Language Study
Whether essential for a graduate degree, or a pipe dream, knowing other languages can be life-altering!
Many graduate students need, or could benefit greatly from, one or more languages other than English for their thesis/dissertation research. What if undergraduate courses and study abroad were elusive or insufficient? Instead of relying solely on language apps and monolingual sources, consider adding a language during your coursework, in the summer, or immediately after passing your exams.
This new page (summer 2026) offers an amuse-bouche or taste of the some domestic opportunities available to domestic and international graduate students (and perhaps pre/doc-degree). It does not strive for comprehensiveness. The page is meant to work in tandem with our "Go Abroad" page for overseas language study and/or research and the wisdom from your academic program. Do note that the Boren Fellowship permits US citizens to study their target language domestically (e.g., at UW Madison, U of Florida) prior to a semester or two overseas or for a new master's in Persian at U Maryland. Cf. https://grad.uic.edu/go-abroad/
(All images are courtesy of the UIC Image of Research Competition.)
Funding? The Graduate College's AGR and PVSA funding mechanisms could be used for language study. An advanced doctoral students in the arts/humanities reportedly found funding for study at UW Madison.
UIC Language Study
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Languages@UIC
Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Lithuanian, Nahuatl (basic), Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Tagalog (summer 2026).
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Free tutoring
Instructor-Led Tutoring: Work with 100-level language instructors in the languages listed below. Peer Tutoring: Work with UIC undergrad peer tutors in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. For 100-level students only.
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Courses
These pages provide unofficial lists of courses that will be offered. They are strictly for the use of expanded course descriptions. For the complete official course offerings, please consult the My.UIC portal and don't miss LALS or LCSL courses.
NEW SUMMER COURSE. Perhaps for the first time ever, UIC is offering Tagalog! Register for LCSL 101 (Less Commonly Taught Languages) with Mr. Mishka Ligot. The course will meet 10-11:40 am M, W, F during summer session 2 (06/15/2026-08/07/2026) in Lincoln Hall 320. CRN: 25564.
What's Your Story? UIC Language Stories
Plan Ahead! Language study at UIC
Intensive Reading/Translation Courses
Many UIC grad students need to take an intensive reading/translation course to fulfil their language requirement. Some entries in the UIC “gcat” include:
- FR 410. Reading French for Graduate Students. 4 hours
- GER 404. Yiddish for Reading Knowledge. 3 or 4 hours.
- GER 500. German for Reading Knowledge. 4 hours.
Have you found a course that fulfills this requirement? Let me know! Contact Benn at bwilli7@uic.edu.
Local Language Study Centers (selection)
Newberry Library
Don't forget CMEP!
The Chicago Metro Exchange permits doctoral students to take languages at UChicago and Northwestern (if not offered at UIC). One possible catch: UChicago’s summer language intensives may not be conducive to CMEP. https://grad.uic.edu/academic-support/programs/chicago-metropolitan-exchange-program/
| PhD candidate in art history
UChicago Languages
Northwestern U Languages Offered
Less commonly taught languages offered on the quarter system include: Ancient Greek, Czech, Hindu-Urdu, and Turkish.
NIU Language Offerings
Less commonly taught languages include Burmese, Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog, and Thai.
UIUC Global Institute (Fall & Spring)
Online Indigenous Language Courses
These courses are open to everyone – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants who wish to support language revitalization. Our intention is not to offer a second language program where participants achieve fluency, but rather to provide a spark—an introduction that inspires and encourages further engagement with the language and broader revitalization efforts.
Courses include:
- Ktunaxa
- Michif
- Nêhiyawêwin (Cree)
- Secwepemctsín
- Dene Kǝdǝ́
- Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
- Kanyen’keha (Mohawk)
- Skarù·ręʔ (Tuscarora)
- Mi’kmaw (Mi’kmaq)
U Wisconsin-Madison Intensive Summer Language Institutes (30+ languages)
Middlebury College Language Schools (Vermont)
Indiana U Summer Language Workshop
African Flagship Language Initiative (summer)
U Virginia Summer Language Institute
University of Maryland
ASU's Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian & East European Studies
Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures
Historically strong in less commonly taught Indo-Pacific languages, e.g., Chamorro, Khmer, Filipino, Ilokano, Maori, Samoan, Tahitian, Tong, its course offerings appear to be limited to fall & spring semesters.
National fellowships that can be used for language study
Grad College Funding
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Award for Graduate Research
Students may apply on a competitive basis for awards of approximately $1000 to $3000 to support their research. Awards will be made in two competitions annually, once in Spring semester and once in Fall semester.
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Provost's Visiting Scholar Award
One-time awards of up to $5,000 subsidize the cost of travel and living expenses for a well-reasoned duration in the spring or summer following the autumnal competition. There is no waiver attached.
Safety, Insurance, etc. Office of Global Engagement
