The Language Flagship

Language learning for the next generation of global professionals

The Language Flagship is a national initiative to change the way Americans learn languages. It uses a groundbreaking approach to language education for students from kindergarten through college. The program leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education.

The Language Flagship logo

Through a network of 27 Flagship Programs at 22 institutions of higher education across the U.S., The Language Flagship graduates students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a Superior level of proficiency in one of ten languages critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Flagship languages include Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Urdu, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Turkish.

Discover The Language Flagship

Language proficiency + Cultural competence

Flagship Centers and Flagship Partner Programs offer students intensive language instruction to enhance their academic degrees through the achievement of ACTFL Superior (ILR Level 3) language proficiency and cultural competence. Programs are available at the undergraduate level and include periods of rigorous language and cultural immersion at Overseas Flagship Centers.

The Language Flagship also funds a select number of pilot K–12 programs designed to provide an articulated path of language instruction for students from elementary school through college. Bold, intensive, adventurous, useful—these are some of the words our graduates have used to describe The Language Flagship.