French Summer Institute
Washington University's Summer Language Institute in France is a dynamic, 3-week program in French language and Parisian culture. The program is designed to accelerate the language acquisition process of students who will have completed one or more of the following French language courses prior to departure to Paris: French 1020, [105], 2030, 2040, 3070 or any other 3000 level course. The Paris Institute is intended to enable students from all areas of the university to experience first-hand what makes Paris one the most popular world destinations for tourists and professionals alike. With its focus on French contributions to the arts, cuisine, fashion, and "the good life," as well as the world of ideas, the Paris study abroad experience is a valuable curricular addition to students who aspire to careers in business, the humanities, government, international relations, and research fields that share a global perspective. The 3-week Institute program complements WU courses in St. Louis through a creative approach to language acquisition that integrates elements of Paris's unique cultural vibe, encompassing the arts, commerce, urban planning, and more. The Summer Language Institute in Paris is reserved exclusively for Washington University students.
Program Director: Nathan H. Dize (dize@wustl.edu)
- Departure from US: May 12, 2026
- Arrival Paris, Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG): Wednesday, May 13, 2026
- Departure from Paris CDG and arrival in US: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Students may return home for a long summer or elect to extend their stay in Europe.
The Paris Institute curriculum consists of one 3-credit course that may be counted as elective credit for the major or minor in French. Students who have completed French 1020, 2030 and/or 2040 will enroll in French 2020. Students who have completed French 3070 will enroll in French 3530. For both groups of students, the course of study consists of three modules: French Language; Parisian Culture; and The Photo Essay. Daily classes focus on language acquisition through a series of inventive stories about Paris that students read, discuss/perform, and extend in their compositions. Lessons will incorporate information about architectural gems (Notre Dame), art history (Louvre and the Orsay, which houses the impressionists), commerce (fashion and design); ecology (parks and other green spaces); engineering (the bridges over the Seine, the métro); gastronomy (the great French culinary tradition and its modern innovations), history (celebrated sites such as Notre Dame, the Bastille, the Place des Vosges, the Sorbonne), and urban planning (the different areas of Paris known as arrondissements). Students will supplement what they learn for class and during group excursions with their own explorations of Paris. They will record their impressions of the city in a photo essay that spans the full duration of the program.
Our Paris location is the FIAP- Jean Monnet, 30 rue Cabanis, in the 14th arrondissement (see www.fiap-paris.org). The FIAP is an international youth center in the heart of Paris. Our Institute students will be housed in double rooms with en suite bathrooms. Classes will take place each morning in a classroom at the FIAP. Students will take breakfast and dinner (demi-pension) in the FIAP cafeteria. For lunch, students will be on their own to have a crêpe or sandwich; to select a bread from a boulangerie and sample different cheeses from a fromagerie; or to explore the aisles of the supermarkets for the same and more. Occasionally, students may choose to splurge, but experience shows that whatever their appetites, they will enjoy the freedom of choice and the opportunity to sample foods in neighborhoods throughout the city.
The program includes an optional mid-week travel "weekend" to any French-speaking destination. Students who are interested will check out of their rooms at the FIAP on Friday, May 29th for an after-class departure and they will return on Sunday, May 31st. There are no limits for this travel experience other than that the student's own curiosity and budget. Most students will take advantage of the opportunity to see more of France (the beaches of Arcachon, La Rochelle, Nice, or, for different reasons, Normandy!; the châteaux of the Loire Valley; the cities of Aix, Avignon, Bordeaux, or Strasbourg; the magical Mont St. Michel). Some will plan to see French-speaking European cities located within two or three hours by train (Brussels, Geneva, etc.). Students will be encouraged to plan their travel with friends from the Institute. During past summer institutes, the independent travel has been a consistent highlight for our students, allowing them to completely immerse in the culture and to gain confidence traveling on their own in a different country.
- Tuition, room, board (demi-pension) for all days in residence at the FIAP, and 3 WU academic credits: $6000 (includes health insurance coverage)
- Plane fare: estimate $1,600 but students will need to check with the airlines
- Estimated meals and in-country transportation: $500 - $700, depending on student's choices & optional travel weekend
- Not included: souvenirs and personal expenses are not part of the program
- Students will need a camera and a computer.
In addition to having taken at least one, and preferably two French courses 1020-3000 level Courses during the 2025-2026 academic year, students should have an enthusiasm for Paris, including different aspects of the city's cultural life; be intellectually curious about what makes the city special for its citizens as well as foreigners; be eager to expand their spoken and written French; be able to contribute to the group experience; be self-directed and eager to explore the city in ways that enrich them. Priority will be given to students with a strong academic record who speak (enthusiastically and convincingly!) to these points in their application and during their interviews.
To apply, please go to Overseas Programs
Spanish Summer Institute
The Spanish Language Institute in Madrid will be taking place in Summer 2026! The projected dates for the 2026 Spanish Language Institute are from May 10 to June 16, 2026.
Washington University's Summer Language Institute in Spain is a dynamic, intensive program in Spanish language and culture offering full immersion for approximately 6 weeks in Madrid and other areas of Spain. It is designed to accelerate the language acquisition process of intermediate students in Spanish and to introduce them to the experience of life in this modern European country with its very unique history and traditions. This program is intended to meet the needs of students from all areas of the university, including those who aspire to study business, social sciences, or humanities eventually at advanced levels in a Spanish-speaking country (for example, WU's programs in Spain or Chile) and wish to achieve skill levels rapidly. It is also intended for students at intermediate levels of the language who wish to attain a functional proficiency level and first-hand experience with Hispanic culture but have major requirements that do not permit them to be absent from campus for a full academic semester or year (including particularly students from preprofessional and natural science disciplines). The program is exclusively for Washington University students.
The projected dates for the 2026 Spanish Language Institute are from May 10 to June 16, 2026.
New Curricular Structure for the Spanish SLI in Madrid:
Students can take two courses (6 WashU credits) out of the three
total courses offered at the SLI in Madrid:
Option A): SPA 3030 (Madrid-version) and SPA 3122
[for students who have completed 3021 prior to the summer 2026].
OR
Option B): SPA 3110 and SPA 3122
[for students who have completed 3030 prior to the summer 2026].
For any questions of the curriculum and new course structure please directly contact Prof. Joe Barcroft, barcroft@wustl.edu
The program will be based in the capital city of Madrid, with excursions to other historic cities, such as Toledo, Segovia, or Córdoba. Students will be free on long weekends to visit different regions of the country (Andalucía or Barcelona/the Mediterranean coast). Through this structure, students will be able to experience the very active cultural life--museums, theater, politics, music and dance concerts, and other offerings--of Spain's capital, and also to learn about its smaller towns, countryside, and regional differences first-hand.
In Madrid students live with local families selected by the Summer Language Institute, and carefully evaluated by previous Washington University participants.
The estimated cost for the 2026 Spanish Summer Language Institute is $9,500.
This total cost includes all the fees and registration for the two courses (6 WU CREDITS) students will take as part of the SLI Madrid, full room and board with a host family in Madrid for the entire duration of the program, Required WU International Health Insurance (GEOBlue), and various excursions across Spain scheduled as part of the program. The program is also committed to providing various forms of financial assistance to accepted participants as possible.
For any questions of the cost and fees for the SLI Madrid please directly contact Prof. Joe Barcroft, barcroft@wustl.edu
The projected dates for the 2026 Spanish Language Institute are from May 10 to June 16, 2026. The application deadline is February 2, 2026, through the WUSTL Global Opportunities website, and the application portal can be accessed here:
https://sa.wustl.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=10497
For any questions of the application process please directly contact Prof. Joe Barcroft barcroft@wustl.edu
