how I studied languages abroad for free — and how you can too
fully funded language programs in 10+ countries!
Hello world! 🌍
Today’s topic: learning a language abroad for free. Let’s gooooo.
I always assumed studying a language abroad was a “rich kid activity.” Then I discovered how many governments invest real money into language programs as part of their soft-power politics — and suddenly I am that “rich kid” learning languages abroad :) Super grateful!
I learned English for free in Ireland.
My friends learned German on scholarships in Germany.
Another friend of mine spent eight months studying Mandarin in Taiwan — fully funded, too.
Meanwhile, maaaany students are paying €2,000–€6,000 for summer schools when better, funded equivalents exist, yet nobody tells them. If you’re planning to use a language school mainly to get a work visa, then this list might not be super relevant. I might make a separate post on language schools that do come with work opportunities. But for now…
These are the largest language programs I’ve personally participated in or observed my friends participate in — the ones that cover tuition, housing, stipends, and sometimes even food!! Yuuum!
Let’s fix the information gap 👇
🇹🇷 Turkish — KatipAta Turkish Language & Culture Program
Where: Ankara, Türkiye
What: ~8-month intensive Turkish language + culture (classes, cultural activities, study tours)
Funding: Known as fully funded — tuition + accommodation + major expenses
Who can apply: current public officials, diplomats, academics, or researchers (preferably with postgraduate degrees).
🔗 https://katipata.ytb.gov.tr/
🇩🇪 German — DAAD University Summer Courses
Where: Universities across Germany
What: 3–4 week German language + culture programs (June–September)
Funding:
Course fees
Accommodation
Pocket money / partial stipend
Sometimes travel support
Who can apply: Students & recent graduates from many countries
Perfect if you want a short-and-funded Europe summer arc.
🔗 https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/?detail=50035295
🇩🇪 German — IIK Düsseldorf Scholarships
Where: Düsseldorf, Germany
What: German language + culture intensive courses
Funding:
Generally covers course fees; some calls help with living costs
Who can apply: International learners
Less known but very solid.
🔗 https://www.iik-duesseldorf.de/en/entire-program/funding-opportunities-and-scholarships/iik-scholarships/
🇵🇱 Polish — NAWA Summer Courses of Polish Language & Culture
Where: Poznań, Lublin, Wrocław, etc.
What: 2–4 week Polish language + culture courses
Funding:
Language classes
Cultural program
Accommodation + 3 meals/day (literally everything on-site covered)
Who can apply: Foreign students & academic staff from a wide list of countries
This one gives three meals a day… hello??
🔗 https://nawa.gov.pl/en/the-polish-language/nawa-summer-courses
🇨🇿 Czech — Summer Schools of Slavonic Studies
Where: Prague, Brno, Olomouc, etc.
What: 3–4 week Czech language, literature, history + full cultural immersion
Funding (scholarship):
Tuition
Accommodation
Meals
Excursions
Who can apply: Students, teachers, translators, and anyone interested in Czech culture (via embassy nomination)
One of the best-funded Slavic language options out there.
🔗 https://msmt.gov.cz/eu-and-international-affairs/summer-schools-of-slavonic-studies-2025?lang=2
🇹🇼 Mandarin in Taiwan — Huayu Enrichment Scholarship
Where: Approved Mandarin centers in Taiwan
What: 3–12 months of Mandarin study
Funding:
Monthly stipend (NT$25,000) — often enough to cover tuition + living if you budget well
Who can apply: Many nationalities; each embassy publishes its own call
🔗 https://www.roc-taiwan.org/uk_en/post/10593.html
🇨🇳 Mandarin in China — International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship
Where: Multiple Chinese universities
What: One-semester or one-year Chinese language study
Funding:
Tuition
On-campus housing
Living stipend
Medical insurance
Who can apply: International applicants with certain HSK levels
🔗 https://admission-is.bnu.edu.cn/english/international/internationalchinese/index.html
🇯🇵 Japanese — MEXT (Japanese Studies Students)
Where: Universities across Japan
What: 1-year Japanese language + culture program
Funding:
Round-trip airfare
Tuition
Monthly stipend
Who can apply: Undergraduate students majoring in Japanese/Japan studies
Super funded, super competitive, very specific.
🔗 https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-japanese.html
🇭🇺 Hungarian — Balassi Institute Hungarian Language & Cultural Studies
Where: Budapest, Hungary
What: 1-year Hungarian language + culture program
Funding:
Tuition
Accommodation
Stipend
Who can apply: Mostly Hungarian diaspora youth
Niche.
🔗 https://balassieducation.hu/en/study-programmes/hungarian-language-and-cultural-studies-programme/
🇲🇦 Arabic — Ibn Battuta Scholarships (Morocco)
Where: Rabat (Qalam wa Lawh Center)
What: Intensive Arabic programs (semester, summer, winter)
Funding (full scholarship):
Tuition
Housing
Who can apply: International students
Doesn’t cover travel, but it's still an insane value.
🔗 https://www.qalamcenter.com/admissions/ibn-battuta-scholarships
🇸🇦 Arabic — Arabic for Non-Native Speakers (Saudi Arabia)
Where: King Saud University + similar institutes
What: Arabic language & culture program
Funding:
Usually tuition exemption
Sometimes stipends + housing (varies by call)
Who can apply: Broad international eligibility
One of the few funded options in the Gulf.
🔗 https://arabiccenter.ksaa.gov.sa/en/home
🌍 Bonus: European Solidarity Corps (Volunteering + Language Support)
Not a language school, but an elite immersion hack.
Where: EU + partner countries
What: 2–12 month volunteering projects with local integration + language support
Funding:
Accommodation
Food allowance
Pocket money
Insurance
Who can apply: 18–30 from EU/partner countries
🔗 https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity_en
How to find more of these for ANY language
1. Search like this:
“[Language] and culture program” scholarship
“summer course” “[Language]” fully funded
“[Country] national agency” language course
2. Check official scholarship portals:
Ministries of Education, Culture, Foreign Affairs
National Academic Exchange Agencies
Cultural Institutes (Goethe, Instituto Cervantes, etc.)
There are way more of these programs than people realize — you just need to know where to look.
And if you ever feel stuck or overwhelmed searching on your own, this is literally what people come to me for.
You can come to me when you…
🌍 want to try living abroad in a low-pressure way (volunteering, seasonal work, short programs)
🎓 want to study abroad but feel overwhelmed by programs and deadlines
🧭 want a gap year or sabbatical but don’t know how to structure it
✈️ want to travel/live abroad for a few months but don’t know how to afford it
🔀 feel stuck choosing between too many possible directions
🌱 feel pressured to “pick one path” but they’re multipassionate
♻️ want a nonlinear, flexible life but need help designing the next 6–12 months
🤔 know they want “something different” but can’t name what
📝 want someone to help analyze their situation and suggest concrete opportunities
🫂This is how I can help:
60-minute call + personalised 6–12 month strategy
This is for people who want a global life strategy, not random ideas.
We spend 60 minutes mapping your background, interests, constraints, finances, energy, and long-term goals. I work as a global opportunities strategist — matching you with education, jobs, volunteering, language programs, visas, and hybrid paths that are funded or cheap whenever possible.
Good luck,
Daria
Daria, can you do a list like this for summer jobs ou job experience for just a couple months?
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