The Middle East Center (MEC)

Applications are due 1 APRIL 2008 to the Applicant’s Graduate Chair

The Middle East Center will award five FLAS Fellowships for summer 2008 to graduate students planning to pursue modern Middle Eastern language study.  The FLAS Fellowship pays tuition and general fees of $4,000 and provides a stipend of $2,500.

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 also may be approved. Applications are evaluated competitively by a specially designated faculty committee.

The successful applicant must then enroll in a program that is the equivalent of one year of language study (120-180 hours; intermediate and advanced students must take 140 hours or more). Any overseas study program must be at least six weeks in duration.  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. Students at the elementary level are limited to enrolling in programs in the U.S.  Students at the intermediate and advanced levels are eligible to study abroad, but only at institutions approved by the Department of Education. Please consult with the Center before choosing a study abroad program.

Competitive priority will be given to students enrolled in courses full-time and to those candidates considering a career in public service.

Applications should be made directly to the Graduate Chair of the Department in which the applicant is enrolled no later than April 1, 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 at 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-Bennet Hall, Ste. 228
Philadelphia, PA   19104

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