World Scholars Program

Announcing the Fall competition for travel in travel in spring 2012. Details below.

 See World Scholars photos at the A&S Flickr photostream

"World Scholars learn real life lessons"

March 20th, 2007, UofL News

Several University of Louisville students are learning from experience what they could not learn from a book or in a classroom. As participants in the new World Scholars program, they are venturing beyond their comfort zones to immerse themselves in another language and culture.

Funded by the College of Arts and Sciences, the program provides undergraduates with up to $5000 to help fund a semester or year of study someplace where the principal language is not English.

Read more: World Scholars learn real life lessons

About the World Scholars Program

The World Scholars Program, funded by the College of Arts and Sciences, provides select undergraduate students with up to $5000 of funding to support a significant study experience in a country or region of the world whose principal language is not English. Applicants must be actively committed to achieving fluency in the language of that country or region. They must also be declared majors or minors in one of the non-language undergraduate disciplines offered at the University of Louisville and endeavor, to the degree possible, to study the material of that discipline while abroad (whether through full-immersion coursework, service learning, internship placement, directed study etc.). For example, a French major/political science minor might take coursework in political science at the Université de Montréal in full immersion with French Canadian students; or an anthropology major might engage in fieldwork in Sao Paolo that requires active use of Portuguese. Students studying any modern language offered at the University of Louisville (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish) are encouraged to apply.

Upon their return, World Scholars will work with a faculty advisor on a final project (such as an honors thesis, a community service project, or an application for a major national fellowship) that integrates their international experience with their undergraduate studies at U of L. They will also work with the International Center as peer advisors, helping to recruit and prepare other students for study abroad.

Fall 2011 COMPETITION for travel in Spring 2012

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 18, 2011

  Download: World Scholars Application Fall 2011 (PDF)

REQUIREMENTS AT TIME OF APPLICATION:

• must be a full-time undergraduate student who has achieved at least sophomore standing at the time of application.
• must have a declared major or minor in any of the non-language disciplines offered at the University of Louisville.
• must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and be in good academic standing.
• must commit to participating in a full semester of study abroad in spring 2011 in a country or region of the world whose principal language is not English.  (To explore study abroad options that meet the requirements of the World Scholars Program, make an appointment with a study abroad advisor at edabroad@louisville.edu.)
• must be actively committed to achieving fluency in the language of that country or region, ideally through ongoing study of the language.  (Preference will be given to applicants who can already demonstrate at least intermediate-level proficiency.)
• must commit to completing a post-travel integrative project while still in residence at the University of Louisville. (Students who intend to travel in their final semester of undergraduate studies are not eligible for funding.)
• NOTE: preference will be given to applicants who are not native speakers of the country to which they intend to travel.

MATERIALS TO BE SUBMITTED:

1. original copy of the complete application and six photocopies. Application includes:
   • the application form signed by both you and the undergraduate advisor in your major department;
   • five brief essays (instructions on page two of the application form);
   • published information on the study abroad program you’ve selected (e.g., a program brochure, printout of a website, etc.);
   • a detailed program budget (form available at the International Center) and a program budget and financial aid disclosure form (page three of the application form) prepared in collaboration with Virginia Hosono, assistant director of study abroad; and
   • your unofficial transcripts (including current coursework).
2. two recommendations, at least one of which should be from a faculty member in your non-language field of study. RECOMMENDERS WILL RETURN THE FORM TO YOU IN A SEALED/SIGNED ENVELOPE.
3. the language evaluation form, filled out by an instructor in the language of the country or region to which you intend to travel. EVALUATOR WILL RETURN THE FORM TO YOU IN A SEALED/SIGNED ENVELOPE.

IMPORTANT: Do not use staples in your application; instead, use paper clips to separate each application set.  You will submit seven application sets total, plus three sealed/signed envelopes.

APPLICATION SCHEDULE

• Tuesday, October 18: Application and all supporting materials must be submitted to:

Dr. Greg Hutcheson, Chair, World Scholars Committee
Dept. of Classical and Modern Languages
Humanities Bldg. 332

• Week of October 24: Interviews with finalists will be scheduled.
• Monday, October 31: Final results will be announced.

  Download: World Scholars Application Fall 2011 (PDF)