SASLI 2023 will run June 19-August 11 at UW-Madison

Application details here More

Program Structure

  • SASLI is an intensive, 8-week language learning program equivalent to one year’s worth of language study during the academic year (i.e., four weeks equals one semester).
  • SASLI offers the first- and second-year study of modern South Asian languages and Sanskrit, as well as the third-year study of Hindi, Sanskrit, and Urdu. SASLI students will be prepared for subsequent training domestically and abroad. Find archived syllabi and placement information available here.
  • Classes meet for 4 hours daily, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 1 pm, with one 30-minute break. One class is the equivalent of one week during the academic year, so absences for reasons other than illness are excused only in exceptional circumstances.
  • SASLI participants must complete the two consecutive 4-week sessions and pass the first semester to continue to the second. The program consists of 156-160 contact hours (depending on when the July 4 holiday falls).
  • SASLI offers a variety of social and cultural events for students to take a break and meet others in the program, including cricket games, South Asian film screenings, and study breaks with chai and samosas!
  • The SASLI Lecture Series and culminating All SASLI Program featuring class performances are two popular events that will take your learning outside the classroom.
  • SASLI scholars participate in professional development opportunities with fellow language learners from other intensive summer language institutes, including the LCTL Career Fair and the WISLI student conference.
  • Upon completion of the program, students receive 8 UW-Madison credits and two letter grades for each semester. SASLI alumni can request a UW-Madison transcript.

As of April 20, 2023, SASLI 2023 applicants can select from the following courses:

  • Intermediate Bangla
  • Elementary Hindi
  • Intermediate Hindi
  • Advanced Hindi
  • Elementary Sanskrit (remote only)
  • Intermediate-Advanced Sanskrit
  • Intermediate Tamil
  • Elementary Urdu
  • Intermediate Urdu

The following languages/levels have been cancelled for Summer 2023:

  • Elementary Bengali
  • Elementary Dari
  • Intermediate Dari
  • Elementary Gujarati
  • Intermediate Gujarati
  • Elementary Marathi
  • Intermediate Marathi
  • Elementary Nepali
  • Intermediate Nepali
  • Elementary Pashto
  • Intermediate Pashto
  • Elementary Punjabi
  • Intermediate Punjabi
  • Elementary Sinhala
  • Intermediate Sinhala
  • Elementary Tibetan
  • Intermediate Tibetan
  • Advanced Urdu

Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu are offered by the University of Texas at Austin. Details available here.

“Because of SASLI and studying Hindi first at SASLI, I ultimately studied abroad in India and then was hired for a job in India. If I didn’t go to SASLI, none of that would’ve been possible.”

Former SASLI Student