A recent Cornell College of Engineering graduate reflects on language immersion, cultural connection, and his experience with the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program.

“The Critical Language Scholarship Taiwan program has been the most valuable cultural experience of my life.”

For Ezra Winston, a May 2026 graduate of Cornell University’s College of Engineering, the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program offered more than intensive Mandarin study. It provided an opportunity to build lasting relationships, immerse himself in Taiwanese culture, and discover how much language learning can happen beyond the classroom.

When he began the CLS Taiwan program, he expected formal classes to be the primary source of his language learning. Instead, some of his most meaningful progress happened at home, alongside the Taiwanese family who welcomed him as one of their own.

For two months, Ezra became an older brother to his two Taiwanese host sisters and a son to his host parents. They cooked for him, drove him to school, took him around the country, and introduced him to their friends. As their relationship grew, so did his confidence speaking Mandarin.

“The patience they showed me when it came to Mandarin speaking was exactly what I needed in order to improve,” he reflected. Before long, they could discuss many of the same topics he would have talked about in English.

The experience left an impression that extended well beyond the summer. He still calls his host family every week, and they are planning to visit him in the United States next year. He hopes to make them feel as welcome as they made him feel in Taiwan.

For Ezra, the experience demonstrated that learning a language is about more than vocabulary, grammar, and classroom instruction. It is also about building relationships, embracing unfamiliar situations, and finding ways to communicate even when you do not yet have all the words.

Explore the 2027 Critical Language Scholarship

The U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship program offers intensive summer language instruction and cultural immersion for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. Through a competitive, merit-based selection process, CLS provides participants with the opportunity to develop language skills and deepen their understanding of other cultures. The eight-week program offers instruction in nine languages overseas or virtually, with the goal of advancing participants’ language proficiency and preparing them to engage across cultures.

The following languages are offered in 2027:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• Hindi
• Japanese
• Korean
• Persian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Swahili

Since 2006, the CLS program has equipped more than 10,000 U.S. participants with language skills, regional knowledge, and global connections.

Interested in applying?

• Application deadline: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
• Apply: CLS Application Portal
• Learn more: CLS Information Sessions and Webinars

The CLS experience requires dedication, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from the world around you. For students ready to take on that challenge, it can offer far more than language proficiency: it can create relationships and memories that last long after the summer ends.