Qualifications and Application

English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) is an intensive professional development program for adults who have high levels of proficiency in their native or heritage language. For 2012, the program recruited native speakers of Arabic, Balochi, Dari, Hausa, Hindi, Igbo, Mandarin Chinese, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Punjabi, Somali, Swahili, Turkish, or Urdu. The language list for 2013 will be released by January 2012.

To qualify for admission to the program, an applicant must meet language proficiency criteria in both English and the native language. Read more >

Each applicant who is admitted to the program will receive a scholarship. Scholarships cover the following:

• Tuition and fees for the entire eight-month program
• A small monthly living stipend for the first six months of the program, when participants are not permitted to work
• Health insurance for the first six months of the program Read more >

Funds are also available to reimburse relocation expenses for admitted scholars from outside the metropolitan Washington, DC area. Read more >

The EHLS application process has three parts:

1. Program application: All applicants must complete an online application or a paper application.Applications for the 2013 program will be available in January 2012, and will be due Summer 2012.
   
   Online application:The online application is available at www.ehlsapplication.org
   
   In addition to the online application, you must submit supporting documents. To submit supporting documents, please choose one of the following methods.
   
   Upload transcripts and resumes online and mail references and the telephone interview confirmation to IIE at the address below.
   
   Or, mail all supporting documents to IIE at the address below.
   
   Paper application: Paper applications are available here if you are unable to complete your application online. When submitting a paper application, supporting documents must be attached. Read more >
   
   For paper applications, you must send your program application and all supporting documents to IIE at this address:
   

   Institute of International Education
   English for Heritage Language Speakers Program
   1400 K Street NW, Suite 650
   Washington, DC 20005-2403
   Tel: (866) 831 – 3012
   Email: ehls@iie.org

   Please do not send your application to CAL or to Georgetown University. Applications that are not sent to IIE will not be processed.
   
   
2. Telephone interview: Each applicant must complete a brief telephone interview. Telephone interviews will take place during Summer 2012.
   
   When you sign up for an interview time, CAL will send you a confirmation message via email. You must submit a copy of this email message with your application materials.
   
   Use a land line when calling for your interview, not a cell phone. If you use a cell phone and there are problems with the signal, the interviewer may not be able to hear your responses.
   
   Your scheduled time is Eastern time. If you are calling from the Central, Mountain, or Pacific time zone, please adjust your appointment time accordingly.
   
   If you have difficulty scheduling an interview, or if the available interview times will not work for you because of your physical location, please contact us at ehls@cal.org so that we can help you resolve the issue.
   
   Click the button below to schedule an interview.
   
   
   
3. Language proficiency testing: Qualified applicants will be informed in late October if they should go on for this testing, and given instructions for doing so. Read more >

The application deadline for the 2012 program has passed. Applications for the 2013 program will be available in January 2012.

• Application packets must be received by IIE by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the application due date. All relevant supporting documents must be included in the application packet.
• You must complete your telephone interview by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the application due date.