The Ultimate List of Scholarships for Languages

Updated on May 20th, 2024

Pursing scholarships for languages can be a great way to make college more affordable. Many students find language fascinating. They may relish in the idea of speaking fluently with people from other countries or want to explore the nuances of how words are structured and change throughout the ages.

Whether your student is interested in majoring in a foreign language or intends to study linguistics, there are a surprising number of opportunities available.

Here’s a look at scholarships for languages, covering many of the related majors.

Scholarships for Languages

In most cases, scholarships for languages fall into two primary categories: foreign language scholarships and linguistics scholarships. Foreign language and linguistics are very different majors to pursue, so they often have unique scholarships available. However, they all fall under the larger “language” umbrella, so the awards can be considered scholarships for language majors regardless.

Foreign Language Scholarships

Scholarships for foreign language majors are relatively common. While a few are open to students at any school, many are institutional awards. As a result, your student would have to enroll at that specific college to be eligible.

Additionally, certain foreign language scholarships are open to students who are majoring in one of several languages. Here are some awards that aren’t restricted to a single language:

• Angela Ferretti Scholarship in Romance Languages (CUNY grad students only)
• Boren Awards Scholarships
• Catharine Gould Chism Scholarship (University of Puget Sound students only)
• Corinne Jennine Schillings Foundation Academic Scholarship to Study a Foreign Language
• Eugene Savaiano Scholarship in Romance Languages (Wichita State University students only)
• FLAS Fellowships (University of Southern California students only)
• Foreign Language Scholarships (St. John Fisher College students only)
• KOR Memorial Scholarship
• Modern Languages Scholarships (Carthage College students only)
• Phi Signa Iota Society Scholarships (must be a member)
• Project GO Scholarships (must be an ROTC student)
• Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program
• TSJCL Lourania Miller & Gareth Morgan Scholarships for High School Seniors

It’s important to understand that scholarships for foreign language majors can focus on a particular language. For example, Spanish language scholarships may require students to major or minor in Spanish, and students studying other languages aren’t eligible for those awards.

Here are some additional scholarships that are focused on single languages:

Scholarships for Spanish Majors

Spanish language scholarships are

• Charles L. Brungardt Endowed Scholarship (Wichita State University students only)
• Harold and Dorothy Froning Scholarship (Wichita State University students only)
• Joseph E. and Betty Adams Angulo Endowed Scholarship (Wichita State University students only)

Scholarships for Chinese Language Study

• Language Flagship Chinese Program

Russian Language Scholarships

• Russian Major Scholarship (University of Minnesota students only)

Scholarships for German Majors

• Cress-Rennert Endowed Scholarship in German Studies (Wichita State University students only)
• Friends of German Studies Scholarship (Wayne State University students only)
• German College in the Schools Scholarship for Incoming Freshmen (University of Minnesota students only)
• German Scholarship Fund (Wayne State University students only)
• GSD Scholarship in German Studies (University of Minnesota students only)
• Uwe K. Faulhaber Endowed Scholarship (Wayne State University students only)

Italian Language Scholarships

• Julian E. and Margaret R. Miranda Scholarship for the Pursuit of Italian Studies (CUNY students of Italian parents only)

Scholarships for Arabic Majors

• Rouchdy-Fakhouri Endowed Scholarship Fund (Wayne State University students only)
• Salim Khaldieh Memorial Scholarship Fund (Wayne State University students only)

Scholarships for French Language Majors

• Helen Hoar Memorial French Scholarship (Minot University students only)

American Sign Language Scholarships

If your student is interested in becoming a sign language interpreter, a teacher for deaf students, or is simply interested in American Sign Language, ASL scholarship could help them pay for school or certification. Here are some of the awards that might be worth exploring:

• ASL Honor Society Scholarships
• Daniel H. Pokorny Memorial Scholarship Award
• Elizabeth Benson Scholarship Award
• Estelle Cameron Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the Hearing Impaired (Houston Community College students only)
• Evelyn Zola Scholarship
• Gerald “Bummy” Burstein Scholarship Award
• Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Scholarship
• Preston Bass Interpreter Scholarship

Linguistics Scholarships

Scholarships for linguistics majors are also available, allowing students who want to study the nature of languages a way to make college more affordable. Here are some of the linguistics scholarships that those majoring in the subject should explore:

• Assistantship for Doctoral Linguistics Students (University of Texas-Arlington students only)
• Cathy Miller Scholarship (University of Utah students only)
• Department of Language and Linguistics Scholarship (New Mexico State University students only)
• Linguistics Department Scholarship (University of Utah students only)
• TESL/Linguistics Scholarship (Oklahoma State University students only)

Scholarships to Study Abroad

In some cases, the easiest way to learn a language is for the student to immerse themselves in it. This approach often makes studying abroad a necessity, and, luckily, there are scholarships that can make it more affordable.

One option for finding scholarships to study abroad is for students to go to a college that offers institutional awards to assist their students with overseas studies. Typically, these schools can help students with making arrangements as well and will award them with college credit for their work while abroad.

Alternatively, students can opt to head overseas as an international student or take part in short-term programs offered through a range of organizations. If your student decides to explore the latter, they do need to keep their eyes open to avoid scams, as they are a bit prevalent.

Otherwise, students can always check out scholarship opportunities that aren’t limited to a particular major. Some scholarships can help students afford college regardless of what they intend to study. As long as they are enrolled at an approved school and meet the other criteria, they could be eligible for the award.

If you and your student want to learn more about finding scholarships for languages, sign up for our free college scholarship webinar! Head over to https://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to reserve your spot today.