Apply to the Arabic Flagship Program

How to Apply:

1. Download the application form: AFP Application Form
2. Send the recommendation form to the faculty member who will write your reference: AFP Recommendation Form
3. Request your transcripts from the relevant school(s). If you are a UMD student, you can use your unofficial transcripts.
4. Submit all parts of the application by emailing arabic@umd.edu or dropping them off in HJ Patterson Hall, room 3128. Recommendation letters can be emailed to us directly from your reference.

After applications have been collected, a committee of Flagship Faculty and staff will review the applications. Students considered for admission will then be contacted for an on-campus interview with the Arabic Flagship Director and Program Staff. Students may also undergo a brief evaluation of their language skills.

If you have any questions please contact us at arabic@umd.edu

1. Am I eligible to apply? To be eligible, you must be a full time UMD undergraduate student in good standing, with a GPA of at least 3.25. We welcome talented and committed students in any major who will use Arabic in their careers, including incoming freshmen and complete beginners.
2. I am not a UMD student, can I still apply? You must have applied for a full time undergraduate program at UMD to be eligible for our program. The AFP recruits students three times annually- summer, fall and spring, so you will be able to apply once your UMD application is submitted. If you are a student in a D.C. Consortium school, please contact us for more information.
3. I am graduating within a year, am I still eligible? We expect a commitment of between 3 and 5 years. You must be able to reach Superior proficiency in Arabic, which takes approximately 5 years. For this reason, a senior in first year Arabic would not be a good match for our program.
4. I am a graduate student, am I eligible? No, the AFP is a program for undergraduate students. However, our UMD Summer Language Institutes accept undergraduates, graduates, and working professionals and are a great way to study Arabic and Persian intensively at UMD. More information can be found under the Summer Institute tab at the top of the page.
5. What level of Arabic proficiency should I have before I can apply to Arabic Flagship at UMD? You may be at any level of Arabic, including a complete beginner.
6. I am a native speaker of Arabic, am I eligible to apply? It depends on your level of proficiency in Arabic. If you speak and read Arabic fluently and are already at or above the Superior level, this is not the best match for you. However, if your level is in the Intermediate to Advanced range of proficiency, you are welcome to apply.
7. Do I have to major or minor in Arabic to participate in Arabic Flagship at UMD? No, the AFP accepts students from any major and is particularly interested in applicants that come from other disciplines such as Business, Engineering, Communications, Government and Politics, and Linguistics.
8. As a Flagship student, what is expected from me besides taking Arabic classes? Weekly one-on-one meetings with a language partner to practice your Arabic; Participation in AFP Cultural clubs, events and field trips; and participation in a year-long Arabic program at an Arabic Flagship overseas site.
9. If I am a Flagship student, am I eligible for scholarships? Yes, Flagship students are eligible for need-based funding to help meet the costs of intensive summer and year-long study overseas. Flagship students also are highly competitive for a range of other national scholarships such as the Critical Language Scholarships, Boren Scholarships, and Gilman Scholarships. Flagship staff work closely with students to make good financial plans and to help them pursue funding for their studies.
10. Do I have to spend four years studying Arabic domestically to be eligible to do the Capstone year in Meknes, Morocco? No. Our program has a flexible model and students sometimes join us later in their studies. You do, however, have to be advanced in all four Arabic skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) in order to go abroad with Flagship, and this typically takes 3-5 years of study of Arabic in a high quality, intensive program.
11. What happens during the Capstone year overseas? Flagship Students study at the AALIM center located in the heart of the old city. Over the summer, students spend time in class learning Darija as well as continuing their studies in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). In addition to language courses, students also take a direct enrollment course in the fall, work with Moroccan language and academic partners every week throughout the year, attend cultural events and field trips and participate in varied internships to gain professional experience during the spring semester.
12. What are the requirements to become a Flagship Certified Graduate? Complete your UMD Undergraduate degree(s); complete the overseas Capstone year and internship; and achieve a level 3 / Superior in Arabic at the end of program testing in Speaking and at least 2+ / Advanced High in Listening and Reading