Caroline Keller, a junior University of Delaware student double majoring in history and art history, is a 2026 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) recipient. 

This scholarship affords the Wilmington, Delaware, native the opportunity to study Hindi this summer at the American Institute of Indian Studies in Jaipur, India. Keller will deepen her language skills while gaining experience in one of India’s most historic cultural centers. 

“I am so grateful to all of the faculty at UD, especially the History Department, who encouraged and enabled me to study Hindi through the University of Wisconsin-Madison last summer and supported me during the CLS application process,” Keller said. “I cannot wait to study Hindi again this summer and experience Jaipur.”

Since the U.S. Department of State established the Critical Language Scholarship in 2006, 26 UD students have received it. Nationwide this year, 315 students were selected from approximately 4,500 applicants, making it a highly competitive scholarship to earn. 

CLS provides fully funded, immersive summer programs for graduate and undergraduate students to learn languages of strategic importance to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity. Critical languages for students who are U.S. citizens and nationals at every level of proficiency include Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Swahili. 

About the Office of National Fellowships

UD's Office of National Fellowships serves as the official UD CLS advisors and supports students and alumni as they apply for a wide range of nationally competitive fellowships. The Office of National Fellowships works with students through individualized advising, application essay writing workshops and interview preparation. Students interested in applying to CLS, or other scholarships, should contact ONF at national-fellowships@udel.edu.