INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE FORMS

A Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) and Language Self Evaluation are required for many countries where English is not the official language and/or English is not commonly spoken. 

Language proficiency is generally determined by the nature of the Fulbright project, but some countries require proficiency even if language proficiency is not required to complete the project.

Applicants to these countries are expected to have proficiency in the host country language.  These forms help assess the candidate’s background and training in the language.  See the Country Summary for specific information on language requirements.

Keep in mind the following to determine if you are required, or if it is desirable for you, to have language skills for the country to which you are applying.  Language skills:

• Must be commensurate with the requirements of your project
• Are an element of the feasibility of your project
• Contribute to the mission of the Fulbright Program to increase mutual understanding, by allowing communication with the people of your host community

We recommend that all students have at least a hospitality level knowledge of the host country language.  If you have begun study or plan to study the language in the coming months, you may discuss this in your Statement of Grant Purpose.

The Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) should be completed by a qualified language instructor or, for less commonly taught languages, a faculty member with knowledge of the language. 

The FLE must be completed and submitted electronically by the language evaluator in the Online Application System. 

The Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) must be electronically submitted in the separate Online Reference system by the person completing the form (i.e., the person you register).  This submission can take place before or after the applicant submits the Online Application, but no later than the application deadline:

• Fulbright-mtvU Award: March 1, 2012
• Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship: February 1, 2012

Instructions for the Foreign Language Evaluator

Applicants should provide their Language Evaluators with written instructions on completing the Foreign Language Evaluation.  Click here for instructions for evaluators on completing Form 8: Foreign Language Evaluation

Instructions for Applicants

There are four steps in validating your language skills in the Fulbright Application.  Be sure to review all four steps before proceeding.

STEP 1:  Determine what forms you need to submit

You are required to complete Form 7: Language Self-Evaluation, in the Online Application and to have a Form 8: Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE), see Step 2, if any of the following apply:

1. The Country Summary indicates that proficiency in the host country language is required.
2. Language proficiency in a language is needed for the successful completion of your proposed project.
3. You have proficiency beyond the basic level of the host country language.

If you are not able to access the following forms in the online application, you may need to “Update Your Answers” to Preliminary Questions #3 or #4 at the beginning of the application and to answer “Yes”.

STEP 2:  Complete Language Forms in the Online Application

If required, you will complete Form 7 and/or Form7A (CLEA Language Form) in the Online Application.

Form 7:  Language Self Evaluation As stated above, applicants must complete Form 7: Language Self Evaluation when applying to a country where English is not commonly spoken and knowledge of the host country language is required.  Additionally, if your project requires knowledge of another language, you must complete Form 7 and have an FLE (Form 8) completed for that language, whether or not the Country Summary indicates the language is required for application.

• The Online Application System will allow you to complete up to two Language Self Evaluations *
• Even if the language required by the host country is your mother tongue or your first language, you must submit both Language Forms 7 and 8.

For applicants who do not have knowledge of and/or training in the host country language: Complete the online Form 7: Language Self Evaluation and indicate your plans for obtaining a hospitality/survival level of the language to accomplish the program’s goal of increasing mutual understanding.  Since you have no knowledge of the language, Form 8from a language evaluator is not necessary.

For applicants who have knowledge of the language: If you are applying to a country where English is not commonly spoken and/or if you are required to have knowledge of the host country or another language, complete Form 7: Language Self Evaluation in the online application. Your language evaluator must complete and submit Form 8: Foreign Language Evaluation electronically.

* For applicants who need an evaluation in more than one language: If you require evaluation in a second foreign language, be sure to indicate this in Preliminary Question #3.   You will complete a second Form 7(2): Language Self-Evaluation and have a second Foreign Language Evaluation (Form 8) completed.

Form 7A: Critical Language Enhancement Award Supplementary Statement Applicants who are requesting consideration for the Critical Language Enhancement Award must complete this form in addition to Forms 7 and 8. Click here for a list of eligible languages and other requirements for this award.

Form 8: Foreign Language Evaluation (FLE) must be completed electronically in the Online Application System by the person you have asked to be your language evaluator.  See Step 4 for instructions on registering the Language Evaluator

STEP 3:  Guidelines for Choosing and Preparing a Language Evaluator

As required, you will identify and ask a person to complete Form 8:  Foreign Language Evaluation

• The Fulbright Program prefers that the Foreign Language Evaluation be completed by a college or university faculty member. 
• Language evaluations may be conducted by someone who has taught you and knows your language ability.
• If you do not have access to a former language instructor, you may ask any college-level instructor in the language to conduct an evaluation of your language skills and to complete Form 8.
• If the language is not commonly taught in the U.S. and a professional teacher of the language is not available within a reasonable distance, the evaluation may be completed by a native-speaker, who is not a family member, or a faculty member with knowledge of the language.

Materials to provide your Language Evaluator:

• Research/Study applicants should provide the evaluator with a summary of their Statement of Grant Purpose.
• ETA applicants should give the evaluator the description of the ETA Program for the country to which they are applying and a summary of their Statement of Grant Purpose.

STEP 4:  Instructions for Registering Language Evaluators

In the Embark Fulbright Online Application System, you can register your referees and language evaluators so that they can submit the reference or FLE electronically.  Foreign Language Evaluations must be completed and submitted electronically. Be sure to let the evaluator know this process and ask them to check their email for an email from “Embark Online Recommendations.”  

Here are the steps for registering your Language Evaluator in the Online Application:          

1. In Preliminary Questions, be sure to indicate if you need a Form 7: Language Self-Evaluation and Foreign Language Evaluation.  If you need a second language evaluator when a second language is required for your project, be sure to indicate this in the Preliminary Question 3. However, we will only accept one FLE for the same language. If you do not see Form 7 in your online application, click on the link in the upper right-hand box update my answers and click the correct button in question 3.
   
2. Register your Evaluator in Step F:  Reference/Evaluation:  Click the “Register Referee/ Evaluator” button and complete contact information for the evaluator.
3. Make sure that your evaluator knows that you have registered them for electronic submission of the FLE.
4. If the evaluation is based on an in-person interview, make arrangements to meet with the evaluator, allowing them to complete and submit the Foreign Language Evaluation electronically prior to the application submission deadline.
5. Check the online status of your References/Evaluation(s) frequently.  You may view the status of the references/evaluation for registered evaluators at any time by logging into the online application and going to Step F: Reference/Evaluation.  You will be informed by email when a registered evaluator submits an online reference on your behalf.
6. If the evaluator did not receive the registration email or loses their login information, you can contact Technical Support via email from the Online Application and give Tech Support the person’s name and email address.

Note that you have the option to register either Referees or a Language Evaluator.  It is important that you take care to register the Evaluator for the FLE so that they receive the correct form.

If your Language Evaluator is also a Referee:  The online system only allows you to register a person with the same email address once (whether for a reference or FLE.) You have two options.

• If the evaluator/referee has another email address, you may use the second address to register them for the second form.  

• If the evaluator/referee does not have a second email address, decide whether you want the person to complete the FLE or reference.  Then, ask another person to provide you with the Language Evaluation or reference.