Scholarships & Awards

Before applying for any scholarships, please note the following: 

The sum of all institutional aid received cannot exceed the  university’s total standard direct cost of attendance plus a stipend. Items in the standard direct cost include regular on-campus tuition charges*, average room**, average board***, and average book costs***. For more information regarding the University stacking/overaward policy, please visit the Financial Aid website.  

The University of Louisville does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual in educational programs and activities.  Accordingly, while a program or activity may be focused on the needs or issues of a particular group, they are intended to be inclusive of all, and any participant may benefit from attendance or participation in these programs and activities

Fall Scholarships

Student Travel Awards

Scholarship Application Period: October 1 - November 1

Student Travel Awards are awarded annually to students who have late-breaking opportunities to study foreign languages abroad The award may be used for new travel or to supplement funding already received from other sources such as the Modern Languages Fund. Students enrolled in language programs are given preference, and the applicant’s GPA and language grades are important factors. The Award can be utilized in Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants should have finished 12 credits (or the equivalent) of their target language by the time they commence their trip. 

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Complete the Student Travel Award Application (link below).
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay describing how your trip will improve your knowledge of your target language and prepare you for further language study. 
  • Submit your current unofficial transcript.
  • Complete and submit the scholarship budget form listing all other funding for your trip and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the budget form then upload it to the application form. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

  • Meet with a Study Abroad Advisor at the International Center several weeks before your departure to arrange for special overseas course enrollment status. For more information, please visit the Study Abroad website or contact them at edabroad@louisville.edu or (502)-852-0374. A grant cannot be distributed if you are not an enrolled UofL student during your trip.

Student Travel Award Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Award

Scholarship Application Periods:  October 1-November 1 and February 1 - March 1

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Scholarship is presented to full-time students pursuing an undergraduate with a declared major or minor in Spanish on a competitive basis. This scholarship can be used to assist with educational expenses including, but not limited to tuition, room and board, books, or study abroad expenses (pending funding availability). Preference will be given to students who have NOT previously been awarded the Lewis Award. The Award can be utilized in Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

  • The competition is open to Spanish undergraduate students with a declared major or minor in Spanish
  • Applicants must be enrolled in the current semester as a full-time student (at least 6 credits for graduate students; at least 12 credits for undergraduates)

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Complete the online scholarship application (link below). 
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay explaining how the award will support your study of Spanish, address your financial need, and be used (study abroad, tuition, or other expenses). 
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s).
  • Submit a copy of your financial aid/scholarship award(s) available on ULink.
  • If applying for funds to support study abroad, complete and submit the scholarship budget form listing all other funding for your trip and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the budget form then upload it to the application form.

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Scholarship Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

Mary Jo Fink Award

Scholarship Application Period: October 1 - November 1

The Mary Jo Fink Award is presented annually to French majors on a competitive basis and is a purely merit-based scholarship. This scholarship can be used toward tuition, housing or other education-related expenses. (Pending funding availability) The Award can be utilized in Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

  • The competition is open to all approved French majors who have completed more than 60 hours at the time of application. 
  • French majors should have completed at least 9 hours of French at the 300 level or higher at UofL by the end of the semester of application. 
  • Applications should have a GPA of 3.5 in French and an overall grade-point average of 3.0

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Complete the Mary Jo Fink Award application
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay in French describing what impact the study of French has had on your life and explaining why you want to continue your studies in French. 
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s)

Mary Jo Fink Award Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

German Study Abroad Scholarship in honor of James Boeckman

Scholarship Application Period: October 1 - November 1

The German Study Abroad Scholarship is made possible by a generous gift from the German-American Club Gesangverein (GAC) of Louisville, KY and honors the memory and service of James Boeckmann, longtime GAC member and president.  This scholarship will provide $5,000 of support to a UofL student seeking to study German abroad.  The Scholarship can be utilized in Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Have completed GER 123 (or the equivalent) or higher by the time of departure
  • Be admitted or intend to apply to an approved credit-bearing study abroad program
  • Have a minimum GPA of 2.0
  • Demonstrate financial need as certified by the University of Louisville's Office of Financial Aid

Other requirements:

  • You must meet with a Study Abroad Advisor at the International Center several weeks before your departure to arrange for special overseas course enrollment status. For more information, please visit the Study Abroad website or contact them at edabroad@louisville.edu or call (502) 852-0374
  • Recipient will attend an event at the German-American Club of Louisville to publicly accept the award
  • After returning, recipient will attend an event at the German-American Club of Louisville to discuss experiences abroad

HOW TO APPLY:

  • Complete the online application for the for the German Study Abroad Scholarship (link below)
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay explaining how the award will support your language study
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s)
  • Submit a copy of financial aid/scholarship award(s) available on Ulink.
  • Submit the Scholarship Budget Form listing all other funding for your trip and and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the scholarship budget form provided then upload it to the application

German Study Abroad Scholarship Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

Spring Scholarships

Modern Languages Fund Award

Scholarship Application Period: January 17 - February 15

The Modern Languages Fund Award was established by Betty and David A. Jones in 1984. The award is meant to help students enhance their foreign language learning by subsidizing overseas travel and residency in locations where students will benefit from total immersion in the language they are studying.The award can be utilized for the following summer (funds awarded after July 1st), fall, and spring semester, but must be used before June 30, 2026.

ELIGIBILITY

  • The competition is open to undergraduates who have completed 12 credit hours of study in their target language (or the equivalent) by the time of their departure.

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Complete the Modern Languages Fund Award Application 
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s)
  • Submit a copy of your financial aid/scholarship award(s) available on ULink.
  • Complete and submit the scholarship budget form listing all other funding for your trip and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the budget form then upload it to the application form.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit an Acceptance Form upon receipt of the award notice (Instructions for this will be provided via email). 
  • Submit a 350-500 word report within 30 days of the project's completion describing how the funds were used and how you benefited from the experience (Instructions for this will be provided via email).
  • Awards must be used by the June 30th 2026 and may ONLY be used for the project described in the application. 

The Modern Languages Fund Award Application

THE CURRENT FUNDING PERIOD COVERS PROJECTS

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Award

Scholarship Application Periods:  October 1-November 1 and February 1 - March 1

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Scholarship is presented to full-time students pursuing an undergraduate with a declared major or minor in Spanish on a competitive basis. This scholarship can be used to assist with educational expenses including, but not limited to tuition, room and board, books, or study abroad expenses (pending funding availability). Preference will be given to students who have NOT previously been awarded the Lewis Award. 

ELIGIBILITY

  • The competition is open to Spanish undergraduate students with a declared major or minor in Spanish
  • Applicants must be enrolled in the current semester as a full-time student (at least 6 credits for graduate students; at least 12 credits for undergraduates)

HOW TO APPLY: 

  • Complete the online scholarship application (link below). 
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay explaining how the award will support your study of Spanish, address your financial need, and be used (study abroad, tuition, or other expenses). 
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s).
  • Submit a copy of your financial aid/scholarship award(s) available on ULink.
  • If applying for funds to support study abroad, complete and submit the scholarship budget form listing all other funding for your trip and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the budget form then upload it to the application form.

The Richard B. & Constance L. Lewis Educational Scholarship Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

Odile Whitaker Endowed Language Studies Fund

Scholarship Application Period: February 1 - March 1

The Endowed Whitaker Language Studies Scholarship was established by Odile and Robert Whitaker in 2020 to support students in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages with educational expenses including but not limited to tuition, books, room and board, or study abroad expenses. The Scholarship offers a minimum award of $500 and a maximum award of $1000 and is presented annually to one or more full-time students. 

ELIGIBILITY:

  • The scholarship is open to undergraduate students with a declared major or minor in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages (preference is given to students studying German and French).
  • Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.
  • The scholarship is open to students who demonstrate financial need as certified by the University of Louisville's Office of Financial Aid. 

HOW TO APPLY:

  • Complete the online application for the Endowed Whitaker Language Studies Scholarship (link below). 
  • Submit a 300-500 word essay explaining how the award will support your language study. 
  • Submit your unofficial transcript(s). 
  • Submit a copy of financial aid/scholarship award(s) available on Ulink.
  • If applying for funds to support study abroad, complete and submit the scholarship budget form listing all other funding for your trip and and containing specific price quotes from vendors. Please download and complete the scholarship budget formprovided then upload it to the application.

Endowed Whitaker Language Studies Scholarship Application

****You will receive an email upon receipt of your application within five business days of submission. If you do not receive an email contact .

 

Other Scholarships 

External Study Abroad Scholarships
National & International Scholarships & Fellowships
College of Arts & Sciences Scholarships
Latin American and Latino Studies Scholarships 
University Scholarships
University of Louisville Financial Aid Office