The Middle East Center (MEC)

Applications are due on 4 February 2008 to the Applicant’s Graduate Chair.

The Middle East Center will award seven FLAS Fellowships for AY 2008-09 to graduate students planning to pursue modern Middle Eastern language study.  The FLAS Fellowship pays tuition and general fees of $12,000 and provides an annual stipend of $15,000 (which may be augmented by individual Schools at Penn).

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be admitted to or enrolled in a full-time graduate program at Penn, and have research or career plans that require the use of a Middle Eastern language. The languages most commonly studied are Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, and Persian, but other languages may also be approved. Applications are evaluated competitively by a specially designated faculty committee.

The successful applicant must then enroll each semester of the Fellowship year in a modern Middle Eastern language.  Students at all levels of language proficiency except native fluency are encouraged to apply, but competitive priority will be given to students wishing to enroll in intermediate or advanced language classes and planning to achieve advanced level proficiency before graduation. 

Doctoral students who have completed all course work may apply for a FLAS to support a research project in the Middle East that will incorporate language acquisition equivalent to two semesters of language study.  However, competitive priority will be given to students enrolled in courses full-time and candidates who are considering a career in public service.

Applications should be made directly to the Graduate Chair of the Department in which the applicant is enrolled by February 4, 2008. Incoming graduate students should indicate to the departments to which they have applied that they would like to be considered for the FLAS. The application form, which lists the materials required for submission, is attached to the electronic version of this message, and it appears on the reverse side of the printed version. The form can also be obtained from the Middle East Center by writing to info@mec.sas.upenn.edu, calling (215) 898-6335, or may be downloaded here.

The competition will be conducted strictly in accordance with University policies and the selection guidelines of the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI Program. The Middle East Center seeks to support students in a range of disciplines and professions, and from as wide a variety of backgrounds as possible

For an application form and further information, contact:  

Middle East Center
3340 Walnut Street
Fisher-Bennett Hall, Ste. 228
Philadelphia, PA   19104

Telephone: (215) 898-4690; e-mail: info@mec.sas.upenn.edu.