Fund Details
MacMillan Center Academic Year Fellowships for Language Study
Award Amount
up to $18,000 for non-Yale University tuition and fees and up to $20,000 for living expenses
Competition Type
Yale

Brief Description:

The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale invites applications for Academic Year fellowships for language study. All foreign languages are eligible for funding except for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Students interested in studying Chinese, Japanese, or Korean should apply to the Richard U. Light Fellowship Program. Academic year language fellowships are available to any undergraduate, graduate and professional school student whose academic program requires the study of a foreign language or whose research plans require the study of a foreign language.

Description:

The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale invites applications for Academic Year 2025 – 2026 fellowships for language study. All foreign languages are eligible for funding except for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Students interested in studying Chinese, Japanese, or Korean should apply to the Richard U. Light Fellowship Program. 

This fellowship supports the study of languages or proficiency levels not currently offered at Yale. It is open to undergraduate, graduate and professional school students whose academic program or research plans requires the study of a foreign language. In the application, students are expected to demonstrate a bona fide academic need to study the language they have proposed and show a clear relationship to the applicant’s overall course of study. Priority will be given to students applying for intermediate and advanced level language study, though beginning level study will be considered for Ph.D. students with a research-related need for the language. Applicants interested in studying less-commonly taught languages will also be given priority.

The academic year language fellowship provides up to $18,000 toward non-Yale University tuition and fees and up to $20,000 for living expenses. If students apply for the semester of language study the award will be prorated accordingly.

Yale students may apply the award to recognized intensive programs at other universities within or outside the U.S. Rigorous online and distance education programs are also eligible for fellowship support. Language centers are eligible if the program qualifies. You may reach out to macmillan.fellowships@yale.edu with a specific program interested to confirm program eligibility.

This fellowship is highly competitive, and only one award is granted each academic year.

Application Information:

Application materials:

1. Personal Statement explaining the relationship between language and area study to your degree program and career plans (not to exceed two pages)

2. CV

3. one Letter of Reference from a faculty member;

4.  an unofficial copy of your most recent Transcript, including courses in which you are currently enrolled;

5. Language Self Evaluation - the verification of current level of language to be studied. There are two ways depending on the classes you are currently taking:
5.1. If you are taking language courses at Yale you will need to request a language evaluation from your language instructor to complete the application.
5.2. If you are not currently enrolled in any language classes, you have to provide a brief description of your language training or exposure. Explain previous experience (duration, course name) and if possible provide a transcript.

6. Supplemental Materials: a copy of a brochure or other material in English from the proposed program’s  institution that details the cost (tuition), total number of contact hours, dates and nature of your chosen program of study. Please include the program’s URL. A copy of your program enrollment application clearly indicating dates of attendance and total cost broken down between tuition\fees and other\room & board expenses.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to see that the complete application, including letters of recommendation and transcripts, reaches us by the deadline.

Special Eligibility Requirements:

Only current students who are enrolled full-time may apply.

Restrictions to Use of Award:

  • This fellowship supports the study of languages or proficiency levels not currently offered at Yale.
  • Yale students are eligible to receive one Academic Year Fellowship for Language Study during their studies.
  • The language program must be a full-time commitment. Fellowship recipients are required to dedicate 100% of their time to language study during the fellowship period and may not accept any employment offers. The fellowship cannot be combined with other research grants.
  • Students enrolled in online language programs are not eligible to receive the stipend portion of the grant.

Links to Additional Information:

MacMillan Fellowship Office hosts Zoom Info Sessions on academic year and summer funding opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students throughout the academic year. You can find dates and times on our website.

MacMillan Center Travel Policies and Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Anja Koirala at anja.koirala@yale.edu

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