Students who are not CUNY students will apply to Hunter College as non-degree students. Applications are being processed within 24-48 hours. Information on that can be found here: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/admissions/admissions-information/non-degree. Tuition and fees information can be found here: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/onestop/finances/bursar/tuition-and-fees-information

Additional opportunities will be posted as we learn of them. Please contact Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu with any questions.

Current UB undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for funding to attend intensive summer language programs offered by the American Institute of Indian Studies. Applications for funding will be evaluated by UB Asian Studies Program faculty and staff. Rustgi South Asian Language Awards support the full cost of tuition and roundtrip airfare to India. An additional subvention for living expenses may also be available based on funding levels. We anticipate awarding two student awards for summer 2018.

About the Language Program

Participants are expected to devote their energies to activities that will increase their proficiency in all skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing. For eight weeks at each AIIS language center, there will be at least four hours a day of classroom instruction and individual tutorials with regular out-of-class assignments requiring interaction with community members. Attendance is mandatory in class as well as at other activities such as cultural visits, films, and plays. There is special emphasis on connecting with the local speech community and self-management of learning. Participants are encouraged to identify and prioritize their language learning needs and keep track of their language development. Students are encouraged to stay with host families. Note that this is not a research program. Participants are expected to devote all their energies to learning the target language. For more information, please visit the AIIS Language Programs website.

Eligibility

Full-time enrollment as an undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Buffalo in good academic standing at the time of application
Those applying for Bangla, Hindi, Tamil, and Urdu must have completed at least one year of language study before attending the program. Two years of prior language study are required for Sanskrit. Applicants for Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Telugu, and Kannada may apply at all levels, including beginning. Applications for other South Asian languages (Pali/Prakrit and Mughal Persian) will also be considered.
At the time of application for this award, applicants must have already applied to an AIIS summer language program. The deadline for submitting materials to AIIS is December 31, 2017.

Criteria for Selection

Awards will be based on academic merit and seriousness of purpose
The applicant agrees to be an ambassador for Asian Studies at UB by sending occasional posts and photos of their experiences while in-country for use on the Asian Studies Program’s social media and website. The applicant must also be willing to talk with other students about their study abroad experience upon returning to UB.
The applicant’s plans to enroll in additional South Asia-related courses including a required 1-credit South Asia seminar in the fall semester following their return from India.
Preference will be given to students seeking to learn “critical need” languages (Bangla, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu).
Preference will be given to students who can demonstrate that they have also applied for the Critical Language Scholarship(deadline November 15, 2017) and/or Boren Awards (UB internal deadline November 15, 2017)

Required Application Materials

1) Completed AIIS Language Application in a single PDF file including

Application form (available as both a word and pdf document on the AIIS web site);
One-page (less than 500-word) statement of purpose describing your academic reasons for selecting a particular program, detailing how the study abroad program will fit into your overall academic program and goals, and how the program benefits your personal, academic, and professional development. This may be the same statement prepared for the AIIS application.
Evaluator Worksheet (available on the AIIS web site)
Transcripts: Applicants should scan their undergraduate and graduate transcripts (from U.S. or Canadian universities only) and include them in the single pdf file.
Confirmation (email or scanned document) from AIIS indicating receipt of complete AIIS summer language program application

2) Recommended: documentation confirming submission of completed applications for the Critical Language Scholarship and/or Boren Scholarship

3) Applicants should also submit two (2) letters of recommendation emailed as an attachment directly from their professor or instructor. Instructors may also mail their recommendations in a sealed envelope signed by the professor to Asian Studies Program, 412 Clemens Hall, Buffalo NY 14260.