The U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program provides critical language study overseas for U.S. high school students through full scholarships to participate in intensive summer and academic year programs. Participants study one of the eight NSLI-Y languages while immersed in the culture and day-to-day life of the host country.
NSLI-Y is part of the National Security Language Initiative, a multi-agency U.S. government initiative launched in 2006 to improve Americans' ability to engage with people from around the world. NSLI-Y plays an important role in preparing U.S. students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and contributes to national security. NSLI-Y participants serve as citizen ambassadors, representing the diversity of the United States abroad and building lasting relationships with people in their host countries.
If you have a passion for learning languages and want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture, this program may be for you! No previous language skills are required.
NSLI-Y languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, Turkish
Program Length
Summer and Academic YearEligibility and Application Overview
All applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen currently enrolled in high school;
- Be 15-to-18 years old at the start of the program; and
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
- Meet other criteria as defined in the application.
The NSLI-Y program seeks applicants who represent the diversity of the United States. Students of all racial, ethnic, religious, gender identities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and socio-economic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
For more information about the program, visit the NSLI-Y website.