CASA Fellowship
The CASA program provides advanced Arabic students with the opportunity to participate in a fully-funded academic year of Arabic study in Cairo or Amman. With your support CASA can continue offering opportunities for students to pursue their language and career goals.
Eligibility
Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents. They also must fall into one of the following categories: (a) current graduate students (e.g., PhD or MA student); (b) undergraduate students in their junior or senior year; or (c) holders of either a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Non-US citizens may apply as a PYOW participant.
Applicants should complete at least 3 years of formal instruction in Arabic prior to applying to the CASA program. If you have had two years along with an intensive summer program and feel you are ready to apply, you are welcome to do so. The Selection Exam, which is part of the application process, will help determine your level of proficiency.
Application & Instructions
The CASA I application process includes the following components:
- APPLICATION – You must first submit your application to CASA using the link below.
Applications will not be considered until we receive your Application Fee*:
– $85 for those currently enrolled in a Consortium Member school, or
– $105 for Non-Consortium schools.
*This year’s fee includes $20 towards the pre-program OPI for all applicants. The rest of the cost is subsidized by the CASA program. - SELECTION EXAMS – Taking a Selection Exam to assess listening, reading, writing and oral proficiency skills is part of the application process. The exam results will be an important criterion in the selection process. Once you have completed your application, please review the Exam page carefully to learn how to register for all sections of this exam. Below is an overview of the exam components.
- The Reading, Listening and Writing Exams, should be taken with a proctor from your campus. The date will be relayed to you approximately two weeks before the exam.Please see the Exam page for payment and registration instructions
- Exam Fees: $130 for all three exams ($20/ exam extra for web-based proctors if you do not use an in-person proctor for all three sections). Fees must be paid when you register with the exam company.
- The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) will be taken by scheduling an appointment with certified test administrators. CASA will share a link for scheduling a time for your interview with those who apply in the week after the deadline.
- Exam Fees: $20 towards the pre-program OPI is included in the application fee. The rest of the cost is subsidized by the CASA program.
- The Reading, Listening and Writing Exams, should be taken with a proctor from your campus. The date will be relayed to you approximately two weeks before the exam.Please see the Exam page for payment and registration instructions
Additional Funding Due to limited CASA funding, we advise you to apply for outside funds in advance to support your participation in CASA. There are more spaces available than we can fund, so if you are able to cover your own expenses, it may help to ensure your participation.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
For those who applied last year, you can import your answers from last year’s application to save time! Here’s how:
Login with your previous credentials, click on “Choose Action” drop down button in the upper right corner, select “Import Responses from Existing Application.” Scroll down to see that your dash board shows the imported information in this year’s application. Please review all information to confirm accuracy and feel free to change any references, update transcripts, or your statement of purpose as needed.
For those completing the application for the first time, you should be prepared to upload or enter the following:
- Transcripts of any universities, colleges, or institutes that you have attended (please use unofficial transcripts if necessary so you can upload them yourself; we only need through the Summer prior to your application year; DO NOT MAIL TRANSCRIPTS).
- Proctor information is crucial for your exam logistics to go smoothly. Carefully review the parameters on Identifying a Proctor. Once you have confirmed the proctor that is available at your institution, enter their Name, Job Title, Institution, Department, Email, and Phone number into the application. (IMPORTANT: This does NOT mean you are registered for the exam. Make sure to read instruction on the Exam page to register after you have submitted your application.)
- Reference Information (Name and Email for 3 references – preferably 1 language professor and 2 professors from other subject areas; you may use non-faculty, but any reference should be able to speak to your academic background.) Once you enter the name and email address, your reference will receive a message with a link to upload their letter of recommendation to the application by the deadline. It is preferred that they upload a personally signed letter on letterhead as a PDF, but they will also have the option to type in their letter (or copy/paste it). The letter may be in Arabic if helpful.
- Statement of Purpose (max. 500 words) Please identify your disciplinary concentration, and explain the centrality of Arabic to your academic and professional career as well as the objectives you hope to fulfill from participation in CASA.
Please make sure to review and understand the following topics before applying!
- CASA Selection Exam *This is a required component of your application! Important to review and follow instructions on this page.
- Application Fees *Required for your application to be considered complete.
- Pay Your Own Way
Application Software Tips: The application is designed so that you can easily work on it over time – you can save your work and return to it later. Make sure to save before returning to the dashboard or closing out to be safe. The application has various sections that will not permit you to proceed without fully completing certain fields. Please answer all required questions or the application will be considered INCOMPLETE. To submit your application, all sections must read 100% and you may click the Final Review and Submit button in the upper right corner of the dashboard. If you have any technical issues or concerns while completing the application, please email CASA@email.arizona.edu.