Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been criticized for being elitist and increasing social differences. This study challenges the notion of elitism by investigating why lower secondary school students attending schools characterized by variations in socio-economic status (SES) choose to apply for a CLIL program. A content analysis was conducted of 85 motivation letters written by students as part of the application process to two CLIL programs in Norway and of focus group interviews with 102 students during their first, second, or third years in these programs. The findings showed that the main motivation for applying to a CLIL program at both schools was to improve English competence and be part of a positive, bilingual, and challenging learning environment. There were also important differences. For students at the school with high SES, the program was a good fit for their already internationally oriented lifestyle. However, students at the school with low SES perceived CLIL as a step toward a brighter future through social mobility. These results show that a discussion of the possible elitism of CLIL education cannot be based solely on a comparison between the motivations and academic achievements of students inside and outside CLIL programs.