Session I covers the first semester of a particular level (i.e. first year, second year, third year) and Session II covers the following semester in the sequence. Each session corresponds to a different semester, and the whole seven week program is thus equivalent to a whole year (first semester and second semester). Students who are starting from the beginning may register for First Year-Session I, but not for Session II. The prerequisite for First Year-Session II is having completed one semester of college level study. If a student is unsure about finding the right class, contact our staff and we will arrange a placement interview.

Anyone who possesses the motivation and drive to thrive in a language immersion environment can participate in the Center for Language Studies, from high school juniors and seniors to career professionals.

On a typical day, classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Students and faculty share lunch (between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.) and dinner (5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) at the language tables in the cafeteria. 

Time outside of class is spent doing homework (3-5 hours per day), studying in Morse Library, meeting for individualized tutorial sessions, or attending weekly movie nights or cultural events.

All participants are expected to speak the target language as much as possible during academic hours, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. However, students who really want to take immersion seriously can sign up for our “Dawn ‘til Dusk” language challenge. Join other distinguished students in a commitment to maximizing your language practice and learning! Students interested in the language pledge should speak with their instructors and CLS staff upon arrival.

Each week students watch films in their target language to complement the cultural instruction that goes on in the classroom. Faculty members provide information to situate the films in their cultural/historical context and distribute supplemental materials with relevant vocabulary/phrase lists.

International dinners featuring the cuisine of the countries we study occur over the course of the program. These dinners provide students with the opportunity to bond as a group while learning about culture, food, and table manners. After the dinners, each program prepares cultural activities to share such as games, songs, or dances.

Program participants also go on excursions that highlight the cultural opportunities available around Beloit. Students in the Chinese program enjoy a meal in Chicago’s Chinatown and take a calligraphy class. Students studying Japanese visit the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, and then Mitsuwa, a grocery store at the heart of the Japanese community in Chicago. Russian students go to the Russian restaurant Zhivago in Skokie, where they perform a traditional Russian wedding, complete with a student “bride and groom,” toasts (with non-alcoholic drinks) and dancing.

At the end of the summer, students participate in an “Evening of Poetry and Song,” to demonstrate and celebrate their cultural and linguistic achievements.

No previous knowledge of the language is required at the beginning levels. Appropriate prior instruction or consent of the instructor will determine placement at intermediate and advanced levels.

Applicants intending to study at the intermediate and advanced levels may be interviewed by the appropriate language coordinator to ensure proper placement in the summer program.

We keep the tuition low for all students. We offer a limited number of tuition awards. For more detailed information on scholarships funded by other sources, please refer to our page on Financial Aid.

CLS students are eligible for financial aid in the form of federal loans through the Stafford, Perkins, and PLUS loan programs. Private loans can be obtained through the Norwest and Excel loan programs.

Beloit College offers the John Wyatt Award to reduce tuition costs. See your admission letter for details. 

Undergraduate and graduate students should first speak with their home institutions with regard to funding during the summer. If your home institution is unable to assist in acquiring this type of funding, please contact the Director of Financial Aid or Financial Aid staff.

Students are strongly encouraged to begin this process well in advance of attending the summer program.

For more detailed information, please refer to our page on Financial Aid.

The 7 week program earns 2.0 units of Beloit College credit, which is the equivalent of 8 semester hours worth of credit. The 3.5 week program earns 1.0 units of Beloit College credit or 4 semester hours worth of credit.

The Registrar’s office will issue one official and one unofficial transcript free of charge to each CLS participant. The transcripts will be sent to each student’s home address, Once the final grades are received and all holds have been taken off of a student’s account, the Registrar will forward the transcripts. For more information on ordering transcripts, please review the transcript request information on the Registrar’s web site.

Note: Additional transcript requests, beyond the free copies, must be requested through the Registrar’s Office and will require a fee to be paid. If you require a transcript to be sent directly to your home institution, you must go to the Registrar’s office yourself to make this request.

Textbooks for the language programs are available through Beloit College’s online bookstore.

We look for advanced high school students who possess the motivation and drive to thrive in a language immersion environment. At CLS we will help you sharpen your overall study skills and put you on track to succeed in college. High school students who are 16 will be considered for the program on a case by case basis to be determined by the Office of Summer Programs.

CLS students are housed in Aldrich Hall, an air-conditioned residence hall on the north side of campus, very close to Commons dining hall and the Office of Residence Life. The majority of the rooms are doubles with some singles. There is also a kitchen and lounge on the first, second, and third floors. The Aldrich smart classroom is located on the ground floor and a laundry room is centrally located on the lower level for all to use.

For the location of Aldrich Hall, please see the Campus map.

Bathrooms are located down the hall from the student rooms. During the first days of the program, participants in each suite area decide whether the bathrooms will be co-ed or single sex.

Single rooms are available on a limited basis at an additional cost. Applicants who wish to secure a single room are encouraged to apply as early as possible to the program. In placing participants in the residence hall, first priority is given to housing students according to language groups. Please visit the Dates & Fees page for more information.

All Beloit College residence halls have been designated smoke-free. Rock County law also prohibits individuals from smoking within 15 feet of any public buildings.

Married couples are allowed to share double rooms in the residence hall; however, you should keep in mind that bathrooms are not private but used by others living in the same area of the residence hall. We are not able to accommodate families with children in Aldrich Hall.

Given that our summer language programs emphasize immersion, CLS discourages living off campus. Time spent commuting is time taken away from studying. Outside of the classroom, students should be using every opportunity to interact with other students and teachers. The demands of living off campus limit a student’s ability to engage in their language program.

Finding housing off campus in the Beloit College area can also be difficult. Few places offer furnished spaces or short-term leases. Although some places accept cats, it is difficult to find management companies that will accept dogs.

Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Participants wishing to live off campus must demonstrate a strong academic record and a serious commitment to the program. Students living off campus are required to purchase the 5-day lunch plan and should plan to eat dinner on campus as much as possible in order to interact with their language group.

You will find up to date information about our wireless availability on campus on our Information Technology department pages.

The Powerhouse is conveniently located close to Aldrich Hall. Students enrolled in the summer intensive language programs may use the facilities free of charge.

Parking is available on the street and in designated parking lots. There is no parking fee; however, you are required to register your car with security as soon as you arrive on campus and put a parking sticker on your car. Security is located in the basement of Pearsons Hall.

Parking on the street is governed by the City of Beloit parking ordinances. Vehicles that are not parked properly will be ticketed by the City of Beloit. For more information, please visit the Beloit College Security website.

All CLS participants living on campus are required to purchase the meal plan. Participants who receive permission to live off campus are required to purchase a 5-day lunch plan.

The meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner 7 days per week.

Yes, each meal includes vegetarian and vegan dishes.

During the summer intensive language program, each language group sits together with their instructors during lunch and dinner. The language table gives students the opportunity to practice their conversations skills outside of the classroom in an informal setting.

Beloit College is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, a small, post-industrial town located just across the Wisconsin/Illinois state borders. Learn more about Beloit on the Visitors site.

Beloit is located within easy driving distance of Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, each of which has a major airport.

We recommend, however, that participants fly into Chicago O’Hare International Airport, since the Van Galder Bus Company provides direct service from Chicago O’Hare to South Beloit.

Participants can then be picked up at the stop in South Beloit by CLS staff or take a taxi or Lyft to the dormitory. CLS Staff provides a shuttle from morning to night on the day of check-in.

The closest that you can get to Beloit via the Greyhound Bus Lines is Rockford, Illinois. From Rockford you can then take the Van Galder Bus to the South Beloit stop, where you can arrange to have CLS staff pick you up.

Another option is to travel to Chicago via Amtrak. Participants arriving in Chicago on Amtrak can then take the Van Galder Bus to South Beloit, where, with prior arrangement, they can be picked up by CLS staff.