Matilda W. Sinclaire Language Awards

About this program

The American Foreign Service Association offers up to 10 annual Matilda W. Sinclaire Language Awards of $1,500 each to recognize outstanding achievement in studying Category III or IV “Sinclaire Languages” and their associated cultures. Eligible nominees are career or career-conditional Foreign Service members, including non-tenured entry-level officers, from the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce, USAID, APHIS, USAGM, and related Foreign Service agencies. Nominees may not be native or heritage speakers of the language or prior awardees unless applying for a different language, and must demonstrate exceptional proficiency relative to their training through official testing or other documented evidence. Nominations, submitted by supervisors or language instructors through AFSA’s CommunityForce portal, are due August 21, 2026.