SEAFLI-Thai

SEAFLI-Thai

SEAFLI-Thai is a special initiative of the Boren Awards for International Study offering awardees the opportunity for intensive language study of Thai and for cultural immersion by participating in domestic summer and fall overseas language programs. Participants in the program may start with no language proficiency through advanced proficiency in Thai.

Launched in 2023, the program aims to increase the number of Boren Scholars and Fellows engaged in the study of the Thai language. It is sponsored by the National Security Education Program (NSEP). The summer program is administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and overseas by the American Councils for International Education.

Students participate in a full-time domestic summer program offered at UW-Madison. Students will then travel abroad to Chiang Mai, Thailand for a full-time 2024 language and culture study fall semester. Requests for additional study through the 2025 spring semester can be made to Boren during the application process. All participants must complete both the summer domestic and fall abroad programs.

Learning in the fall will consist of intensive small-group language instruction in class and conversational sessions with language partners in a range of settings. Informal program components include homestays with local families, excursions, and cultural events.

A full-time Resident Director (RD) oversees each learning center. The RD serves as a liaison between faculty, administrators, and participants. Additionally, the RD monitors the academic and cultural programs and assists participants as they adjust (or re-adapt) to life in their host countries.