Language Communities

The International Learning Community (ILC) supports language study by offering dedicated language programming in Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, Nordic (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish), Russian, and Spanish. These programs offer regular opportunities to speak the target languages in both social and classroom settings, making them ideal for students planning to study abroad, seeking to maintain their fluency after studying abroad, or for anyone simply looking to improve their language skills.

How to Join

Incoming First-Year Residents

All items must be completed by your due date (May 1 for most admitted students). You can be assigned to any learning/theme community even if you did not preference it.

Sign your University Residence Halls contract and submit your advance payment in My UW Housing.
Rank the International Learning Community first when you submit your hall preferences in My UW Housing.
Prioritize learning communities over residence halls when you submit your hall preferences in My UW Housing.
Complete and submit a language community application/agreement in My UW Housing.
You will be notified via an email to your @wisc.edu account indicating if you have been approved to participate in a language community.
Indicate if you want a random or preferred roommate in My UW Housing, and create/join a roommate group if you have a preferred roommate(s). Make sure all preferred roommates have matching preferences.

Returning Residents

Apply for and fill out a language community application/agreement form and attach it to your housing application in My UW Housing during the returning resident Notice of Intent time frame.
You will receive a decision email sent to your @wisc.edu email address before returning resident room selection begins.
- If you apply after the Notice of Intent deadline you will still be considered, but we cannot guarantee a decision prior to room selection.
Indicate if you want a random or preferred roommate in My UW Housing, and create/join a roommate group if you have a preferred roommate(s). Make sure all preferred roommates have matching preferences.
Sign your University Residence Halls contract and submit your advance payment in My UW Housing.

Communities

Baytunaa: Arabic Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of African Cultural Studies
Faculty Director: Mustafa Mustafa

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.

中文天地 (Zhongwen Tiandi): Chinese Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of East Asian Languages & Literature
Faculty Director: Tianlu Zhang

Tiandi (literally “Chinese heaven-and-earth”) is a community of students devoted to learning the Chinese language and culture and sharing them with the UW-Madison campus, the state of Wisconsin, and beyond. With the support of a graduate student who works as a Language Program Coordinator, Chinese language learners of all levels, including native speakers, will share in meals, cultural activities, film screenings, and casual conversation. 欢迎光临中文天地!

Stockwerk Deutsch: German Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of German
Faculty Director: Julie Larson-Guenette

Stockwerk Deutsch, the oldest language community 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!

Nihongo Hausu: Japanese Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of Asian Languages & Cultures
Faculty Director: Yuki Shimizu

The Japanese-language community is an enthusiastic group that speaks Japanese together, cooks Japanese food, watches Japanese movies, and experiments with “living as a Japanese” here in Madison. Living in Nihongo Hausu is a great way to get better at speaking Japanese and an opportunity to live with people who are interested in Japan.

사랑채 (K-Community): Korean Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of Asian Languages & Cultures
Faculty Director: Steve Gagnon

K-Community provides opportunities to enhance students’ cross-cultural understanding and Korean language proficiency. A language program coordinator works with students in K-Community and coordinates Korean-language social activities and provides language tutoring. Residents also enroll in a one-credit course on Korean culture taught by a faculty member in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures and participate in ILC-wide events such as Roundtable Dinners, lectures, and other international programming.

Norden Community: Nordic Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of Scandinavian Studies
Faculty Director: Scott Mellor

Norden Community is a residential language immersion program for UW-Madison students studying Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish. Fluency in Scandinavian languages is not required. Norden Community also involves a one-credit seminar allowing students to explore different facets of Scandinavian society. Throughout the year, Norden residents 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.

Русский дом (Russkii Dom): Russian Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsors: Department of Slavic Languages & Literature, Russian Flagship Program
Faculty Director: Karen Evans-Romaine

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 Russian music concerts, visit local Russian food stores, watch Russian films, and chat in the hallways about daily life. Students of all levels of Russian are welcome.

Residencia de Estudiantes: Spanish Community

Kronshage Residence Hall
Co-Sponsor: Department of Spanish & Portuguese
Faculty Director: Catherine Stafford

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 want to learn Spanish. Activities include cooking nights, cultural nights, movie nights, and more.

Programming

Native speakers of languages or those with advanced language proficiency (typically graduate students) assist with related programming under the guidance of a faculty director. Residents who sign up for language communities can expand their speaking, listening, and writing skills by participating in informal weekly dinners in the target language as well as by taking advantage of special tutoring hours and group outings to ILC and campus-wide events.