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Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships

 

Study Abroad & Language Learning Fellowships

Study or Research Abroad Fellowships

GW Graduate Study Abroad

Chateaubriand Fellowship: research in France

Fulbright-Hays--Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad: dissertation research in a variety of countries; contact [email protected] for more information

Fulbright US Student Program: variety of countries

George J. Mitchell Scholarship: study in Ireland

Luce Scholars: study in Asia

Title VIII Combined Research & Language Training Program: research in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe

Sigur Center Grants & Fellowships: summer field research grants in Asia for GW students

Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center Research Fellowship Program: research in Oman

Think Swiss Research Scholarship: research in Switzerland

American-Scandanavian Foundation Fellowships: research in Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sámpi, and Sweden 

Luce Foundation Scholars: immersion experience in Asia for young professionals

Language Learning Fellowships

Many organizations and foreign governments offer fellowship opportunities for graduate students looking to learn a new language or improve their existing language skills.

The Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships has compiled the list of opportunities below for a variety of world languages. Graduates students are encouraged to seek additional information about funding opportunities from their school-specific study abroad and career services. 

Various Languages
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation - invites full-time students who will be or who are currently enrolled in a graduate program in communication sciences and disorders to apply for graduate scholarships. Scholarships are available to students who are undergraduate seniors or who are currently pursuing master's or doctoral degrees. Both research and clinical doctorate candidates are eligible. International Student Scholarship: for international students studying in the United States. Only non-U.S. citizens are eligible. Minority Student Scholarship: for students who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group and are U.S. citizens. 
  • Blakemore Freeman Fellowships - Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are awarded for one academic year of full-time, intensive language study at the advanced level in East or Southeast Asia in approved language programs. Applicants must have a well-defined career objective involving Asia in which regular use of the language is an important aspect; the potential to make a significant contribution to a field of study or area of professional or business activity in an Asian country; prior experience in the Asian country or involvement or participation in activities related to the country; and a good academic, professional, or business background appropriate to the career program. The fellowship covers tuition or tutoring fees, plus a stipend for travel, living and study expenses.
  • Boren Scholarships - An initiative of the National Security Education Program, Boren Scholarships fund undergraduate study abroad with a focus on less commonly taught languages and countries traditionally underrepresented by study abroad programs. In exchange, Scholars agree to work for the federal government for at least one year after graduation.
  • The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program - A program of the U.S. Department of State, the CLS Program is a fully funded overseas summer immersion program promoting the study of critical languages. Languages currently offered include: Azerbaijani, Bangla, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Swahili, Turkish, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian. The CLS Program is administered by American Councils for International Education.
  • Davis Peace Fellowships - awarded to 12 languages and cover tuition, room, and board for one summer at any level of study at the Middlebury Language School.
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Program - A program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Student Program offers recent college graduates, post-graduate scholars, and young professionals grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs.
  • Fulbright Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) - The Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) is a feature of the U.S. Student Fulbright Program, which provides an opportunity for some Fulbright U.S. Student grantees to receive 3-6 months of intensive language study as an enhancement to their Fulbright grants. They must be approved by local Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies in the host countries. CLEA is offered to students once they have been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student grant, which requires that they use one of the eligible languages for their Fulbright project and beyond. Eligible countries include Taiwan, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, and Morocco.
  • Project Global Officer (Project GO) Scholarships - A Department of Defense initiative administered by the Institute of International Education, Project GO provides funding to ROTC students for critical language study both at home and overseas.
  • The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program - Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Fellowship provides funding for the final year of undergraduate study and first year of graduate study in a field related to the Foreign Service (including specialization in a language). Successful completion leads to employment by the Foreign Service.
  • Golden Key Joan Nelson Study Abroad Scholarship - The Joan Nelson Study Abroad Scholarship is a $5,000 award given to a Golden Key International Honour Society member to be used toward overseas study.
  • Phi Sigma Iota Scholarships - The International Foreign Language Honor Society offers multiple academic scholarships each year for members; applicants should inquire through local chapters.
American Sign Language (ASL)
Arabic
Chinese - Mandarin
French
  • Annette Kade Scholarships - Provided by study abroad membership organization ISEP, the Scholarship helps to fund study abroad programs in French or German for undergraduates at member universities.
  • Campus France Grant Search Engine - Organized by Campus France, a French national agency for higher-ed and international students, the database allows applicants to search for grants based on personal criteria
  • French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development Scholarships - The Ministry, as well as other French government and private agencies listed on their site, offers a wide variety of scholarships to encourage international students to study abroad in France.
  • Pi Delta Phi Scholarships - The National French Honor Society offers several full scholarships for summer-session language study to members of active chapters.
  • Walter Jensen Scholarship for Study Abroad - The American Association of Teachers of French awards one annual scholarship to help fund a study abroad experience in a Francophone country for a future teacher of French.
German
  • DAAD Scholarships and Opportunities - The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers multiple options for international students seeking financial support – all to be found in their extensive Scholarship Database. Undergraduate possibilities include financial assistance for programs in German studies, intensive language training, summer language study taught exclusively in German, and parliamentary experience, to name a few! Applicants can review the complete list here.
  • Delta Phi Alpha Scholarships - The National German Honor Society awards multiple scholarships – including study abroad and future teacher – to members from active chapters.
  • Deutschlandstipendium Scholarships -The German Government matches contributions from private individuals, businesses, and foundations to provide students at participating German universities with a monthly stipend to support their studies. Scholars also receive non-financial support in the form of mentoring, networking events, and internships.
  • Scholarships from Various German Foundations, a list compiled by Studentenwerk Berlin - Studentenwerk Berlin provides a comprehensive list of foundations which offer scholarships to German and international students studying in Germany.
Greek
  • AHEPA Educational Foundation Scholarship - The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) grants multiple awards of up to $2,000 to high school seniors and university students who are active members of the AHEPA Family or who are the child of an AHEPA (or affiliated group) member.
  • MGSA Constantinides Memorial Translation Prize - Administered by the Modern Greek Studies Association, and open to students, scholars, and anyone else who has knowledge of the Greek language, the scholarship awards $500 for a work translated into English.
  • American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) - Founded in 1881, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) is the most significant resource in Greece for American scholars in the fields of Greek language, literature, history, archaeology, philosophy, and art, from pre-Hellenic times to the present. It offers two major research libraries: the Blegen, with over 100,000 volumes dedicated to the ancient Mediterranean world; and the Gennadius, with over 120,000 volumes and archives devoted to post-classical Hellenic civilization and, more broadly, the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean.
Hebrew
Hindi / Urdu
  • Bose Program for U.S. Scholars - The Program provides a stipend, airfare, and other resources so that U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) fields may conduct research at top Indian universities.
  • Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program – Hindi and Urdu - Run by the U.S. Department of State, the CLS Program is a fully funded overseas summer immersion program promoting the study of critical languages, including both Hindi and Urdu.
  • American Institute of Indian Studies Language Programs - The AIIS Language Program offers nine-month academic year, summer and semester courses at elementary to advanced levels in many languages, including several that are rarely taught outside of India. The eligibility requirements vary depending on the particular program. Academic-year program students may compete for full fellowships funded through the U.S. Department of Education; summer program applicants should seek funding from their home institutions or through the Critical Language Scholarships program (for Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu), but may also be considered for a limited number of partial scholarships from AIIS.
Italian
Japanese
  • Asian Pacific Fund Scholarships - The Fund administers 12 scholarship programs that provide financial support to undergraduate and graduate students; criteria range widely and include academic major, ethnicity, parent’s occupation, and place of residence.
  • Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS) Academic Year Fellowship: This fellowship provides support to graduate students interested in studying Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian or Turkish.
  • Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program – Japanese - Run by the U.S. Department of State, the CLS Program is a fully funded overseas summer immersion program promoting the study of critical languages, including Japanese.
  • Foundation for Asia Pacific Education Scholarships - The Foundation provides monetary awards to U.S. and Canadian students for study abroad expenses in a select number of Asian countries.
  • Japanese American Citizen’s League (JACL) National Scholarships - JACL currently offers over 30 scholarship opportunities to League members planning to attend university full-time, no matter their ethnic background.
  • Japan Foundation Grant Programs - Japan Foundation offers several types of grant opportunities, including funding for students, teachers, institutions and organizations.
  • Japanese Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarships (and external funding source pamphlet)
  • JASSO offers international students a variety of scholarships for study at Japanese universities and language institutes—including options for science majors, privately-financed students, and short exchanges. They have also compiled an extensive pamphlet entitled “Scholarship for International Students in Japan” which breaks down a multitude of external monetary awards available to international students by participating institution, amount, visa type, and other criteria.
  • Mizuho International Foundation Foreign Students Scholarship Program
  • The Foundation supplies scholarships to ten Japanese universities each year, who in turn suggest candidates for the award; students should inquire at their preferred university to determine if they are a participating institution.
  • Mansfield Fellowship Program: established by the U.S. Congress in 1994 to build a corps of U.S. federal government employees with proficiency in the Japanese language and practical, firsthand knowledge about Japan and its government.
Korean
Latin
  • American Classical League (ACL) Scholarships - ACL scholarships are awarded to League members and may be applied to expenses incurred for summer Latin study, participation at the ACL Institute, Latin Certification classes, or purchases at the ACL Teaching Materials and Resource Center.
  • National Junior Classical League (NJCL) Scholarships - The NJCL offers multiple funding opportunities to student members pursuing classical studies; students must be present at the annual convention to win.
Native American Languages
  • American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) Scholarships - AIGC grants a variety of undergraduate and graduate awards yearly, each with its own criteria.
  • Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship - The Foundation awards funding to college sophomores and juniors working toward careers in policy, health, and environmental issues.
  • The Northern California Indian Development Council has also curated an extensive list of regional and national scholarships available to students of Native American descent.
Norwegian
  • Norwegian Government Scholarships - The Norwegian government offers a variety of scholarship resources for students interested in studying abroad in Norway or studying Norwegian. 
Persian / Farsi
Portuguese
  • Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I. P. Scholarship Program - Camões, I.P., a Portuguese public institute, offers several scholarships for both academic-year and summer-session study of Portuguese language and culture at approved institutions.
  • National PALCUS Scholarships (and partial list of external awards) - The Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States offers an annual $1,000 award to students of Portuguese ancestry. The Council has also compiled on their site a partial list of other organizations which offer ancestry-based awards to Portuguese-American students.
Russian
Spanish
Turkish