Scholarships for Non-Native English Speakers: A Comprehensive Guide

Studying abroad offers invaluable opportunities for personal and academic growth, including international experience, language acquisition, and cultural immersion. However, the financial burden can be a significant hurdle. Scholarships specifically designed for non-native English speakers can alleviate this burden, opening doors to global education. This article provides a comprehensive overview of these scholarships, their eligibility criteria, and the benefits they offer.

The Need for ESL Scholarships

The cost of studying abroad can be substantial. When students and their families factor in the cost of plane tickets, visa costs, passport costs, local transportation, fees, tuition, room and board, and incidentals, total costs can rise anywhere between $3,000-$10,000 per semester. Without scholarships, students’ only options are paying for these costs out-of-pocket or taking out loans. ESL (English as a Second Language) scholarships address this financial gap, making international education more accessible to a diverse range of students.

What are ESL Scholarships?

An ESL scholarship is a type of financial aid specifically designed for international students who are non-native English speakers and are enrolled or planning to enroll in an English language program or degree course taught in English. A typical aim of these scholarships is to help remove financial barriers for international students and to promote linguistic and cultural diversity within educational institutions.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for these scholarships can vary greatly and depend on the specific scholarship program. Typically, an applicant must:

Be a non-native English speaker.
Have a strong academic record.
Demonstrate financial need.
Be enrolled or accepted into an English language program or a degree course taught in English.

Some ESL scholarships may also require you to come from a specific country or region.

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

Coverage of ESL Scholarships

As for what these scholarships cover, that too can vary by program. Some may cover tuition for an English language program, while others can also include fees, room and board, textbooks, and even travel expenses in some cases.

ESL vs. Regular Scholarships

In contrast, regular scholarships usually cover a broader range of students and purposes. For instance, these may apply to any eligible student, irrespective of their nationality or language skills, pursuing any field of study. It's crucial to thoroughly research and understand the terms and conditions of specific ESL scholarships before applying.

Finding International Student Scholarships

International Scholarships are the primary form of financial assistance available to students who wish to study in another country. Students should also check with the school they’ll be attending to find out about other available scholarships for international students. Scholarships and other forms of financial aid are out there if you know where to look.

Types of International Scholarships

Similar to domestic scholarships, there are a number of different types of international scholarships out there.

Country-Specific: A number of countries offer scholarships exclusively to students from specific countries or regions of those countries.
Program-Specific: These scholarships take into account the field of study or career path you are pursuing.
Diversity: Being inclusive of as many cultures, ethnicities, races and other similar factors comes into play with international scholarships as it does with other types of financial aid.

Application Requirements

Most of the requirements are quite similar to domestic scholarships. However, with the latter, you would be more focused on the ACT or SAT. Citizen, you would need to submit the IELTS (international English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if you are going to be studying in an American University.

Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships

Like with any other scholarships, you really should begin researching the entire process and applying for any financial aid you are qualified to receive as early as you possibly can.

Featured Scholarship Programs

Here are some prominent scholarship programs that support non-native English speakers in their pursuit of international education:

U.S. Government Scholarships and Fellowships

For students willing to study in countries outside of Western Europe and open to learning a less-commonly taught or “critical” language, there are several US government scholarships and fellowships available. Less-commonly taught languages are usually broadly defined as non-Romance and non-Germanic languages. This definition also includes languages that may be considered “endangered”, where the native-speaking population is extremely small or the native speakers are unable or choose not to teach the language to younger generations. “Critical” languages are languages that the US government considers important for national security. Currently, this definition encompasses many languages spoken in the Middle East, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)

The “CLS” provides undergraduate and graduate students with intensive summer language in thirteen critical languages including: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Turkish, Hindi, Russian, Punjabi, and Indonesian, among others. The scholarship covers most if not all costs for the summer and provides international and domestic travel between your home and the institute program site, language instruction, room and board while in country, any applicable visa fees, entrance fees for cultural activities, and sponsored travel within the host country.

Boren Awards

The “Boren” is available for undergraduates (Boren Scholarship) and graduate students (Boren Fellow) and provides up to $20,000 for undergraduate students and up to $30,000 for graduate students to study abroad from a summer to an entire academic school year. national security and includes funding for learning languages such as Arabic, Uighur, Javanese, Lingala, and Czech. Unlike the CLS and NSLI-Y programs, students are expected to create their own study abroad program and find their own affiliate institution.

Read also: Scholarship Guide

Boren Awards Regional Flagship Language Initiatives offer undergraduate Boren Scholars and graduate Boren Fellows carefully-selected, credit-bearing language courses during the summer (domestic) and fall (overseas), with the option to continue overseas study into the spring. The majority of eligible students will apply for Boren Awards to fund overseas language study programs that they have identified themselves. Boren Fellows have additional guidelines for self-designed research, internship, and study programs. A specific subset of Boren Scholarships applicants already enrolled in The Language Flagship may receive funding for their Capstone year abroad.

Boren Awards funding in the 2027 application cycle may be applied to programs starting as early as June, 2027 or as late as March 1, 2028. (Note: Funding for program expenses incurred after May 31, 2028 is contingent upon availability and cannot be guaranteed at the time of award. Boren Awards funding must cover a continuous period of overseas study. Short mid-program trips out of the overseas destination of study are allowed but will need to be pre-approved by IIE.

All Boren Awards-funded programs must include language study within a classroom as a core element for the duration of the grant. Applicants are encouraged to select or design programs that will provide an immersive environment both in the classroom and through extracurricular activities in order to demonstrate their commitment to language study. Boren Scholars should seek study abroad programs that have a serious language component. Although such programs may include some coursework, unpaid internships, or volunteer opportunities conducted in English, the strongest applicants will make every effort to immerse themselves in language study. Language study should comprise the majority of overseas coursework. Boren Fellows must have a serious and significant language component in their overseas study proposals.

The Boren Awards do not have a minimum proficiency requirement for most languages. We recognize that courses in many of the preferred languages listed below are not available at most colleges and universities. There is also no maximum proficiency limit for the Boren Awards; many grantees begin their Boren Awards-funded study at an already-advanced level.

Boren Awards fund study in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

The Boren Awards give preference to applicants who will be matriculated in degree programs (i.e. majoring or double-majoring) in the following fields of study. The Boren Awards are available to students from other fields of study than those listed below.

Boren Fellows may conduct internships related to their degree programs while abroad. or a foreign government. Boren Fellows with sufficiently advanced skills in the target language may be able to conduct any of the above activities in that language. They are also encouraged to supplement those activities with language courses or tutoring.

The Boren Fellowships offer $5,000 for in-person, summer intensive language study. If requested, the maximum total combined domestic and overseas award amount is $30,000. Domestic funding is limited to the summer immediately before the applicant’s proposed program overseas. Therefore, in order to be eligible for domestic funding, the applicant must have an overseas program that starts no later than September 30. Domestic funding is for in-person language classes only.

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program hosts many different types of funding. The most well-known program consists of two main types of grants available to students who have at least completed an undergraduate degree- Study/Research and English Teaching Assistantship. Study/Research grants are granted to students conducting projects in the arts and academic fields and the ELA awards place Fulbright recipients in university classrooms to aid in teaching English to non-native English speakers. Unlike the other funding opportunities on this list, the awards are not limited to language study in less-commonly taught or “critical” languages. Awards are available for approximately 140 countries around the world, including countries in Western Europe and South America. Funding amounts vary but with some smart budgeting, a Fulbright recipient should be able to support his or herself for the duration of their time abroad. The US Student Fulbright Program provides financial assistance for international study and research or for teaching English overseas. Fulbright also has programs for the arts. Fulbright grants provide funding for round-trip airfare, living expenses for 8-10 months, health insurance, and sometimes tuition costs. Students applying to a Fulbright program may also be eligible for a Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA), which provides three to six months of intensive language study as an enhancement to the Fulbright grant.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The “Gilman” is for undergraduate students only and offers up to $5,000 to students with limited financial means “to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad”. In addition, if students are studying or using a “critical language” during his or her award, they are eligible to receive a $8,000 “Critical Need Award” from the Gilman Scholarship Program. Offers grants for undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. The program aims to encourage students to choose nontraditional destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia.

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

For the ambitious high school student, there is the NSLI-Y, or the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. Like many of the aforementioned programs, the NSLI-Y focuses on “critical needs” languages and is the high-school equivalent of the Critical Language Scholarship Program. However, the NSLI-Y also gives students the opportunity to study abroad for an academic semester or year. Students are paired with a host family and the scholarship covers room and board, in-country cultural excursions, orientation and support, tuition, round-trip travel from the participant’s home region and the host country, visa costs, and secondary medical benefits.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowships and Grants: Allows individuals to pursue research or study in any field in one or more Scandinavian country.
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program to Germany: Designed to give participants understanding for everyday life, education, and professional training in Germany.
DeKarman Fellowship: DeKarman fellowships are open to juniors in any discipline, including international students, with special consideration given to applicants in the Humanities.
English Program in Korea (EPIK): Seeks to improve the English speaking abilities of students and teachers in Korea, to develop cultural exchanges, and to reform teaching methodologies in English through teaching assistantships for native English speakers.
Gates-Cambridge: Gates Cambridge Scholarships are prestigious, highly competitive full-cost scholarships. They are awarded to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): citizens from any profession or field of study who show outstanding potential for future leadership. Applicants design individual projects tailored to their professional development and goals and decide at which institutions to pursue them in Germany. Individuals may also arrange internships, junior staff positions, or training/performance programs. Successful candidates in the past have come from fields such as the social and policy sciences, government, law, journalism, communications, management, finance, economics, architecture, arts, performing arts, humanities, public service, and environmental affairs. Command of German is not a prerequisite for application. However, before beginning the program, each scholar is expected to make an earnest effort to acquire German-language skills. Scholars with little or no prior knowledge of German are asked to undertake language training in the United States as soon as the scholarship is accepted, and to continue intensive, specialized German-language instruction while in Germany. The Humboldt Foundation covers the expenses associated with language training. The scholarship stipend consists of a monthly allowance to cover housing and living expenses, as well as travel expenses to and from Germany and the costs of the German language course, introductory seminar, study tour, and final meeting in Bonn.
Go! Huayu Enrichment Scholarship: The government of Taiwan offers a scholarship for students to study Chinese language in Taiwan. The scholarship provides a monthly stipend of NT $25000 (around $740). That should be more than enough to live on in Taiwan. It does not cover airfare to Taiwan or tuition, but tuition in Taiwan is inexpensive and you should be able to transfer your credits back to DePaul. The scholarships are normally for one year, although they will consider shorter term scholarships.
Japan: JASSO International Student Scholarship: A stipend is provided for selected students applying to DePaul programs in Japan. JASSO applicants may be issued their Certificate of Enrollment by the Study Abroad Office if necessary.
Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program: An international exchange and foreign language education program for college graduates.
Marshall: The Marshall Scholarship provides funding for one or two years of post-bachelor study at any college or university in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland).
Mitchell: The Mitchell Scholarship provides funding for a year of postgraduate study in Ireland.
The Qatar Scholarship Program: The Qatar Scholarship Program offers dedicated Arabic language students from the United States the opportunity to master their skills in an intensive Arabic language program at Qatar University (QU) in Doha for an entire academic year (September to June).
Rhodes: A Rhodes Scholarship provides funding for graduate study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The award covers all college and university fees, a personal stipend of approximately £13,000 per annum, health insurance, and round-trip airfare.
Turkish Coalition of America: A diverse array of scholarship programs that supports the educational mission of the coalition. One of these programs provides up to 100 scholarships to African-American, Hispanic and Native American students who choose Turkey as their study abroad destination.
ELL Foundation Scholarship: Joseph UniversityNorthern Kentucky UniversityOhio State UniversityOhio State University- Lima Was established to provide opportunities to English learners who have the desire to continue their higher education at accredited area colleges and universities. The ELL Foundation provides scholarships worth $750 - $2,000 each to deserving ELL students. We have awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to students who have attended the following colleges/ universities: Louis UniversityUniversity of AkronUniversity of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati- Blue AshUniversity of Cincinnati- ClermontUniversity of DaytonWright State UniversityXavier University. To be eligible you must… I'm a high school junior exploring scholarship options and heard about ESL scholarships for international students. Can anyone explain what these scholarships cover and who qualifies for them? Are they different from regular scholarships?a year ago

Application Tips

Many of the above scholarships open up their applications at the end of summer or beginning of the academic school year. Applicants should have least a 3.2 grade point average, two letters of recommendation, and personal essays. Some also may require an in-person or phone interview. Most universities and colleges provide counselors or workshops that can help students prepare materials and essays for these competitive scholarships.

Resources for Finding Scholarships

University Study Abroad Offices: DePaul Study Abroad office. DePaul's Global Asian Studies program has a list of Asia-specific scholarships.
Online Scholarship Search Engines: In addition to reviewing study abroad opportunities available through their home institutions, applicants may consult search engines for international study programs such as IIEPassport.org, GoAbroad.com, and GoOverseas.com.
Boren Awards Campus Representative: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their Boren Awards Campus Representative as early as possible in the application process to discuss how to ensure compatibility between their proposed Boren Awards-funded program and their institution’s matriculation requirements.

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