This scholarship is for a first time speaker at the annual IATEFL BESIG Conference. It is intended to encourage our fellow business English professionals to share their valuable experience and knowledge with the community. It is an ideal opportunity to actively participate in this dynamic, well-established conference and showcase what you’re made of. In return, you benefit both professionally and financially.

To qualify you must:

● have been a member of IATEFL BESIG for at least six months by the start of the November conference

● have participated in IATEFL BESIG activities (e.g. have contributed to the IATEFL BESIG blog or an article for the e-magazine, attended an IATEFL BESIG online or face-to-face event)

● agree to give a presentation or lead a workshop on an aspect of teaching business English at the IATEFL BESIG Annual Conference 2025

● write up your conference experience for Business Issues

To be considered you should:

● submit a 250-word summary outlining how you became involved in business English teaching, why you enjoy it and how you found out about IATEFL BESIG

● send a recent photo

● write a short bio of up to 60 words

● submit your proposal for your presentation or workshop by Monday, 30 June 2025,16:00 UK time.

All applicants, including the winner, will be contacted by 4 August 2025 by the IATEFL BESIG Committee whose decision is final.

The scholarship consists of:

● a year’s membership to IATEFL, including IATEFL BESIG

● waived registration for the annual IATEFL BESIG Conference

● a grant up to 750 GBP against receipts for accommodation and travel costs

The IATEFL BESIG Facilitator Scholarship enables an IATEFL Business English SIG (BESIG) member to attend the IATEFL Conference and to give a presentation during the BESIG Showcase.

The scholarship consists of:

• registration for the BESIG Pre-Conference Event if one is planned

• registration for the IATEFL Conference

• GBP 1000 payable at the conference, on submission of receipts, which you can use towards your travel, accommodation or any other conference-related expenses.
  
  

To qualify you must:

• be an individual member of IATEFL and the Business English SIG

• have previously contributed to IATEFL BESIG, e.g. by writing an article for the newsletter, contributing to the blog, doing a weekend workshop, taking part in the IATEFL BESIG Annual Conference, or organising a local event

• agree to give a presentation or lead a workshop on an aspect of teaching business English during the IATEFL BESIG Showcase at the IATEFL Conference; please note that this needs to be a presentation / workshop which has not been given at an earlier conference

• write a 700-word report of your Conference experience for the Business Issues newsletter by the end of May 2026.
  
  

To be considered you should submit:

• a speaker proposal through the IATEFL website on business English by the scholarship deadline

• a proposal that adheres to IATEFL proposal guidelines

• and a 400–500 word summary outlining your plans for promoting IATEFL BESIG and your past, present and planned future contributions to the SIG

Previous Facilitator Scholarship Winners

• 2011 - Mercedes Viola - Uruguay

• 2012 - Jennifer Verschoor - Argentina

• 2013 - Atul Sharma - India

• 2014 - Justine Arena & Dana Poklepovic - Brazil & Argentina

• 2015 - Olena Korol & Evelina Miscin - Ukraine & Croatia

• 2016 - Jennie Wright & Elena Mateva - Germany & Russia

• 50th anniversary scholarship - Oksana Hera & Lalitha Murthy - Ukraine & India

• 2017 - Rob Howard - Brazil

• 2018 - Alan Simpson - Japan

• 2019 - Andreea Nechifor - Romania

• 2020-2021 - Mary Sousa - Hungary

• 2022 - Karin Heuert Galvão - Brazil

• 2023 - Julia Koifman - Israel

• 2024 - Michelle Hunter - United Kingdom