Many students want to learn Persian during college. However,there are actually not many
Why Attend a Summer Farsi Program?
We already covered that many university students do not have access to Farsi courses, but other people want to learn Persian as well. Professionals who use Farsi, such as immigration officers, intelligence analysts, and academic researchers, all can benefit from continuing education courses.
Furthermore, military members may need to improve their Farsi skills before deploying to Afghanistan or the Persian Gulf as the language isn’t contained only to Iran. While they can attend somewhere like the Defense LanguageInstitute, some service members need a higher level of education or only have the summer open to cram in
What Happens at a Summer Farsi School?
Many programs are available to study the language. That said, the best summer programs to learn Farsi tend to fit two semesters of language credits into eight to ten weeks. You can expect to be in class for at least 4 hours a day, but that’s only the beginning. Some schools have extracurricular activities such as cooking classes, excursions, films, and more. You can expect to be in a Persian environment for most of the day. This is an exceptional opportunity to learn things you would not even imagine in a classroom.
For example, if you are participating in an extracurricular class on cooking, you might learn that the word for bone may differ depending on the source of meat. Moreover, playing tennis or soccer will teach specific terminology (and insults) for that sport.
Paying for A Summer Program
The prices of the following schools vary, but you can expect to pay between $5,000 to $8,000 for the summer. Don’t let the price stop you from attending the best summer programs to learn F
There are funding opportunities to pay for these courses. The U.S. government, as well as these universities, know how valuable Farsi skills are, so they will invest in you to learn the language. Look into the Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship.
Moreover, look for funding opportunities on each program’s website. You can typically find it under Tuition and Fees.
The average student can expect anywhere $500 to full funding for these programs, so do not be afraid to apply for these grants and scholarships!
Our List of the Best Summer Programs to Learn Farsi
Arabic, Persian, and Turkish Language Immersion Institute (APTLII)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cost: $7,500
APTLII is one of the top-tier Persian language immersion programs in the United States. While the program includes Arabic and Turkish, each cohort of language students keeps to themselves. Students live in dorms at UWin Madison, Wisconsin and speak Farsi 24/7. What’s more, the professors live in the same building as students. This may sound strange, but it actually produces amazing results. Imagine, not only do you get a formal education in class, but you can also interact with your instructors over movies, meals, and sports and games.
Students will study Monday to Friday for 4.5 hours, but you can expect a few more for homework and activities. Class levels typically range from beginner, intermediate-low, intermediate-high, and advanced students. You will learn your level after taking a placement taste upon arrival. Add everything about this program together, and it’s no surprise why it tops our list of the best summer programs to learn Farsi.
Click here to learn more about APTLII
University of Maryland Summer Language Institute
UMD College Park, Maryland
Cost: $8,800
The University of Maryland has crafted a phenomenal summer Farsi program. Their Persian Summer Institute allows students to completely immerse themselves in language. Like other programs, you will live on-campus with fellow Persian students. The campus sits close to Washington, D.C., granting you access to incredible cultural events. Moreover, this is an excellent location to network with other Farsi speakers and learn about job openings in D.C.
Students have 22 hours of formal class instruction as well as additional learning opportunities. You may take a field trip, attended a lecture, or analyze a film with classmates. Class sizes are small, making this a great Persian language program for beginners who may be shy or advanced students who want more one-on-one time with their instructor.
Click here to learn more about the UMD Summer Language Institute here.
Georgetown Summer Language Institute
Washington, D.C.
Cost: Varies
You already know that Georgetown is one of the most reputable institutions in the U.S. There summer Farsi program is just as exceptional. That said, unlike APTLII, this program is not immersive. Rather, Georgetown offers intensive Farsi classes. While the classes will be more demanding than your typical university course, you will not have many demands outside of the classroom. That said, there are extracurricular events like a day trip to Voice of America to see how broadcasters use Persian daily.
Courses range from beginner to advanced and utilize modern techniques to build your Persian skills. It relies heavily on technology to achieve this goal. Professors aim to teach not only academic Farsi but also real-world skills to help you manage everyday affairs. Everything about Georgetown, from the location to classes, makes this one of the best summer programs to learn Farsi. Overall, you will definitely improve your Persian after completing the 10-week program.
Click here to learn more about the Georgetown Summer Language Institute.
Arizona State Critical Language Institute
Tempe, Arizona
Cost: $1,500 plus room and board
Arizona State offers a great 7-week Farsi summer program. The goal isn’t for students to only learn the language but to live it as well. Like Georgetown, this is an intensive Farsi program. You will attend classes with your cohort, but your free time will be what you make of it. While this is great for some motivated students, others who need extra practice through extracurriculars may be unsatisfied. That said, please review the program thoroughly as it is one of the most affordable options.
The Critical Language Institute offers a first-year and second-year program. You will benefit from this program if you are below the Intermediate-Low level. Like other programs, you will earn eight credits for attending, which we must say is an amazing feat as it would likely take 3.5 months to earn four credits at your home university.
Click here to learn more about the Arizona State Critical Language Institute.
Indiana University Persian Language Workshop
Indiana University Bloomington
Cost: $5,500
We love the intensive Farsi program offered by Indiana University. It is innovative, affordable, and allows beginners to build a solid foundation. It is one of the best summer programs to learn Farsi for young students. In fact, Indiana University allows high school students over 16 to attend. Combine these kids with graduate students or professionals, and this becomes a cross-cultural, cross-generation summer.
The program only teaches up to the Intermediate-Low level. It is perfect for the beginner who needs to carve out a significant amount of time to grasp the language. Farsi instruction occurs for four hours each morning, but afternoon activities help students use their new skills. You will have 160hours of formal instruction during the summer, which is more than enough time for you to see a marked improvement in your abilities.
Click here to learn more about the Indiana University Persian Language Workshop.
Which Should You Choose?
These programs all come with unique benefits. Review each website and think about what you want most from your program. When it comes to the best summer programs to learn Farsi, you need to consider your personal goals. Professionals may want an intensive program that doesn’t require anything outside of class.
On the other hand, students may want to improve their Farsi as much as possible. For this, we suggest attending APTLII as it is completely immersive. The coursework and extracurriculars are designed to improve your skills tremendously by the end of the summer.
We hope this guide helped you on your quest to master the Persian language. Good luck and let us know if you will be attending one of these programs. We’d love to hear your feedback and pass it along to other Farsi learners!
Please also try a new book series called ‘Learn Persian Step by Step’ to your school for this year’s classes. I believe that the series can be an excellent teaching tool for your professors, as well as an outstanding learning source for your students.
‘Learn Persian Step by Step’ is an audio-visual program that ‘makes Farsi easy’ through an engaging system that includes: color pictures, audio recordings, detailed grammar charts, cultural notes, and well-designed exercises. The program consists of twenty individual chapters called ‘steps’ and includes two separate levels:
Level One: ABSOLUTE BEGINNER (Steps 1 to 10) ;
Level Two: BEGINNER (Steps 11 to 20).