Every September the program sponsors a month-long mandatory language course. German universities require students to take a language test prior to admission. Students with sufficiently high scores are admitted directly to university courses. Assignment to DAF courses is determined by the Resident Director based on test results, the September Language Course, and the student's major field of study. The September Language Course meets five hours a day and consists of a grammar review, composition exercises, practice in text analysis, oral comprehension exercises, and speaking.
Participants receive grades and three undergraduate credits.
Unless engaged in research, program participants are expected to enroll full-time in the program. This means that undergraduates must earn a minimum of 12 semester credits each semester and graduate students six. Course Enrollment Program participants enroll directly in German university courses. It is best to enroll primarily in courses in your major field. Most coursework is conducted in German, and in order to receive credit, students must complete and submit written work.