Under the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program, the Secretary awards fellowships, through institutions of higher education, to students who are—

(a) Enrolled for undergraduate or graduate training in a Center or program approved by the Secretary under this part; and

(b) Undergoing performance-based modern foreign language training or training in a program for which performance-based modern foreign language instruction is being developed, in combination with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional studies.

(a) The Secretary awards an allocation of fellowships to an institution of higher education or to a consortium of institutions of higher education that—

(1) Operates a Center or program approved by the Secretary under this part;

(2) Teaches modern foreign languages under a program described in paragraph (b) of this section; and

(3) In combination with the teaching described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section—

(i) Provides instruction in the disciplines needed for a full understanding of the area, regions, or countries in which the foreign languages are commonly used; or

(ii) Conducts training and research in international studies, the international aspects of professional and other fields of study, or issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries.

(b) In teaching those modern foreign languages for which an allocation of fellowships is made available, the institution must be either using a program of performance-based training or developing a performance-based training program.

(c) The Secretary uses the criteria in § 657.21 both to approve Centers and programs for the purpose of receiving an allocation of fellowships and to evaluate applications for an allocation of fellowships.

(d) An institution does not need to receive a grant under the National Resource Center Program (34 CFR part 656) to receive an allocation of fellowships under this part.

A student is eligible to receive a fellowship if the student—

(a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States; or

(2) Is a permanent resident of the United States;

(b) Is accepted for enrollment or is enrolled—

(1) In an institution receiving an allocation of fellowships; and

(2) In a program that combines modern foreign language training with—

(i) Area or international studies; or

(ii) Research and training in the international aspects of professional and other fields of study;

(c) Shows potential for high academic achievement based on such indices as grade point average, class ranking, or similar measures that the institution may determine;

(d) Is enrolled in a program of modern foreign language training in a language for which the institution has developed or is developing performance-based instruction;

(e) In the case of an undergraduate student, is in the intermediate or advanced study of a less commonly taught language; or

(f) In the case of a graduate student, is engaged in—

(1) Predissertation level study;

(2) Preparation for dissertation research;

(3) Dissertation research abroad; or

(4) Dissertation writing.

The following regulations apply to this program:

(a) The regulations in 34 CFR part 655.

(b) The regulations in this part 657.

The following definitions apply to this part:

(a) The definitions in 34 CFR 655.4.

(b) Center means an administrative unit of an institution of higher education that has direct access to highly qualified faculty and library resources, and coordinates a concentrated effort of educational activities, including training in modern foreign languages and various academic disciplines, in its subject area.

(c) Fellow means a person who receives a fellowship under this part.

(d) Fellowship means the payment a fellow receives under this part.

(e) Program means a concentration of educational resources and activities in modern foreign language training and related studies.