Language Levels and Prerequisites

The 2026 CLS Program provides instruction in nine critical languages.

Language	Beginner (No Prior Study Required)	Advanced Beginner (One Year of Prior Study Required or the Equivalent)	Intermediate and Advanced (Two Years of Prior Study Required or the Equivalent)
Arabic		✔	✔
Chinese		✔	✔
Hindi	✔	✔	✔
Japanese			✔
Korean		✔	✔
Persian	✔	✔	✔
Portuguese	✔	✔	✔
Russian		✔	✔
Swahili	✔	✔	✔

Choosing Your Language Level

When applying for the CLS Program, applicants must select the level at which they intend to study. If you are currently enrolled in college-level language courses, choose the level you will achieve by the summer. For example, if you are taking introductory Chinese in the fall and plan to take another course in the spring, you will have completed one year of Chinese by June 2026 and should select Advanced Beginning Chinese in your application.

Applicants who have previously participated in the CLS Program may count each summer of participation as equivalent to one year of language study.

For further information on choosing your language level, prior study and proficiency requirements, and CLS Spark, please refer to the Applicant FAQ.