Will the Government Pay Me to Learn a Language?

Learning a new language can open up a world of opportunities. From career advancement to deeper cultural understanding, multilingualism offers numerous benefits. However, finding the time and money to study a language can be challenging for many people. This leaves an important question: will the government support your language learning journey financially?

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share key insights on available language learning grants, scholarships, stipends, and other forms of financial assistance from government agencies. You’ll discover surprising programs that make language skills more accessible through direct funding or other creative means.

Let’s dive in.

Why Governments Support Language Learning

Before outlining specific programs, it’s helpful to understand why federal and state agencies dedicate funds towards language education in the first place.

Enhanced communication and exchange of ideas between nations and cultures serves governmental interests diplomatically and economically. Languages skills enable:

• Increased national security through stronger intelligence capabilities
• Improved global competiveness when trade partners can negotiate complex deals in their native tongues
• Soft power influence when countries project cultural power and thought leadership abroad

On an individual level, politicians recognize the vast career opportunities that come with speaking multiple languages. They want voting citizens to access these lucrative job options.

Language Learning Scholarships for Students

Much government support for language education flows through scholarships targeting students. These provide a strong foundation in critical languages during high school and college years.

Here are top student scholarship programs to consider when asking “will the government pay me to learn a language?”

Critical Language Scholarships (CLS)

The Critical Language Scholarship program represents the U.S. State Department’s flagship investment in strategically important language learning.

Who Qualifies? American undergraduate and graduate students.

Languages Offered: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu.

Benefits: Fully funded intensive summer institutes for beginner, intermediate and advanced speakers to reach professional proficiency. All costs covered, including:

• Airfare
• Tuition
• Housing
• Meals
• Cultural enrichment experiences
• Ongoing language learning tools after program completion

This selective program provides a phenomenal language learning experience valued at over $10,000 per student. Well worth applying to if interested in critical languages for national security, global business or foreign affairs.

Deadlines: Early October annually

Boren Awards

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships take a similar approach by fully funding U.S citizen students in critical language study connected to regions of interest.

Who Qualifies? Undergraduate students, graduate students and professionals.

Languages Offered: Focus on any language except Western European tongues or English. Priority regions include Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Benefits: Awards scale based on program duration, with maximum funding levels of:

• $20,000 for undergraduates
• $30,000 for graduate students
• Over $95,000 for professionals

Funding covers the cost of language learning, related academic program expenses, transportation and living costs.

Commitment Required: In exchange for funding, Boren Award recipients agree to one year of federal service for undergrads/professionals or two years for graduate students. This facilitates governmental linguist pipelines.

Deadlines: Late January/early February annually

In addition to Boren and CLS options, many universities offer merit-based and needs-based language learning scholarships. Exploring school financial aid portals reveals available opportunities.

Federal grants like the Fulbright Program also support extensive language and cultural exchanges.

Language Training for Military Service

A common question those interested in military careers ask is “will the government pay me to learn a language in the armed forces?”

The answer is a resounding yes! All branches of the military offer generous programs to fund language education in critical and strategic languages.

In fact, language skills receive premium pay bonuses in areas of vital national security interest. Troops trained in languages like Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Pashto or Russian gain pay bumps of $100–$500 per month.

Let’s explore key language learning opportunities available in the five branches:

Air Force

The Air Force offers the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) to recruit multilingual individuals and develop language capabilities.

Scholarship Programs: Full scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students available based on existing or commitment to learn critical languages. Requires service commitments ranging from 3-10 years.

Enlistment Bonuses: The Air Force provides bonuses between $1,000 – $40,000 for recruits with existing fluency in priority languages like Chinese Mandarin, Korean, Russian, or Arabic.

Language Training: Once enlisted, the Air Force Language and Culture Center provides free language training during service aligned with assignments requiring those language skills.

Army

The Army leverages language capabilities through the 09L Interpreter/Translator military occupational specialty and Military Intelligence Corps:

09L Program: This specialized function receives extensive language training to reach 3/3 proficiency on the ILR scale in one of 20+ languages. Requires 5 year service commitment post-training.

Military Intelligence: Officers receive specialized language classes to support intelligence operations around the world for listening, translation and interrogation purposes.

MOS Bonuses: The Army provides bonuses between $200 – $1,000 per month for active and reserve component soldiers who speak languages deemed critically important for assignments.

Green to Gold Program: Active duty soldiers can leave service to pursue a bachelor’s degree and return as officers. Full tuition covered while also receiving salary and benefits during school.

Navy

Sailors gain language education through the Defense Language Institute, Navy College and other training centers to operate globally:

Defense Language Institute: Provides intensive basic language instruction in over 25 languages for operational needs.

Navy College: Offers 100% tuition assistance for active duty pursue degrees, including foreign languages and cultural studies. This allows continuing education for career advancement.

Training Detachments: Navy Language Training Detachments teach mission critical languages for special operations, intelligence, information dominance, engineering and health care.

Language Learning Grants for Public Sector Jobs

Beyond active military service, many public sector careers also compel language study through work requirements and professional development support.

Let’s explore key fields with government funded language training:

Foreign Service

American diplomats posted abroad receive extensive language preparation. As a Foreign Service Officer (FSO), Uncle Sam provides:

• Paid Training: 1-2 years full salary to reach required proficiency level in assigned “hard language” location.
• “Difficult Languages” Bonuses: FSOs receive bonuses up to $500 per month for maintaining proficiency Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean or Russian.

Intensive programs like Chinese Fast Track equip diplomats with professional fluency in strategic languages essential for American interests worldwide.

Law Enforcement & First Responders

Immigration officials, federal agents and disaster response personnel operate on the front lines with foreign language abilities.

Support includes:

• Paid Language Training: Agencies like FEMA, ICE, TSA, and CBP have budget allocations to pay for language education aligned with service needs.
• Overtime Exemption for Training: Allows extra study time while receiving usual pay compensation.
• Language Incentive Pay (LIP): CBP Border Patrol agents earn bonuses from $10 – $15k per year for advanced Spanish proficiency supporting homeland security in border regions.

Similar programs exist at state/local levels for law enforcement and firefighters engaging multicultural, multilingual communities.