Foreign Language Study Abroad
Find the Right Foreign Language Program for You
Learn a Foreign Language Abroad with CIEE
Are you looking to study language abroad? Fast-forward your language skills by completing a foreign language study abroad program. On CIEE’s language programs, you’ll immerse yourself in local cultures, learn dialects, and express yourself in one of a dozen languages, including:
- Spanish
- French
- Mandarin
- Arabic
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Japanese
- And more!
With more than 100 foreign language programs across 30+ locations, you'll complete foreign language courses, connect with community members, and experience the local culture firsthand. From advancing your Mandarin language skills in Shanghai to learning to speak like a Parisian in the City of Light, CIEE offers a program every language learner will enjoy!
Whether you’re a beginner or Heritage speaker, discover a language program that fits your skill level and goes beyond the classroom through local engagements, excursions, and more!
Foreign Language Study Abroad Programs
- Study Program
- Part-Time Internship
Take your studies to the City of Azaleas and Taiwan’s incredible capital.
- AACSB-Accredited
- Big City
- Bike Friendly
- Host Institution
- Mountains to Hike
- Volunteering
- Barcelona, Spain
- Study Program
- Part-Time Internship
Spend the summer in a vibrant seaside city working with local and international businesses
- Big City
- Bike Friendly
- Language Immersion
- Life by the Sea
- Barcelona, Spain
- Language & Culture
Amazing food, bustling sidewalk cafes, and seven city beaches make this artsy metropolis a magnet for international students.
- College Credit
- Homestay
- Study Program
- Part-Time Internship
Improve your Russian language skills through classroom, lab, and experiential coursework.
- Host Institution
- Life by the Sea
- Small City
- Alicante, Spain
- Language & Culture
Supercharge your Spanish skills in scenic Alicante.
- College Credit
- Homestay
- Amman, Jordan
- Study Program
Put your learning of Arabic on fast-forward in the heart of Amman’s traditional Eastern district.
- Ancient City
- Language Immersion
- Mountains to Hike
Frequently Asked Questions About Foreign Language Study Abroad
We may be a bit biased, but we think CIEE offers some of the best foreign language learning programs that allow students to travel abroad and learn their desired language firsthand. Our most popular foreign language learning programs include:
- Summer Global Internship Language Immersion (Barcelona, Spain)
- Summer Accelerated Chinese Language (Shanghai, China)
- Russian Language + European Studies (Tallinn, Estonia)
- Summer Intensive French Language (Rennes, France)
- Chinese Language + Asian Studies (Taipei, Taiwan)
- Advanced Arabic Language (Amman, Jordan)
- Summer Arabic Language (Rabat, Morocco)
There are several advantages of studying a foreign language, including:
- Improving brain and memory health
- Increasing problem-solving skills
- Expanding your ability to connect with more people around the world
- Increasing empathy toward others
- Helping with personal and career advancement
Check out this TED Talk on 4 reasons to learn a new language by John McWhorter.
There are many factors that influence how long it may take you to learn a new language, including your environment, dedication to studying, and your existing and desired language level. Depending on the language you want to learn and the level you’d like to reach, experts estimate that it could take anywhere from eight to 92 weeks or more.
While the best foreign language to learn is quite subjective, we can provide you with a list of some of the most popular foreign languages to learn (excluding English), based on the number of native speakers.
- Chinese
- Hindi
- Spanish
- French
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Urdu
- Indonesian
- German
- Japanese
CIEE conveniently offers several language learning programs inclusive of many of the languages listed above. Explore all CIEE’s foreign language programs and apply today!