Scholarships

*The Finley C. Grise Award may be used toward the costs of study in any modern language program offered or endorsed by Western Kentucky University for academic credit, both on campus and off campus. Finley C. Grise, for whom Grise Hall is named, was a Professor of Latin, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages and for many years Dean of the College. This award honors the excellence that Dr. Grise brought to all his work for the students and faculty of Western.

Eligibility:

• Majoring in a foreign language
• 3.0 GPA overall
• 3.5 GPA in a declared foreign language major
• Must have completed one year at Western including the semester in which the student is nominated.
• Must have completed at least one course at the 300 level or above in a prior semester.
• Preference will be given to advanced students with more than one course at the 300 level or above.

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a one-page, double-spaced, typed essay describing their proposed program and how it relates to their degree objectives.
3. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring.
4. If applying for both the William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Award and the Finley C. Grise Award, only one scholarship application and typewritten essay is required. Essays must include your full name.

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The William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Awards are given each fall and spring to support Western students who are planning to pursue a travel or travel/study program or project approved by the department. The award may be used in conjunction with any of Western's current study abroad options or other approved programs. William Ralph Walls Jr., for whom the Travel Award is named, was a respected and admired Associate Professor of French at Western. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his doctorate in Romance Linguistics at Cornell University. In honor of his memory, his parents and his friends began the Travel Award to help students benefit from the unique educational experience that only foreign travel can provide.

Eligibility:

• Intention to return to WKU as a full-time student after travel abroad
• 3.0 GPA overall
• 3.5 GPA in foreign language study
• 30 semester hours completed at WKU before the travel
• 12 hours or equivalent in one language before the study abroad takes place - 6 of which must be at WKU

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a one-page, double-spaced, typed essay describing their proposed program and how it relates to their degree objectives.
3. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring.
4. If applying for both the William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Award and the Finley C. Grise Award, only one scholarship application and typewritten essay is required. Essays must include your full name.

 

Apply Now

The Henry J and Johnnie Brooks Huey Award is given annually to a Western student who intends to study abroad in the following 12-month period. The scholarship is traditionally awarded in the spring.

Eligibility:

• Active involvement in a religious body
• High moral character
• Use of the award for foreign study and travel
• Scholastic ability deserving of such recognition
• Preference will be given to candidates who are or intend to be teachers. The granting of the award is not based on financial need.

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a letter of introduction that includes information concerning their religious activities and outlining why this award would be valuable to them.
3. Students submit a one-page, double-spaced, typed essay describing their proposed program or project and how it relates to their degree objectives.
4. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring.
5. If also applying for either the William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Award and/or the Finley C. Grise Award, students must submit a separate essay along with the letter of introduction for this Henry J and Johnnie Brooks Huey Award. Essays must include your full name.
   

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This scholarship was established by Marilee J. Heydt in memory of Leonard Heydt to demonstrate their belief in the importance of education.

Eligibility:

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student at Western Kentucky University.
• Must be majoring or minoring in Modern Languages.
• Must be studying abroad for an educational experience.
• Must demonstrate a financial need.
• Must possess the personal qualities of character, integrity, dependability, industriousness, and human compassion which produce leaders and merit the honor of this award.

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a 1-2 page, double-spaced, typed essay describing their proposed program, how it relates to their degree objectives, their personal characteristics (character, integrity, dependability, industriousness, and human compassion) that qualify them for this scholarship award, and financial need for the award. 
3. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring.
4. If also applying for either the William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Award, the Finley C. Grise Award, and/or the Henry J and Johnnie Brooks Huey Award, students must submit a separate essay. Essays must include your full name.

Apply Now

KIIS-WKU Department of Modern Languages Study Abroad Scholarship is given once a year to a deserving WKU ML student slated to participate on a KIIS study abroad program (be it a KIIS Winter, Summer or Semester program.

Eligibility:

• The student must be a major or minor in the WKU Department of Modern Languages. 
• The student must be in good academic and disciplinary standing at WKU.

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a 1 page, double-spaced, typed essay describing how the KIIS program relates to their degree objectives.
3. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring. Essays must include your full name.

Apply Now

The William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Awards are given each fall and spring to support Western students who are planning to pursue a travel or travel/study program or project approved by the department. The award may be used in conjunction with any of Western's current study abroad options or other approved programs. William Ralph Walls Jr., for whom the Travel Award is named, was a respected and admired Associate Professor of French at Western. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his doctorate in Romance Linguistics at Cornell University. In honor of his memory, his parents and his friends began the Travel Award to help students benefit from the unique educational experience that only foreign travel can provide.

Eligibility:

• Intention to return to WKU as a full-time student after travel abroad
• 3.0 GPA overall
• 3.5 GPA in foreign language study
• 30 semester hours completed at WKU before the travel
• 12 hours or equivalent in one language before the study abroad takes place - 6 of which must be at WKU

Application Process:

1. Students fill out a scholarship application. The application is located online.
2. Students submit a one-page, double-spaced, typed essay describing their proposed program and how it relates to their degree objectives.
3. Students submit scholarship application and essay to modern.languages@wku.edu or to the Department of Modern Languages in HCIC 2027 by November 1 in the fall and March 15 in the spring.
4. If applying for both the William Ralph Walls Jr. International Travel Award and the Finley C. Grise Award, only one scholarship application and typewritten essay is required. Essays must include your full name.

 

Apply Now