Foreign Language Scholarships
Demand is High for Multi-Lingual Professionals and Translators
The study of foreign languages has always been a popular course of college study and now perhaps more so than ever. Scholarships are quite plentiful from federal sources to college scholarships. There is no limit to the career path for a foreign language major since nearly all fields require professionals versed in a foreign language.
As the world becomes more connected, business and industry become increasingly multicultural and multi-lingual, hence the demand for foreign language experts.
Government Programs
Undergraduate students approved for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships may qualify for the Critical Need Language Supplement. Gilman Scholars are chosen from those most disadvantaged, but who are still academically motivated to study abroad. The Critical Need Language Supplement is only given to those who are willing to study languages such as Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish, among others. Awards are $3,000.
The National Flagship Language Program, a part of the National Security Education Program, furnishes scholarships to graduate students who are interested in studying advanced levels of critical need languages, or those most necessary to national security. Applicable languages include Arabic, Chinese, Russian and a number of others. The program involves a stateside program and an abroad program. The hitch is that recipients must be willing to work for the federal government following graduation, since this is a scholarship for service program.
College Scholarships
Ohio State University’s Foreign Language Center serves as the clearinghouse for foreign language scholarships:
- Huntington International Fellowships are uniquely designed to prepare students heading into business, industry or education for a career with multi-cultural aspects. Applicants must be interested in exploring a language and culture up close and personally with a focused intent on using it for professional goals. Scholarships are at least $1,000.
- Scholarships through the Office of International Education.
The Committee on Constitutional Cooperation sponsors the Foreign Language Enhancement Program, an opportunity for students from a dozen colleges who wish to study a foreign language not typically studied; so no Spanish or German here. However, applicants wishing to study Arabic or Chinese among others may garner valuable scholarship money to study at a partner CIC University.
Students studying foreign languages at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, should explore their options for the following scholarships:
- Foreign Language Advisory Committee Scholarships offer one outstanding scholar up to $1,250. Applicants may use the funds for study abroad program if they choose to and must be a declared major in the foreign language department.
- Alliance Francaise of Birmingham Scholarships clearly go to a French major. Up to $1,500 is given away to the most talented student.
- Alliance Francaise of Birmingham Study Abroad Scholarships are similar to the above, but the $1,000 is earmarked for a study abroad program.
- Spanish Pre-Med Scholarships offer a $500 award to the Spanish student who will be continuing onto a medical program of study.
- Spanish Scholarships go to an outstanding Spanish major who is new to the department. Awards are $750.
- NEXOS: Spanish Study Abroad Scholarship goes to a student heading off to a study abroad program. Up to $1,000.
Mac Anderson Scholarships awarded by Duke University are $1,500 awards for study abroad programs. These are awarded to Foreign Language majors based on academic merit and with preference given to students from North Carolina or those who have a career requirement for the language.
Don’t stop here in your scholarship search. Almost all colleges and universities offer a well-established foreign language program and you will find that many also offer their own scholarships, however modest.
