Summer Programs: 9 weeks, from June to August
Academic Year Programs: 9 months, from September to May
One Semester Programs (Fall or Spring)
Application deadline for Summer 2026 and Academic year 2026-2027 is January 23, 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4aKttUXW_Q&t=14s
Courses regularly include:
- Bangla (Bengali)
- Gujarati
- Hindi
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Marathi
- Mughal Persian
- Oriya
- Punjabi
- Sanskrit
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Urdu
Instruction may be arranged in other languages such as: Kashmiri, Pali/Prakrit, Sindhi, and Tibetan
About the Program
The American Institute of Indian Studies offers summer, semester, and full year courses at the elementary to advanced levels in many languages, including several that are rarely taught outside of India.
Our programs includes:
- Guided local field trips
- Homestays
- Small group and individual lessons
- Weekend group trips
Students are guided & supported from before they leave the US to landing in India, navigating their programs, home-stays, field trips, and more!
Program Types
SUMMER PROGRAM
9 weeks, Early June- Early August, 180 contact hours
Summer In India: Bengali (Kolkata), Hindi (Jaipur), Mughal Persian (Lucknow), Sanskrit (Pune), Tamil (Madurai), Urdu (Lucknow)
Online: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Mughal Persian, Punjabi, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu, & Other languages on request
Other languages on request
Dedicate your summer to the study of an Indian language either in India or online. Students in the Summer Intensive Language program will build confidence in their language skills and gain the equivalent of 1 year of a college language over the course of our 8 week summer program. Whether you have never had the opportunity to take the language of your choice or are hoping to gain increased fluency, our students find our rigorous and fun program supports their language goals.
In-Person
Gain opportunities to learn an Indian language while building cultural skills, learning through living in local language communities and homes, and exploring some of India’s most interesting cities. In-person language students benefit from excursions, cultural programs, lectures, and other opportunities to practice what they learn in the classroom. In person students have the opportunity to earn 8 credits of language and 2 credits of Introduction to Indian Culture and Society from the University of Indiana.
Online
Study hard to learn regional languages intensively during the summer. The online summer program focuses on personalized lesson plans crafted to fill individual student’s language learning goals. Students are provided with 120 synchronous hours of learning, and an additional 36 asynchronous hours that they can do at their own pace.
ACADEMIC YEAR/ SEMESTER PROGRAM
September-December; January- April
In India: Bengali (Kolkata), Hindi (Jaipur), Mughal Persian (Lucknow), Urdu (Lucknow), Tamil (Madurai)
Online: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Mughal Persian, Punjabi, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu, & Other languages on request
Other languages as requested
Spend the full academic year or semester in India or online learning an Indian language! Students studying for a semester or a full academic year in India will also begin to feel comfortable in their regional and cultural contexts. Students will gain significant fluency in their chosen language and benefit from small group and individual instruction. Students spend 4 hours each weekday working on their language fluency. Program heads in India also provide contacts to local NGOs, cultural centers, and other institutions to enable students to participate in community-based learning and project development.
Online students are able to take 2 synchronous hours in the morning and 2 asynchronous hours at their convenience of language courses each weekday. This allows students and professionals the opportunity to engage in intensive language study while continuing with work, classes, or family obligations at home.
This program is geared towards graduate and junior- and senior-level under-graduate students at U.S. colleges and universities, teachers in area studies, others who can demonstrate how intensive language study will further their professional goals.
Academics
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
| Summer | Academic Year | Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
| Arrival, Orientation, Classes Start | First week in June | First week in September | First week in September | First week in January |
| Mid-term break | Weekend of July 4th | Long weekends, Second week of October, Third week of February | Long weekend, second week of October | Long weekend, third week of February |
| End of program | First week of August | Last week of April | December 22 | Last week of April |
CURRICULUM — LANGUAGE
Our language programs recognize that language proficiency and skill require dedicated teaching, exposure to the target language in classes and in the community, and lots of practice. Students are offered language instruction fitted to a variety of types of language learners. Each of our language programs creates its own material, provides small groups lessons, and includes individual tuition time that can be tailored to each student’s interests. This intensive program is meant for students to quickly gain significant skill in the target language. Students will be evaluated in their language learning each week with an eye to encouraging growth across the language disciplines of reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
All teachers are trained to work with US-based students, use ACTFL evaluation, and active, engaged language pedagogy. Students are asked to pledge to only speak in the target language, and to work both in and outside class to use their language skills.
CURRICULUM — INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY
Students in the summer program are also automatically enrolled in a 2 credit Introduction to Indian Culture and Society course. Each week, students will participate in guided excursions to local monuments, cultural centers, religious institutions, and historic sites. In addition to excursions, planned lectures with local practitioners of Indian music, art, education, and culture, about Indian history, culture, and present day society with professors from local universities, and hands-on projects will put the language program in its rich cultural context. Students will leave the Intro to Indian culture and society course with a clearer understanding of local and national culture and society.
Each AIIS center has relationships with NGOs, community organizations, community-based classes, and local universities. Students are encouraged to work with local institutions as part of their language pedagogy. Each student can earn up to 8 language credits for the summer.
Students may opt out of earning credit through Indiana University. If they do they will be provided with a small credit toward their program expenses.
HOMESTAYS & ACCOMMODATIONS
The American Institute of Indian Studies provides safe and comfortable local accommodations for all students. Students can choose between a homestay with a local family who has promised to speak the target language at home or an apartment style accommodation, often with other students in the program. Student housing provides breakfasts, dinners, and lunches on weekend days. Students will be provided with a nutritious lunch at the program center. All student accommodations will include wifi, and many, but not all, will include air conditioning.
AIIS recognizes that students have particular needs when it comes to their housing and is careful to match students with housing that will provide a safe, comfortable, and appropriate environment.
PROGRAM FEES & TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS
AIIS can provide a very limited amount of tuition scholarships to help defray costs for students attending our language programs. You must indicate that you would like to be considered for AIIS funding in the online application.
Students with funding greater than $1000 from their university or other funding bodies will not be considered for AIIS funding. Please let AIIS know if you have been awarded outside funding so that tuition scholarship funds can be used for other students.
*Program costs are updated yearly based on the costs associated with the program. If students request a single student program in India, costs will be higher.
** Language program fees will not be refunded after the beginning of the program unless there are extraordinary circumstances approved by AIIS administration.
| Summer | Fall/Spring semester | Academic year |
|
Paid to the Program Tuition and Program Fees: $3500 |
Paid to the Program Tuition and Program Fees: $4000 |
Paid to the Program Tuition and Program Fees: $8000 |
|
Additional Costs Airfare: $1800-$2500 |
Additional Costs Airfare: $1800-$2500 |
Additional Costs Airfare: $1800-$2500 |
|
Online Program Costs Tuition and Fees: $3000 |
Online Program Costs Tuition and Fees: $4000 |
Online Program Costs Tuition and Fees: $8200 |