ACADEMIC YEAR LANGUAGE PROGRAM

The Institute offers nine month Intensive Academic Year Language Program during September-April.

Eligibility

The Advanced Language Program in India is open to graduate, and junior or senior-level undergraduates at institutions of higher education in the U.S. who are pursuing an academic or government service career. Teachers in area studies are also eligible to apply. Applicants need to have a minimum of two years or 240 class hours of classroom instruction in the target language before starting the program. Applicants for other Indian languages not listed above may be considered. Applicants who have one year of language preparation at the time of application may be considered, provided they successfully complete an intensive second-year summer language program before their departure for India. The selection is conducted without reference to race, sex, religion, national origin, or home institution. Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply; AIIS will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate them.

Language Program

The program will begin in September and concludes on April every year. Instruction will be offered at the AIIS Language Centers and the program will be administered in India by AIIS staff. This is an intensive language program that provides four hours of classroom instruction five days a week. Classes are small and individual tutorials are provided. There will be regular assignments outside of class and there is special emphasis on connecting with the local speech community and on self-management of learning. Participants must take part in all program events, such as attending films, plays, and other cultural activities. They are also encouraged to stay with local host families. This is not a research program; participants are expected to devote all their energies to activities that will increase their competence in all areas of language skills--speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Participants will have ample opportunity to study their research-related materials in the target language during personal tutorials.

Application Procedure

Applications and information are available on the web:
American Institute of Indian Studies
1130 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
Tel. (773) 702-8638.
aiis@uchicago.edu
www.indiastudies.org