Language Houses

Within the International Learning Community (ILC), located in Adams Hall, clusters of rooms are devoted to language immersion. We offer you the opportunity to be part of a program in German, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Nordic (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish), or Chinese languages. These language programs offer a living experience ideal for students studying foreign languages, interested in world affairs, in exchange programs, and who are planning to study abroad, returning from studying abroad, or are unable to go abroad during their college careers. Live in the ILC where you will enhance your cross-cultural understanding and your language proficiency by connecting with your neighbors.

A graduate student, who is a native speaker of the language, works with residents of the floor to assist with language skills and programming. Residents in language houses expand their listening, speaking and writing skills during informal weekly dinners, attending tutoring hours, and attending programs both on campus and in the residence hall.

If you want to participate in one of the ILC language floors, you need to fill out an application in addition to ranking the ILC as your top choice (when you receive your housing contract).
Apply to a Language House

Baytunaa: Arabic House

4th Floor of Faville in Adams Hall

Live the Arabic immersion experience with a native speaker, and learn about Arabs and their cultures. The Arabic House is a great opportunity to learn and improve your Arabic skills, and is a door to meet and interact with the Arabic community in Madison. You live with students who share similar interests in the Arabic language and culture.

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: African Cultural Studies

Faculty Director: Mustafa Mustafa

Nihongo Hausu: Japanese House

3rd Floors of Ochsner & Tarrant in Adams Hall

The Japanese-language floor is an enthusiastic group who speak Japanese together, cook Japanese food, watch Japanese movies, and experiment with “living in Japanese” here in Madison. Living in Nihongo Hausu is a great way to get better at spoken Japanese and is an opportunity to live with people who share an interest in Japan.

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Asian Languages & Cultures

Faculty Director: Steve Ridgely

Residencia de Estudiantes: Spanish House

4th Floors of Noyes, Siebecker & La Follette in Adams Hall

If you are interested in improving your Spanish listening, comprehension, and conversation this is the place for you. We offer you the opportunity to improve your Spanish skills in a safe and fun environment where you will live and interact with people that actually want to learn the language. Activities include cooking nights, cultural nights, or movie nights etc.

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Spanish & Portuguese

Faculty Director: Grant Armstrong

Русский дом (Russkii Dom): Russian House

4th Floor of Ochsner in Adams Hall

Русский дом (Ruskii Dom) is a language floor in the ILC for students with an interest in Russian language and culture. Residents gather at meals, cook Russian food, go to concerts of Russian music, visit the local Russian food store, watch Russian films, and chat in the hallways about daily life. Students of all levels of Russian are welcome.

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Slavic Languages & Literature, The Russian Flagship Program

Faculty Director: Karen Evans-Romaine

Norden House: Nordic House

3rd Floors of Faville & Richardson in Adams Hall

Norden House is a residential language immersion program for UW students studying Norwegian, Danish or Swedish. Fluency in Scandinavian languages is not required. Norden also involves a one-credit seminar that allows students to explore different facets of Scandinavian society. Throughout the year Norden residents also take trips to some of the many rich northern European heritage sites located throughout Wisconsin and neighboring states, exposing students to the folk traditions of Scandinavia.

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Scandinavian Studies

Faculty Director: Scott Mellor

Stockwerk Deutsch: German House

3rd Floors of Faville & Winslow in Adams Hall

Stockwerk Deutsch, the oldest language floor in the ILC, is a community of students who have an interest in the German language and its many cultures. Residents are referred to as “Stockies.” They cook and eat meals, and travel to interesting German sites. Students of all levels of German are welcome to apply to become “Stockies” themselves. Herzlich Willkommen!

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of German

Faculty Director: Julie Larson-Guenette

中文天地 (Zhongwen Tiandi): Chinese House

3rd Floors of Noyes, Siebecker & La Follette in Adams Hall

Tiandi (literally “Chinese heaven-and-earth”) is the newest language floor in the International Learning Community. This is a community of students devoted to learning Chinese language and culture and sharing them with the campus, the state of Wisconsin, and beyond. With the support of a Graduate Language Program Coordinator, Chinese language learners of all levels, including native speakers, will share in meals, cultural activities, film screenings, and casual conversation. We are accepting our first group of residents in fall 2015. 欢迎光临中文天地!

UW Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of East Asian Languages & Literature

Faculty Director: Rania Huntington

How to Join a Language House

Like other residential learning communities, the general ILC is open to everyone! If you are an incoming student, you should express your interest in living in the ILC by ranking “International Learning Community – Adams” as your #1 hall preference. Returning students will have the opportunity to select a room in the ILC during returning resident process from November 13th to mid-March. For any new students the opportunity to select your own room in the ILC will be available in early May 2018.

In addition to joining the general International Learning Community, students should also consider applying to live in one of the nine Language Immersion Houses within the ILC. Applications for the individual language houses can be found below.

Current Residents of University Housing
1. Submit your Language House Application/Registration Form to the University Housing Assignment Office.
2. Log into My UW Housing to complete your Notice of Intent indicating you are interested in returning to the University Residence Halls.
3. You will be notified via an email to your @wisc.edu account indicating if you have been approved to participate in a Language House.
4. Log into My UW Housing beginning November 13, 2017 to select a room in the Language House of your choice.
Current UW-Madison Students Not In University Housing
1. Complete an application indicating your interest in living in the University Residence Halls for Academic Year 2018-19.
2. Submit your Language House Application/Registration Form to the University Housing Assignment Office.
3. You will be notified via an email to your @wisc.edu account indicating if you have been approved to participate in a Language House
4. Log into My UW Housing beginning November 13, 2017 to select a room in the Language House of your choice.
New UW-Madison Students
1. Submit your University Residence Halls contract and total $300 deposit.
2. We send you an email directing you to submit your hall preferences.
3. Select “International Learning Community – Adams” as your top choice. Language House Applications/Registration Forms are due in early May 2018 (participation in a Language House is not a requirement to live in the ILC).
4. We send you another email with a link to our room selection system in My UW Housing.
5. Log into My UW Housing in spring and select your room for Academic Year 2018-19!

Applications

Before completing a Language House Application or Registration Form, save a blank copy to your computer. Then complete the Application or Registration Form and resave it before sending it to the University Housing Assignment Office. If you complete the Application or Registration Form before saving a copy, you may lose your work.

Academic Year 2019-20

Once you have filled out the form, please submit the completed application via email to assignMe@housing.wisc.edu with the subject line reading “Re: Language Program Applications”.

For questions regarding language programs, please contact the department or language coordinator. Contact information is available at the end of the language program application.

For questions regarding the application procedure, please contact:

Tracy Spraetz
Slichter Hall – Assignment Office
625 Babcock Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1213
Email: tracy.spraetz@housing.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-0554

The ILC welcomes anyone with interest. You do not have to be in a Language Immersion House to participate in the ILC. (If you don’t join a Language Immersion House your freshman year, consider it for your sophomore year!) The ILC is comprised mostly of single rooms. To learn more about the ILC’s location, explore our information about Adams Residence Hall. If you have a preferred roommate but you are interested in the ILC, contact us. We would be happy to work with you and your preferred roommate so that you are in neighboring rooms!

The ILC has an additional program fee of $250 for the academic year. This fee covers the cost of increased staffing, special programs, faculty fellows, and other services unique to the ILC. If you would like to visit the ILC, arrange a tour by emailing ilc.tours@housing.wisc.edu. To learn more about the ILC, contact University Housing at (608) 262-2522.