Want to become fluent in a foreign language but online practice sites and thrice weekly college classes just aren’t doing it for you? Consider summer language programs abroad! After all, what better way to learn a language than through total immersion? Cultivate your Chinese while contemplating the countryside from atop the Great Wall. Brush up on your German while munching on bratwurst in Berlin. Spiff up your Spanish while dancing salsa in Havana.
You’ll always be living in *fluent city* thanks to these summer language immersion programs!
There are a plethora of summer language immersion programs for college students out there. Take off on a linguistic adventure for as little as one week to as long as the whole summer! Different programs offering varying levels of support in terms of finding/providing housing, acquiring a visa, and organizing cultural activities outside of class time, but with a little research it’s not hard to find the program that’s just right for you! Here are a few of our top picks for summer language programs that will help you get fluent (and maybe even tan—if you study outside).
13 fabulous summer language immersion programs for college students
Whether you want to learn Arabic, French, Spanish, or Chinese, you have your pick of the lot when it comes to high quality summer language immersion programs for college students.
1. Immerse Yourself in Arabic in Jordan with AMIDEAST
Looking for some intensive Arabic instruction? Look no further than AMIDEAST’s summer language immersion program at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman! During a 4-week session, you’ll receive about 100 hours of instruction, including classes in Modern Standard Arabic as well as colloquial Arabic in the local dialect. The program also includes a homestay with an Arabic-speaking family and one organized excursion per session. You can float in the Dead Sea, its high salt content making you astoundingly buoyant; chow down on authentic hummus and falafel; and set foot on famous historical sites with ties to some of the world’s major religions. From ancient ruins peeking out of rocky cliffs to turquoise-watered beaches, Jordan will enchant you with its beauty.
- Where? Amman, Jordan
- What? Arabic
- More info: Read AMIDEAST reviews
2. Parlez Français in Quebec with CCIS Study Abroad
Prefer a slightly cooler French immersion experience when it comes to your ideal language immersion summer programs? Why not try the summer language program for college students at the École de Langue Française at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi? You have your choice of 3 or 5-week sessions between May and August and of being housed with a French-speaking family or in student dorms. Courses on Quebec culture and civilization are also offered. And during your down time, you can attend local festivals (everything from boat racing to outdoor theatre!); check out Chicoutimi’s boutiques, museums, and art galleries; and, if you’re feeling outdoorsy, even brave the icy waters of Quebec’s stunning fjords in a kayak. You’ll come back home singing the praises of “O Canada” en français!
- Where? Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
- What? French
- More info: Read CCIS reviews
3. Plunge into Intensive Chinese During IES Abroad’s Shanghai Summer
With this rigorous summer immersion program, you’ll take a language pledge to abandon the use of English and, in 8 weeks, cover an entire year’s worth of college-level Chinese instruction, including both cultural and linguistic courses. You can even sign up for an elective class in calligraphy! Besides your classes, the program includes housing in an apartment or with a host family, a field trip to Beijing, and cultural activities in Shanghai. You’ll have opportunities to go boating on the Huangpo River, watch professional baseball, soccer, and basketball games, and even see the sunrise from atop the Great Wall. How’s that for a view?
- Where? Shanghai, China
- What? Chinese
- More info: Read IES Abroad reviews
4. Get the Hang of German in Munich or Berlin with EF
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? You can with Education First’s specialized language courses! Summer sessions start at two weeks long, and if you get hooked and decide you want to stay, EF actually offers courses during the entire year! EF’s language immersion summer programs combine lecture, project, and special interest sessions with traditional language courses and allow you to select the level and number of hours per week that best meet your language learning needs. Housing options are student dorms or a homestay. EF is known for its attentive staff and willingness to help students with concerns before and during the study abroad experience.
Although Berlin and Munich are two of Germany’s largest cities, the EF facilities for summer immersion programs in both spots are located within walking distance of cultural attractions and restaurants. And if you’re a history buff, there’s no place like Germany to go nuts! Book a free walking tour to learn the basics, then flesh your visit out with trips to WWII museums and monuments, the Berlin Wall’s East Side Gallery, and nearby castles and cathedrals. You won’t ever want to say, “Auf Wiedersehen!”
- Where? Munich or Berlin, Germany
- What? German
- More info: Read Education First reviews
5. Dive into French (and Surfing!) in France with the Alliance Française Bordeaux Aquitaine
“Everybody’s gone surfin’, surfin’ fra-ançais!” Located on the Bay of Biscay in French Basque Country, Biarritz, once a holiday escape for the likes of Victor Hugo and Napoleon III, is now referred to by TripAdvisor as “Europe’s surfing capital.” Every summer, the Alliance Française Bordeaux Aquitaine makes the most of this beautiful location and organizes a youth summer language immersion program (16 years old and up) combining 3 hours of French courses every morning with surfing lessons and cultural visits in the afternoon. Accommodation is included, either with a host family or in a hotel, as is all necessary surfing equipment. So, catch a plane and then catch a wave, and you’ll be on your way to speaking French like a native!
- Where? Biarritz, France
- What? French
- More program info
6. Hit the Books with the American University of Sharjah’s Summer Intensive Arabic Language Program in the UAE
Imagine yourself on the campus of the American University of Sharjah, surrounded by the Islamic-style architecture of a traditional Arab city, yet on the doorstep of the cosmopolitan and ultramodern Dubai. You immerse yourself in the Arabic language through a six-week summer language program that includes formal classroom instruction as well as daily conversation practice with a native speaker. You have both stretching desert and beachside resorts at your fingertips—and the chance to experience the warm, welcoming nature of the Arab people.Throw university housing and program-organized excursions into the deal, and you couldn’t ask for more! Experience the Middle East in a way you never imagined!
- Where? Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- What? Arabic
- More info: Read American University of Sharjah reviews
7. Improve Your Italian in Rome with Education First
Are you a fan of pizza, pasta, and gelato? Ancient ruins and classical art? Rome is the city for you! Although you’ll most definitely want to stop by the city’s most famous sites, like the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain (Don’t forget to throw a coin in to ensure that you’ll go back one day!), you’ll also stumble across exquisite little churches and sculptures tucked away at every turn along the city’s numerous winding streets. EF has a stellar reputation for student support. What’s more, the variety of courses they offer in their language immersion summer programs allows you to craft a tailor-made learning experience best suited to your individual needs. You can even sign up for special interest courses like Italian cinema and cooking! You’ll stay with a host family or in the EF residence, and you’ll study 5 minutes’ walk from the towering Pantheon and the dazzling Piazza Navona. Buon viaggio!
- Where? Rome, Italy
- What? Italian
- More info: Read Education First reviews
8. Polish Your Japanese in Tokyo with CISabroad
Experience both stunning rural landscapes and bustling metropolises in a land where ancient shrines and modern skyscrapers stand side by side and the culinary offerings include so much more than sushi. Sign up for a summer immersion program in Japan! CISabroad is known for providing a well-organized, comprehensive experience that immerses students both linguistically and culturally. Go on an excursion to the Buddhist temple in Asakusa; attend a traditional tea ceremony; and self-select your course schedule from a variety of offerings at Tokyo’s centrally located Seisen University. Housing is provided at a hotel just a 10-15 minute train ride from the university. Pack your bags for Japan—you won’t regret it!
- Where? Tokyo, Japan
- What? Japanese
- More info: Read CISabroad reviews
9. Practice Portuguese in Lisbon with API Abroad
Want to visit one of Europe’s coolest capital cities and learn some Portuguese while you’re at it? Try API’s all-inclusive summer language immersion program for college students at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa! API has a reputation for having a helpful and supportive staff who will make your summer abroad experience run smoothly from beginning to end. They provide pre-program advising and orientation materials, housing, medical insurance, transit passes, airport reception, and social activities organized with other students. When you’re not in class learning about both the Portuguese language and culture, you can explore the varied bairros (or districts) of Lisbon. Listen to the waters of the Tagus River lap against the shore as you enjoy a coffee in the Praça do Comercio; poke around in the quirky shops and restaurants of the recently revamped LXFactory; watch the sun set over the city from the heights of the São Jorge Castle. You’ll fall in love with the charm of both the city and the Portuguese language.
- Where? Lisbon, Portugal
- What? Portuguese
- More info: Read API Study Abroad reviews
10. Brush Up on Your Brazilian Portuguese in Salvador with Lingua Service Worldwide
They don’t just speak Portuguese in Portugal! How does a summer (actually the winter season there) in Brazil sound? Sign up for The Dialogo Institute’s “Brazil Workshop,” which offers between 3 and 4 hours of Portuguese language instruction per day in groups of no more than 9 students. Important to know: The program will help you find housing, but it is not included in the price. However, the institute does organize cultural activities, available depending upon a sufficient number of students signing up, that will allow you to become familiar with the city’s rich cultural heritage: Take classes in Afro-Brazilian dance; observe a religious ceremony in the Candomblé tradition; and attend local folklore events. Enjoy history, including Latin America’s largest collection of Baroque art, and modern culture side by side in the thriving metropolis that is Salvador. Brazil will be an experience you won’t forget!
- Where? Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- What? Portuguese
- More program info
11. Soak up the Sun While Studying Spanish with the Fundación de la Universidad de La Rioja in Spain
Experience the multihued vineyards and medieval history of the La Rioja region of Spain, immersing yourself in the Spanish language and culture. In this summer language program for college students, you’ll partake in a total of 80 hours of courses over a period of 4 weeks. You’ll also participate in museum visits; tastings of the region’s namesake wine; a guided tour of the city of Logroño, where the university is located; and a trip to the San Millán de La Cogolla Monastery, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where the first Spanish language words were written.
In Logroño, be sure to drop into the Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, a stopping place for pilgrims hiking along the famous Camino de Santiago on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Important to note: While assistance is available in securing housing (including dorm, apartment, and homestay options), accommodation is not included in the program price. Nonetheless, housing in Spain is generally pretty affordable, and the warmth and infectious joie de vivre of the Spanish people will make this language immersion summer program well worth the cost!
- Where? Logroño, Spain
- What? Spanish
- More program info
12. Speak Spanish in Argentina with ISA
If you’re looking for a city and a culture that are exciting, fun, and full of life, pack your suitcase for Buenos Aires and take part in ISA’s intensive Spanish summer language program for college students at the Universidad de Belgrano! ISA offers a month-long course schedule focusing on studies of Spanish conversation, grammar, and culture. You can choose between being housed with a local family or with other international students (included in the program costs). Organized excursions and other cultural activities are also part of the program. Experience the breathtaking Iguazú Falls and the rich biodiversity of the subtropical ecosystem, but bring your paraguas (“umbrella” in Spanish)—downpours are not uncommon!
- Where? Buenos Aires, Argentina
- What? Spanish
- More info: Read International Studies Abroad reviews
13. Dance your Way to Spanish fluency in Havana with Jakera Cuba
“¡Uno, dos, chachachá!” One step at a time to Spanish fluency! In Havana, Cuba, you can immerse yourself both linguistically and rhythmically, with 3 hours of language classes every day and hour-long dance classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the professional Casa del Son dance school. Perfect your Spanish conversation skills and your salsa, mambo, and cha cha cha moves all in one go! And don’t forget the frequent free live music events on those sultry Cuban nights for a little extra practice!
Free dorm housing is provided, or you can opt for individual housing with a supplementary fee. Breakfast and lunch, cultural walks, airport pickup, and a weekend trips to Viñales and the beach east of Havana are also part of the deal. You have the option of either a 2-week or 4-week program. So, put on your dancing shoes and trot yourself off to Cuba! ¡Olé!
- Where? Havana, Cuba
- What? Spanish
- More info: Read Jakera Cuba reviews
Your summer immersion program will have you fluent in no time
Smile big—you’re fluent in a foreign language!
Motivated yet? If so, read up a little bit more on summer language immersion programs for college students that have piqued your interest. Check out GoAbroad for personal accounts of students who have participated in them to see if they match up with what you’re looking for. And travel safe! Organized study abroad programs are one of the most secure ways to go, but check for any current travel advisories for countries you’re planning on visiting before you take off.
And go! Immerse yourself in another language. Experience the world from within another culture. Not only will you be stunned at how quickly your language skills will improve, but the relationships you’ll make and the experiences you’ll share will stay with you for a lifetime.
Use MyGoAbroad to Find & Compare Language Immersion Summer Programs with Confidence
Look for the Perfect Language Program Abroad Now
Start Your Search