English for Heritage Language Speakers Scholarships
Active
- Assistance listing
- 12.555
- Agency
-
Department of Defense
- Grant awards
- Not on record
Program facts
- Also known as
- EHLS Program
- Eligible applicants
-
- Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
- Beneficiaries
-
- Individual/Family
- U.S. Citizen
- Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans)
- Treasury account
-
- 97-0100-0-1-051
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated .
About this program
The Department of Defense administers the English for Heritage Language Speakers Scholarships program (CFDA 12.555) to fund intensive English language instruction for U.S. citizens who are native speakers of critical languages, with the goal of bringing participants to professional working proficiency as measured by the Interagency Language Roundtable level 3 or American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages superior level.
The program provides scholarships covering one program term, consisting of a six-month intensive component followed by a two-month distance-based component. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens with at least an undergraduate degree at time of application, a minimum English proficiency of advanced low (ACTFL) or ILR level 2, and native or heritage language proficiency at ILR level 3 or ACTFL superior level in all modalities. Applicants may not be current U.S. government employees. Eligible heritage languages are designated annually and published on the program website. Selection is conducted through a national peer-review panel process.
The program is currently administered at Georgetown University in Washington, DC under contract. Award decisions follow competitive merit review. Recipients must comply with Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs) record-keeping and reporting requirements. The statutory authority derives from 50 U.S.C. 1901-1911 (Chapter 37) and Department of Defense Instruction 1025.6.
The source does not report recent grant awards, award cadence, funding totals, typical award magnitudes, or recently posted grant opportunities for this program.
Objective and description
- Objective
The English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) program is designed to provide intensive English language instruction for U. S. citizens who are native speakers of critical languages. The goal of the program is to enable participants to reach professional working proficiency in English, as measured by the federal Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) level 3 and/or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) superior level. The program equips participants with the ability to read, write, speak, and listen at a superior level in an effort to build a critical base of future leaders to serve in the federal government service and the broader professional community.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Currently, the program is administered at Georgetown University in Washington, DC through a contract.
- Beneficiary eligibility
(1) Must be a U.S. citizen at the time of application; (2) Must have a minimum proficiency in English of advanced low (as defined by ACTFL) or level 2 (as defined by ILR); (3) must also possess excellent skills in your heritage/native language (ILR level 3/ACTFL superior language proficiency or higher in all modalities of English; (4) Must have received at least an undergraduate degree by the time of application; and (5) may not be a current U.S. government employee. Eligible native languages of interest are updated annually, a list of which is available on the program web site.
- Credentials and documentation
Proof of U.S. citizenship and Bachelor's degree or higher.
- Uses of assistance
Scholarship awards are made to U.S. citizens with at least a bachelor's degree participating in the EHLS program. Scholarship recipients agree to seek employment with the U.S. federal government, and serve in a position for no less than one year.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Eligible students may receive EHLS scholarships for the duration of one program term including a six month intensive component and a two month distance-based component.
How to apply
- Application procedure
U.S. citizens who qualify for the program may apply for scholarships in response to the relevant announcement.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
EHLS scholars are selected using a national peer-review panel process.
- Award procedure
Award decisions for individual scholarships will be based on a competitive selection of proposals resulting from an independent merit review.
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 12.555?
Assistance Listing 12.555 is English for Heritage Language Speakers Scholarships, a federal grant program run by Department of Defense.
What is the CFDA number for English for Heritage Language Speakers Scholarships?
Its CFDA number is 12.555: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
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