The Language Flagship
The Language Flagship leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education. Through an innovative partnership between the federal government, education, and business, The Language Flagship seeks to produce students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a superior level of fluency in one of many languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security.
The Arabic Flagship Program
Administered by American Councils for International Education, the Arabic Overseas Flagship Program addresses the critical need for U.S. professionals able to speak, read, write, and understand Arabic at the highest levels of functional proficiency. As such, it is designed to raise the Arabic language proficiency of students to the “superior” or “professional” level (ILR 3, 3+, 4/ACTFL "Superior" or "Distinguished" Levels) through an intensive program tailored to students' professional interests and academic specializations.
The Arabic Flagship Program is structured as a two-tier program. The domestic component (the first tier) is designed to train students to reach the language proficiency level required for the overseas components (the second tier).
The Domestic Component
The Arabic Flagship Program is administered by five leading U.S. universities. For more information, prospective applicants should contact those universities directly. A summary of these programs is included below.
Undergraduate
This U.S-based intensive language program is intended to assist qualified students in attaining the ACTFL Intermediate-Mid/Intermediate-High level in Arabic language proficiency in preparation for their overseas studies. The Undergraduate Arabic Flagship Program is administered by five domestic universities. Applicants should apply directly to one of these institutions:
The Overseas Component
American Councils administers the Overseas Arabic Flagship Program.
Year Long Program
The Arabic Overseas Flagship Program for Undergraduates started in June 2008, and is located on the campus of Alexandria University, in Alexandria, Egypt. Flagship students study in Alexandria for a full academic year. This program is intended as a logical step after participating in the Stateside Undergraduate Arabic Flagship Program and achieving an ACTFL proficiency level of Intermediate-Mid/Intermediate-High.
Summer Program
In cooperation with the Arab American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM), located in historic Meknes, Morocco, American Councils offers an intensive nine week summer program to Flagship students who have achieved an ACTFL proficiency level of at least 1+. This program allows students a unique opportunity to learn a less commonly-studied Arabic dialect while continuing to develop their skills in Modern Standard Arabic.
