With support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Southeast East Asian Language Council (SEALC) and the Graduate Education and Training in Southeast Asian Studies (GETSEA) consortia awards financial assistance to students who incur tuition fees when studying a Southeast Asian language via synchronous distance learning during the academic year at an institution other than their home institution.
This award is intended to facilitate cross-institutional collaboration and increase access to Southeast Asian language instruction. Eligibility requires that the proficiency-oriented course is credit-bearing at a North American institution and that the applicant is a full-time student at a North American institution. Priority will be given to graduate students, but all are encouraged to apply.
SEALC and GETSEA encourage applicants to consider attending the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) which serves as an excellent resource for summer language instruction. This award is intended to improve access during the academic year so that students can obtain multi-year instruction in a timely manner.
What does the assistance cover?
The award provides tuition reimbursement, minus a modest contribution from the student, for synchronous distance learning of a SE Asian language taught by a lecturer at a North American institution. Applications for tutoring arrangements or courses taught by FLTAs will not be accepted.
Application Deadline: The deadline for the 2025 – 26 academic year is July 14, 2025. Applications will only be considered complete once the SEALC has received 1) the online application and 2) a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s advisor, submitted via email to southeastasialanguagecouncil@gmail.com. Please direct your questions to southeastasialanguagecouncil@gmail.com.
Link to Application: tinyurl.com/getsealc25
Language Conversation Groups
Together, SEALC and GETSEA are also sponsoring the facilitation of virtual conversation groups for all of the Southeast Asian languages regularly taught in North America: Burmese/Myanmar, Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog/Filipino, Thai, and Vietnamese.
If you are currently an undergraduate or graduate student at a North American institution and have previously taken a Southeast Asian language or are currently taking one, we invite you to sign up for our virtual language conversation groups. If you are an instructor and interested in facilitating a language conversation group, please reach out to us at getsea@cornell.edu.
Language conversation groups are a great way to increase your confidence and conversational skill in the language that you are practicing. You will also be able to make connections with other language learners from all across North America.
In Spring 2025, there are two groups currently running:
Vietnamese: More details are available on the website here.
Thai: Join us for the Thai Language Table Virtual Session! Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, this is a great opportunity to practice speaking Thai in a relaxed environment. Connect with fellow learners, ask questions, and improve your fluency through engaging conversations. Don’t miss out on this chance to immerse yourself in the language and culture. See you there! https://shorturl.at/xOiSF
Thursdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, and May 1
11am HST/2pm PST/4pm CST/5pm EST
SEALC-GETSEA Virtual Language Institute
SEALC and GETSEA have recently announced the launch of the SEALC-GETSEA Virtual Language Institute. This institute intends to make Southeast Asian language courses more accessible during the academic year, enabling students to enroll in virtual, synchronous language courses. More information can be found on the SEALC website.