Finding grants and scholarships for foreign language study

Finding free money for foreign language study 101
On campus | At the library | Local organizations | Federal and State Financial Aid | Free online scholarship databases
Grants for Foreign Language Study | Study Abroad Scholarships
Grants & Fellowships for Graduate & Post-Graduate Foreign Language Study

Finding money for foreign language study:
Where should I begin?

Every year, 1000s of dollars worth of scholarship and grant money goes unclaimed simply because nobody applies for it. Some of that money could be yours. You just need to know where to start looking for it. These pages are meant to put you on the right path to finding those funds. Use our resources to find scholarships to fit your needs. Then complete and send the applications and wait for the money to roll in!

NOTE: Don't pass up the opportunity to register to win a free $10,000 scholarship for yourself or a family member. To enter the drawing, all you need to do complete the free registration at FreeScholarshipGuide.com. The next $10,000 scholarship will be awarded June 30th, 2008. Upon registration for either scholarship, you will also receive a free, downloadable, and up-to-date 120-page scholarship guide with information on over 1000 scholarships.

Use free scholarship search databases

The Internet is an excellent resource for locating scholarship monies -- but remember, these databases are available internationally and you are far from the only one looking. However, some programs award multiple scholarships every year -- sometimes dozens. In addition, your individual situation might give you the edge you need to win an award. We've screened and listed the best free scholarship databases below. Each contains detailed and up-to-date information on 100s of thousands of scholarships.

: Free scholarship search to find information on more than 1.3 million scholarships specifically matched to your qualifications and needs. Free registration required -- the benefit of which is that you can return to your list later with your username and password without re-entering the information needed to match you with scholarships every time. It also keeps track of new scholarships that you qualify for and adds them to your profile and even e-mails you notifications, if you choose. After checking several free scholarship databases, this is by far the most streamlined, most accurate, most robust free scholarship search engine available.

Other benefits of free registration: an opt-in newsletter with tips on applications, admissions, career planning, etc.; access to articles and resources containing expert advice on scholarship applications, internships, finding a job, etc.; access to tools such as cost calculators, glossaries, and sample scholarship essays; opt-in e-mail notification of new scholarships you are eligible for; opt-in e-mail reminders of approaching scholarship deadlines. And there's even more. And because registration is free, you have absolutely nothing to lose and lots of free money to gain!

Mach25 Scholarship Search: Simple scholarship search database. Type in the name of the language you are interested in. Because the search is free and no registration is required, the search engine turns up scholarships you might not be eligible for (e.g. university specific, region specific, etc.). Browse through the list to narrow it to those you qualify for.

Ask on campus

Though most people nowadays begin online, truly one of best places to focus your search for financial aid for foreign language study is right on your home campus. Visit your campus financial aid office, study abroad office, and foreign language departments and inquire about available funding. Some scholarship monies are need-based, others are awarded based on academic merit. Some awards might be limited to foreign language majors or minors. If you haven't done so already, consider declaring a primary or secondary major in a language; this might make you eligible for scholarships -- both on and off campus -- that you would otherwise not be qualified to receive.

Also don't overlook the possibility that other departments are offering assistance for foreign study. Scan your college catalogue or visit other departments that interest you for information about department-specific programs and scholarships. Many times scholarships and programs of foreign study are available to students in such fields as business, engineering, anthropology, art history, and music.

Because campus-based scholarships are much less competitive than those that accept applications on a national level, the probability that you will receive one is much higher.

Visit the library

While you're on campus, don't forget your university or local library as a useful source of information. Most libraries will have on hand the latest or at least recent copies of financial aid, scholarship, grant, and fellowship directories. Most such books will be located in the reference area of the library and will have a call number starting with LB. Good general reference books to look for are:

Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes: This Peterson's guide has not only a section on Foreign Language grants but also sections devoted to area studies scholarships, including African Studies, Area/Ethnic Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, German Studies, International Studies, and Near and Middle East Studies.

The Financial Aid Book: This guide takes a different approach. Grants and scholarships are listed alphabetically and indexed in the back in a multitude of categories to direct eligible applicants to all possible scholarships.

The Scholarship Book: The Complete Guide to Private-Sector Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans, by David Cassidy: The book is divided into subject areas. Foreign Languages and Literatures appears under the heading Humanities, for which Cassidy lists more generalized scholarships that might also be applicable. The category Area Studies appears under Social Sciences.

The Scholarship Advisor, by Chris Vuturo: More of a how-to book for seeking out scholarships and putting together winning applications.

While the general books contain information about grants that that can be used for foreign language study, books specific to study abroad almost always contain information about financing study in a foreign country. Some useful books are:

Peterson's Study Abroad: This Peterson's guide has brief sections on paying for study abroad and getting credits recognized toward degree programs.

Free Money for Foreign Study: A Guide to More Than 1,000 Grants and Scholarships for Study Abroad, by Laurie Blum (1992)

Financial Aid for Research and Creative Activities Abroad, by Gail Ann Schlachter (2005)

Check local organizations

After taking inventory of all the resources available on campus to financially support your language study, start looking around in your local community. You might inquire on campus or browse the telephone book for names of local or regional heritage groups or language associations: Sons of Italy chapters, German clubs, Hispanic heritage groups, Chinese-American associations -- heritage groups such as these abound, as do regional language associations of foreign language teachers, some general and some language-specific. Be sure to check in your hometown as well as in the town where your college or university is located. Local organizations tend to like to support people from their locale.

After gathering a list of organizations, call or visit each group that is relevant to your studies and inquire about scholarship opportunities. And don't overlook other community groups and local chapters of national and international associations such as the Kiwanis, the Lion's Club, the Rotary Club, and Knights of Columbus. Like the campus-based scholarships, a great advantage to these types of scholarships is that they are awarded on a regional basis; application pools are much smaller than for national scholarships and your chances of being awarded grants are much greater.

Apply for federal financial aid

You have absolutely nothing to lose, except perhaps a few hours of your time, by applying for financial aid from the federal government. And you have everything to gain. The US government sponsors several kinds of need-based aid packages to finance your college education, from Pell Grants, to Work Study, to Stafford Loans. Many students don't realize that government educational grants and loans may also be used to study abroad. You can fill out the application, known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, online at the US Department of Education FAFSA website.

When you fill out the FAFSA, you are not only being considered for federal funding, but also state financial aid programs. The federal government forwards your information on to your state for evaluation. Because state deadlines differ, be sure you get your FAFSA in early to be eligible for state aid awards -- by March 1st is early enough for most states, but double check with your state to be certain. You can obtain information about your state's financial aid programs by contacting the Department of Education in your state. Contact information and web addresses for state departments of education are here.

Finding money for language study
Top | On campus | At the library | Local organizations | Federal & state aid | Free online scholarship databases

Finding money for foreign language study 101
Grants for Foreign Language Study | Study Abroad Scholarships
Grants & Fellowships for Graduate & Postgraduate Foreign Language Study

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Finding grants and scholarships for foreign language study