Applying to the Foreign Language Program

Course Fees

The fee for 2024 is $490 per eight-week session. Students returning within a year receive a $30 discount if the online application is submitted by the discount deadline. New students can apply until the application deadline and are not eligible for discounts.

Application Process

Apply for the Foreign Language Program by completing the online application. Payment must be made at the time the application is submitted. If you need assistance with the application, please view the following video.

If you are enrolling in Spanish or French and are not a beginner, you must take the placement test. See the calendar for scheduled test dates. Non-beginning students of other languages will be contacted for an interview to determine placement.

Applications should be received by the application deadline. After the application deadline, sections may be added or canceled depending on student enrollment, so early application is recommended. Students applying after the application deadline will be placed in classes on a space available basis. If no space is available, students will receive a full refund.

Note: Students will receive an email with their class schedule no later than the last business day before classes begin.

Admission to language courses does not constitute admission to any other unit of Rice University. Students do not receive academic credit for these courses, but will receive 2.4 Continuing Education Units for satisfactory completion of each eight-week course. Persons applying for these courses must have graduated from secondary school.

Refund Policy

  • Course fees will be refunded in full if the class is canceled or if a student cancels a registration before the application deadline. All refund requests must be submitted in writing to fl@rice.edu. See the calendar.
  • If cancellation is made after the application deadline but before 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before the session begins, a $30 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Students withdrawing before the fourth class meeting will receive a refund of one-third of the course fee. There is no refund for any student withdrawing after the fourth class meeting
  • Refunds will be processed as credits to the accounts from which they were paid and may not appear as a credit until the following statement. Refunds for enrollments paid by check can take up to four weeks to be processed. There is a $30 charge for any check returned for insufficient funds.