Beginning in summer 2024, the Office of the Dean of the College will support a new initiative for undergraduates pursuing summer study of languages that are not offered for credit-bearing study at Princeton. This program is particularly designed to support students pursuing language learning in areas that are relevant to their course of study, planned independent work, or otherwise connected to students’ background, identity, or family history.

Any less-commonly taught language (LCTL) is eligible for this program, including Native and Indigenous Languages, provided that the language is not regularly taught at Princeton. 

Students can engage with this program in one of two ways:

  • Undertake structured summer study (at least four weeks long) within an identified linguistic tradition. 
     
  • Earn official transfer credit for courses in languages that are not offered at Princeton.  These courses must meet the University’s existing criteria for transfer course credit (see further below).

Funding

Support for summer LCTL study for students who currently receive financial aid, either through credit-bearing transfer courses or other structured, academic experiences, is available through the Dean's Fund for Summer Study Abroad (this includes LCTL courses or other experiences offered domestically). 

All applications for financial support must be submitted through the University-wide Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE)

Please read the application guidelines in SAFE before submitting your application.

Application Process and Criteria

The application process has either one, two, or three parts, depending on the student’s goals.

Students who only wish to pursue financial support for structured academic study outside of a credit bearing course need only complete Part 1

Students who want to receive domestic course credit and financial support need to complete both Part 1 and Part 2.

Students who want to pursue credit through an international course should also complete Part 3.

Part 1:  Application for Financial Support

Applications for financial support for all summer LCTL study should be submitted via online application in the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE).  In order to receive financial support, proposed programs must last for at least four weeks and demonstrate a significant structure/regularity.

The application requires that students submit all of the required elements (incomplete applications will not be considered):

  • Submission of a PDF of their electronic academic record from TigerHub
     
  • Completion of all application questions in SAFE (including additional ones that must be uploaded as a PDF if applicable).
     
  • Submission of a PDF copy of the program information, including:
  • The published, itemized costs of the program. Please note: You must submit official program materials that break down the cost of tuition from the overall program fee, room and board, etc. If the costs of the program are not itemized, please follow up with the program to obtain the cost breakdown.
     
  • The course descriptions of the class(es) you propose taking (if applicable), detailing how many classes (if more than one) along with credit equivalencies.
  • Students applying for the Dean’s Fund for international experiences should be reminded that full approval to participate will be contingent upon an international program continuing to meet the University’s requirements for “permissible international travel,” which can be reviewed on the Permitted Travel Policy page.

Part 2:  Application for Transfer Course Credit

Students who wish to take courses for credit should also submit an application for transfer credit through TigerHub by clicking on "Transfer Course Pre-Approval" (under the Academic Tasks tile). Use a separate form for each course you want approved, unless they are in sequence.

Applications to take courses for transfer credit must meet the following criteria: 

  • Offered in person by an accredited, 4-year institution.  Online LCTL courses are normally not permitted unless a suitable in-person course is not available and the online instruction is supplemented by opportunities for in-person, co-curricular learning.
     
  • At least four weeks long with 60 instructional hours.  The University’s requirement for an introductory language course is at least 60 instructional hours across a minimum of four weeks.
     
  • Students must submit a transcript at the conclusion of the course that documents course completion with a grade of C or better.  Students may not elect to take a transfer course Pass/D/Fail.  Transfer credit is only granted upon receipt of an official transcript.

Part 3: Additional Application for International Course Transfer Credit

If the LCTL course for which a student seeks credit is offered abroad, students should also submit an application in the Global Program System (GPS) for a “Non-Princeton Summer Study Abroad” program.  Opening an application in GPS will guide the student step-by-step to complete all the University requirements that are in place for international undergraduate credit-bearing programs.

Deadlines

Applications for financial support should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than April 15, 2024. Funding from the Dean’s Fund is assessed in three rounds, and the sooner a student applies, the sooner they will be informed about the amount of their award. Early application is particularly important when pursuing an international program, as students may need funds to pay for airfare, or for mandatory program deposits to secure their spot on the program. The Dean’s Fund funding deadlines can be accessed here.

Transfer Course Applications should be submitted as soon as possible prior to the summer period, and no later than April 19, 2024.  Earlier submission is preferred, however, so that an alternative course can be identified in the event that the first proposed course is not approved.

In some cases these different deadlines may mean that an application for financial support is submitted prior to an application for transfer credit.

Other Information

If you are awarded Dean’s Fund funding and have not been accepted by, or will not be attending, the program of application, we ask that you please withdraw your application to the Dean’s Fund in a timely manner, so that the funds can be used for another applicant.

If you have any problems with the SAFE online application, please e-mail the Study Abroad Program.

Please note that transfer courses will not automatically fulfill the University’s language requirement for general education.  Students should consult their Assistant Dean for Studies to discuss their particular academic goals for a course taken for credit.

If you have questions about the eligibility of a proposed international LCTL course for transfer credit, please contact Gisella Gisolo, Director, Study Abroad Program for a preliminary review and/or advising appointment.